TYAN’S YOUTH-ADULT PARTNERSHIP DICTIONARY

Part of TYAN’s mission is to promote Positive Youth Development through the enrichment of Youth-Adult Partnerships across Texas. If you are new to our organization, you may have done a double-take while reading that. Essentially, we believe that a component of youth success can be cultivated by maintaining healthy relationships with adults who have their best interests.

This cross-generational collaboration is not only important for the success of youth, but it can catalyze positive change in many pockets across a community. Youth become leaders, adults gain new perspectives, organizations become stronger, and in turn, communities flourish.

With all of these benefits that can come from YAPs, it is no surprise that organizations across the country are working to create the same opportunities for youth. For those looking to start a Youth-Adult Partnership, it is important to remember a few points that make up this enterprise. TYAN has created a short list that we coined our “dictionary” to help you understand the lingo used when talking about YAPs.

Read below to get an idea of what goes into the successful creation of a Youth-Adult Partnership!

  • Youth-Adult Partnership

    First and foremost, we should probably define what a Youth-Adult Partnership is. Different from a youth program, which focuses on addressing youth issues, a Youth-Adult Partnership focuses on the direct exchange between youth and adults working together towards a common goal. The distinction is that in a YAP, youth and adults are encouraged to collaborate on a mutual front established through trust and shared responsibility, rather than adults simply framing the work for youth to work autonomously.

    A Youth Adult Partnership will manage to go beyond developing life skills; young people will actually be given the chance to implement their newfound knowledge in this partnership. Youth Voice, which we will go into later, is vital to a Youth-Adult Partnership, as it emphasizes the equal importance for youth to speak up alongside adults. When youth learn skills and are given the chance to put them into action, it can help them see that their efforts are productive and valued.

    Adults also benefit from this partnership. By working with youth, adults are offered a new and fresh perspective on shared topics.

  • Positive Youth Development

    The Positive Youth Development philosophy was introduced by researchers as a response to the generally negative connotation they found in media surrounding young people. In efforts to switch up the narrative, professionals started promoting Positive Youth Development. PYD programs put the talents and skills of youth at the forefront of their mission. This allows room to focus on the aptitude and talent of young people rather than working from their shortcomings.

    Child development expert William Damon states, “This new approach envisions young people as resources rather than as problems for society—including young people from the most disadvantaged backgrounds and those with the most troubled histories.”

     

  • Youth Voice

    Youth Voice is a common term attached to YAPs as it is a key player shaping the attitude of the created relationship. In a Youth-Adult Partnership, Youth Voice is the direct way for young people to share their opinions and ideas on the topics that affect them. According to Education Northwest, young people benefit greatly from having a voice in their environment. Youth voice encourages students to engage with their community, boosts their self-worth, and builds leadership skills.

    Youth Voice does not only have to be through verbally speaking up. This self-expression can be displayed through movement, art, service, and much more. As long as there is a medium, young people are able to express themselves in this partnership.

  • Caring Adult

    A Caring Adult is an ideal counterpart in a Youth-Adult Partnership. The Texas Department of State Health Service acknowledges that trained caring adults can support young people to impact communities in powerful, dynamic ways. Adults can empathize with the viewpoint of youth and understand problems better.

    With the combination of wisdom and open-mindedness, adults who devote their time to establishing Positive Youth Development are able to facilitate the growth and empowerment of the youth they are working with. A Caring Adult is a necessary component to the success of any YAP Program.

BECOME A

COMMUNITY PARTNER

Organizations interested in starting or expanding their youth-adult partnerships can apply to be a Community Partner. As a Community Partner, organizations can access to exclusive materials, technical support, funding, and more!