The YouthScan Project
AT A GLANCE
Youth know the issues in their schools and communities three years before adults. This project seeks to tap into this insightful perspective on a meaningful scale to help inform decision-making across our great state. The immediate and rapidly changing needs related to COVID-19 make it even more critical that we’re able to respond to emerging needs quickly.
The YouthScan Project walks high school-aged youth through a free self-guided peer-based Community Needs Assessment. Over five sessions, participants use personal perspective, research, surveys, and interviews to select what they see as the top issue(s) facing youth in their community. YouthRoots provides all the logistical support needed to make it happen in any size youth-serving organization.
Our team will compile all the data and funnel that information back to organizations where youth are participating, and to decision-makers across philanthropy, government, education, and more. The wider community has access to real-time perspectives on emerging needs facing youth — the issues and ideas for solutions. The information will help target programs, funds, and initiatives to where they will make the biggest impact.
Young people already have this knowledge. The YouthScan Project centers young people’s lived experiences and perspectives in decision-making for a better world.
WHY YOUTHROOTS?
YouthRoots has been guiding high school students through community needs assessments since 2010. We are curriculum specialists in the areas of community change and philanthropic leadership. The YouthScan Project curriculum expands upon the first portion of our core programming – Conduct a community needs assessment.
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