Co-Creation Generation

Citizens & Scholars recognizes the extraordinary power in the potential for young people and adults to work together to solve issues in their communities. Intergenerational co-design and co-leadership maximizes impact by including more voices, particularly the voices of youth who are often most impacted and yet rarely included in decision- and policy-making. Through this work, young people build their civic knowledge, skills, and dispositions and interact with people with diverse backgrounds and varying beliefs.

“The Co-Creation Generation: The Story of the Kentucky Student Voice Team & Guide to Intergenerational Impact” is a treasure trove of tips and tricks to help organizations engage young people in program design and organizational leadership. It is also the self-written origin story of the Kentucky Student Voice Team (KSVT), charting their transition from a program within an adult-led organization to an independent youth-led non-profit, and sharing resources, lessons learned, and good practices for engaging youth and adults in meaningful partnership and impactful work in the process.

This Guide:

Help youth and adults working in community-based programs to build capacity and support towards creating projects of youth, by youth, for youth

Begin to develop common standards of practice and measurement tools for civic learning

C&S believes that if organizations learn from and engage with the narrative, lessons, and recommendations outlined in this case study, adult providers will benefit from more active youth engagement and retention in their programs. In fact, the proof is in this product— while working on the study C&S and the KSVT modeled their partnership on the approaches and principles outlined below and found that the process greatly benefited all involved. This framework creates opportunities for adults and young people to engage in co-designing and co-managing projects that develop the civic knowledge, skills, and dispositions necessary to strengthen our democracy.