Community and Youth Engagement

Carlton Hall has worked more than two decades developing expertise in engaging community and youth leaders throughout the United States and several nations around the world. CHC provides guidance on the issues to consider when planning and designing community engagement.  We focus on quality and effectiveness, process planning and designing engagement tailored to the particular issue, level of participation to be achieved, timeframe and range of stakeholders affected.

Young people are key to effective community decision making and positive outcomes for local residents. CHC team employs principles and strategies for engaging youth and young adults in decisions that affect them and the well-being of their communities.

True youth engagement requires a fundamental shift in how adults think about their involvement. Young people must  have an authentic voice in the design, development and day-to-day functions of activities. It is impossible to overstate the importance of this shift from adult-directed to youth-owned.

The best way for adults to engage young people is to ask for their views, opinions and direction—and to listen carefully to their answers. Young people recognize the difference between token participation and authentic engagement. Roles that may seem subtle to adults are often very clear to youth.