Youth Advocacy in the 21st Century

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The November 2022 elections offer several moments of celebration in response to Maxwell Frost’s historic win as the first Gen Z candidate elected to congress. His story of how he began to engage in advocacy work at a relatively young age, coupled with the support he received from adults in his life, is particularly meaningful. It underscores the positive impact of cultivating young people’s capacity to advocate for themselves and others as early as childhood and adolescence. As youth and adults look to build on the current momentum, I offer some recommendations, as informed by the professional literature.

One framework that may be helpful for supporting self-advocacy skill development among school-age youth includes the Conceptual Framework of Self-Advocacy that Test et al. (2005) published in the early 2000s. Although the framework was developed to support students with disabilities, it has been useful in my own work with school-age youth, regardless of their disability status. As such, I will summarize key components in their framework and offer specific considerations for racially marginalized youth, considering their susceptibility to experiencing discrimination in and out of school.

Knowledge of Self: According to Test and colleagues, knowledge of one’s “interests, preferences, strengths, needs, learning styles, and attributes of one’s ability” (p. 50) is the first step to self-advocacy. Youth who are keenly aware of their interests, preferences, strengths, etc. are better positioned to convey their desires, dreams, and goals for the future out of their own volition.

Adults can help youth develop this knowledge of self by naming certain attributes when they see the youth demonstrate them in action; prompting youth to select characteristics of themselves from a given list (e.g., see the list of character strengths outlined by the VIA Institute on Character); and encouraging youth to openly share their perceived strengths, interests, preferences, etc. during naturally occurring moments each day. Several books published in the last few years present a range of positive affirmations that may specifically resonate with students of color. Reading such books during the early stages of youth development can set the tone for continuous self-reflection, self-pride, and self-awareness over time.

Knowledge of Rights: In addition to knowing oneself, Test and colleagues emphasized the importance of youth knowing their rights as a “citizen, as an individual with a disability, and as a student receiving services under federal law” (p. 50). For all school-age youth, developing knowledge of one’s rights as a citizen may entail informing students of laws and policies that govern how they can “show up” to different spaces in their daily lives.

Most relevant to the current political climate in the U.S. (i.e., threats to preserving the democracy of the country), caregivers can discuss the concept of voting rights and what it really means to live in a democracy. Bringing children and adolescents along for the ride when one goes to vote serves as a valuable reminder that their voice should be heard. For youth of color, it may be particularly helpful to contextualize the deeper meaning of their right to be heard by highlighting the treacherous history of the U.S., wherein Black citizens were precluded from voting and having a voice in the country.

Communication Skills: Test and colleagues highlighted the importance of teaching youth how to communicate effectively, in addition to developing the foundational skills of knowing themselves and their rights. Building communication skills involves learning the art of persuasion, negotiation, listening, and more. For example, a common approach to fostering helpful communication skills includes teaching youth the difference between passive, assertive, and aggressive communication—assertive communication is the goal!

As discussed by Black adolescents (e.g., Parker et al., 2020), it may also be helpful to teach youth how to discern when to convey their needs in a group format and when to have private conversations out of respect for all parties. Furthermore, adults should be particularly mindful of how students of color may be treated in school when they strive to advocate for themselves and express their preferences. Case in point, Black youth in Parker et al.’s (2020) study described receiving harsh punishment for speaking up for themselves when teachers viewed them as disrespectful, rather than understanding the youth’s typical and cultural influenced communication style. Accordingly, taking a culturally affirming and responsive stance is critical when encouraging youth to communicate their needs, wants, and desires.

Leadership: Test and colleagues indicate that one can be an effective self-advocate without serving as a leader on behalf of others. However, leadership development is imperative for youth who desire to advocate for systems change. In this regard, youth can learn how to function as a group and/or participate in political action, recognizing that large-scale change requires a collective effort.

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Because it is important to honor students’ sense of agency in this process, presenting different options for engaging in political and systems-change can help youth identify an approach that is most meaningful to them. For example, the Black Community Activism Orientation Scale developed by Hope et al. (2019) includes several examples of low- and high-risk activism efforts one can employ. Their scale also includes examples of formal political activism, such as organizing a political event that is specific to the Black community.

Adults should guide school-age youth through the process of political activism so that they are well-supported and prepared. A recent example of helping youth develop leadership skills through engagement in political advocacy activities was published by Griffin (2021), where Black youth identified the assets and needs of their communities, followed by presenting their findings to community members, activists, business owners, local government officials, and other vested partners.

Overall, adults can continue to amplify the voice of young people by fostering self- and group-advocacy skills among school-age youth. The conceptual framework proposed by Test et al. (2005) and scholarship focused on the needs and experiences of racially marginalized youth (e.g., Ginwright, 2010) may serve as a useful starting place. For Gen Z and generations to follow, their today and their tomorrow matter—they have a voice, and they want to be heard!