For Technical Assistance,  Presentations, and information how to start or be involved in a youth group.
 please contact
 (405) 522-4151

For more information
about the
 National Youth Involvement
go to...

tapartnership.org/youth

Young people are the experts on their lives and are strong contributors to society. Youth voice is not about “letting” young people help, but about partnering with young people as partners, leaders, and advocates.

ARE YOU READY? Do you really want to listen to youth? Why? Will the youth be fully integrated or will they be tokens? Are there assumptions or stereotypes of youth that need to be challenged? Is your community committed to putting in the time and resources to do what it takes to have authentic youth involvement in your Systems of Care community?

Following are some tips on involving youth in Systems of Care:

PROVIDE TRAINING. Training young people will help them to be more prepared and effective at meetings and will help them to advocate both for themselves and other youth.

CONNECT WITH OTHER GROUPS WHO VALUE YOUTH VOICE. Find out what worked and what didn’t.

RESPECT THE YOUTH’S OPINIONS. Invite more than one youth. Youth may feel intimidated in a meeting filled with adults. Provide opportunities for feedback.

BE PATIENT. It takes time to adjust to having youth at the table. Youth participation and involvement will vary between meetings. Be persistent!

BE FLEXIBLE! THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX. Do things in different ways to accommodate youth and provide a safe, open and comfortable environment.

Levels of Youth Involvement

NATIONAL LEVEL
YouthMOVE
Youth Motivating Other Trough Voices of Experience 
(National Youth Development Board)
The purpose of the board is to unite the voices and causes of youth; act as consultants to youth, professionals, families, and other adults; promote advocacy and mental health awareness; and be more involved in the politics and legislation of mental health policies. (For more information please visit
 http://www.tapartnership.org/youth/default.asp )

STATE LEVEL
State Team
Represent Oklahoma youth and siblings that are receiving mental health services
Serve as decision makers and collaborators with all child serving agencies in the state of Oklahoma to transform children’s mental and behavioral health services
Youth Involvement Workgroup
This group’s function is similar to the National Youth Development Board. The workgroup supports a statewide youth movement, assists in planning statewide youth events and activities, developing a speaker’s bureau; and developing training tools and guides.

LOCAL LEVEL
Community Team
At the Community Team level, youth are involved in the day to day activities of their local Systems of Care and Wraparound efforts.
Youth Group
Local youth groups work on various projects ranging from helping the community and providing support to each other and other young people with mental illness.

Ladder of Youth Involvement

9. Youth Initiated and Directed
Designed and run by youth and decisions made by youth.

8. Youth Initiated, Shared Decisions
Designed and run by youth who share
with Adults decisions with adults.

7. Youth and Adult Initiated and Directed
Designed and run by youth and adults in full
partnership.

6. Adult Initiated, Shared Decisions with Youth
Designed and run by adults who share decisions with youth.

5. Consulted and Informed
Designed and run by adults who consult with youth.

4. Assigned and Informed
Youth do not initiate, but understand and have
some sense of ownership.

3. Tokenism
Symbolic representation by few. May not have
genuine voice. May be asked to speak for the group
they represent.

2. Decoration
Adults use youth to promote or support a cause
without informing youth. Youth are not involved in
design or decisions.

1. Manipulation
Youth involvement used by adults to
communicate adults’ messages.