"If we truly value youth voice, engagement, and leadership shouldn’t we include them when navigating the scariest and toughest issues? If anything we believe this is a time to inject more resources, support, and attention to this work."
- Allison Green, Legal Director, National Association of Counsel for Children
While much of the world remains upside down amidst the pandemic, everyone from students, to criminal justice advocates, to national leaders have begun to call for critical thought about our new normal. Whatever new normal we build should center the voices of the people impacted by decisions.
Now is the time to engage those affected by our decisions in making those decisions.
Students, teachers and families can help answer the questions about how education should move forward.
Patients, young and old, can help craft new healthcare services.
Residents, including future voters, will bring crucial input to how our cities and towns, counties and states support citizens.
Children, youth and families can bring new life to nonprofits and libraries struggling to keep the doors open.
Children and youth have been irrevocably changed by this experience. Our systems and leadership should not expect them, or indeed any of us, to return to business as usual when it was failing so many. They have always deserved a seat at decision-making tables, and this moment, as horrific as it is, provides opportunities that have rarely before existed to create new, inclusive tables for decisions.