What is Youth & Family Voice?
Youth & Family Voice refers to the ideas, opinions, experiences, perspectives, attitudes, knowledge, actions, and involvement of young people or caregivers – and their meaningful inclusion in the creation and implementation of programs, policies and practice.
Why is Youth & Family Voice Important?
Parents and youth provide an authentic perspective that contribute to a deeper and richer understanding of mental health needs and how the system works for families. Organizations and agencies should listen to those most impacted to ensure services and programs are equitable and effective.
Curated Resources
Whether you're exploring new partnerships or strengthening current ones, the resources below will help teams collaborate in ways that are thoughtful, respectful, and sustainable. Some resources may be focused on an audience out of your team's scope, but we encourage you to explore each tool and consider how the themes and recommendations might apply to your work.
How to Elevate the Voices of Youth & Family Leaders
Start with trust, structure, and shared purpose. Building strong partnerships with people who bring lived experience means setting clear roles, offering fair compensation, and creating space for shared leadership. This foundation helps teams move from intention to collaboration—and ensures lived experience has real influence from the beginning.
Begin with shared purpose
Clarify why lived experience matters in your context, and communicate that with partners from the beginning.
Offer meaningful roles
Ensure lived experience experts are not only present, but positioned where their voices shape plans and decisions.
Address power dynamics proactively
Use tools that name and navigate power differences to prevent tokenism or unintentional harm.
Provide fair compensation
Compensating lived experts is part of valuing their contribution—not just covering their time.
Stay flexible
Resource: Facilitation Skills Self-Assessment - National Equity Project
Evaluate Impact
Pause to reflect on what’s working—and where you want to grow. This step is about making time for reflection, feedback, and growth.
Resources for Youth Lived Experience Leadership
Resource: Teen's Tips for Partnering with Youth - PATCH & Great Lakes MHTTC
Resource: Top Ten Tips for Engaging with Young People - AMP & Pathways
Resource: Authentic Youth Engagement within Organizations: What Does It Look Like In Practice - Chapin Hall
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