Implementing Public Engagement

Engaging Children and Youth

Know Beforehand

The youth population in the city of San Diego is approximately 408,000, or 29% of the city’s total population. There are approximately 143,000 children under the age of 10, approximately 159,000 youth between the ages of 10 and 19, and 106,000 young adults between the ages of 20 and 24. (2023 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, U.S. Census Bureau).

According to the San Diego Unified School District, approximately 27% of students enrolled in the District are English language learners, 59% are eligible for free or reduced meals for low-income families, 14% receive Special Education services, and 8% come from military families.

Build long-term partnerships with schools and organizations that work with youth. City staff may best be able to access youth through partners who have an existing foundation of trust and rapport with the youth, as well as prior knowledge of the youth population to support authentic connections and engagement. Below are important considerations in approaching partners in advance of working with youth.

• School personnel and community-based organizations (CBOs) often have many priorities but limited capacity. Be efficient and organized in meetings, communications and program implementation. Be flexible in scheduling and willing to adapt content where possible.

In light of San Diego’s diverse landscape, youth engagement requires unique considerations. Some youth-specific questions to ask:

• What activities are age-appropriate for the youth that will be engaged?
• Are there any Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) or youth with disabilities or behavior differences? If so, what does the partner suggest for supporting access and meaningful engagement?
• What is the youth community culture? Does the group generally have a positive rapport together?
• What is their prior exposure to local government? It may be necessary to start with the basics to get them up to speed and invested.

Challenges and Barriers to Participation

San Diego youth are diverse and evolving in their identities and require various considerations to support access.

• School and activity schedules, lack of transportation, and the necessity of parental permission may limit access to youth input.
• Youth can be missed by typical engagement efforts either because they are not made aware of opportunities or their input is perceived as less relevant or important.
• Youth across the nation are experiencing a mental health crisis of anxiety and depression, which includes individual, family, community, environmental, and societal factors. (US Surgeon General’s 2021 Advisory). This could show up as a limited attention span, lack of trust, disruptive behavior, or as general apathy.

Outreach

Outreach Material

• Youth tend to be sophisticated media consumers and alert to trends in design and visual communication. Before putting outreach material together, research current youth marketing trends.
• Visual design that is playful and interesting helps to keep youth engaged. Prioritize information design that is clear and not overly technical.
• Storytelling can be powerful, especially for younger people. Sharing concepts and policies through narrative can be highly motivating for youth.
• Consider involving youth in an advisory capacity to help plan strategy, messaging, and materials.  

Outreach Channels

• Online outreach via social media can be an effective tool to reach youth. The City is active on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Nextdoor, Threads, X and YouTube social media platforms. However, platform trends change, and considerations may need to be made around current youth preferences.
• Expand the outreach through printed promotional material (posters, stickers, etc.) designed for youth. Work with youth participants as well as schools, community-based organizations, libraries, religious organizations, and others to distribute.

Engagement

• Offer a dynamic introduction. Be genuine and relatable. Consider an icebreaker game or give them the chance to ask off-topic questions.
• Show interest in who they are. As some youth are still developing their self-esteem and ability to connect with others, invite them to share about themselves, their opinions, and their feelings throughout the engagement. Celebrate and offer gratitude for all forms of engagement, not just for demonstrations of topical knowledge.
• Be clear about the purpose and timeline. Some youth may have a lower attention span and express frustration when the parameters are unclear. Stay transparent with them about "what", "why" and "how long".
• Create youth-centered presentations. Help them invest authentically by centering their voices and experiences.
  • Choose youth to read content or demonstrate ideas.
  • Introduce ideas with questions or through activities instead of lecturing.
  • Check for understanding with nonverbal prompts such as, "thumbs up, medium, down".
  • Offer time for breaks, reflections or questions.
  • Regularly look for ways to apply the material to their lives.
• Invite various styles of communication. Offer opportunities for pair or small group conversations, utilize handouts, slideshows, full group dialogue and individual reflections.
• Play music to create a positive space. Consider playing ambient background music as youth are arriving and doing independent work to create a welcoming environment and help them focus.
• Offer incentives to motivate them to participate. Youth may be encouraged by a variety of things — words of affirmation/compliments, gratitude, snacks, stickers, or other small items.
• Create a separate area for younger children. Children under 10 may show varying levels of interest in participating in the main activities. Have options available for them to occupy themselves. This could be an adapted activity that engages the topic, such as an age-appropriate handout, interactive map or other. It could also be a table with a variety of alternative activities such as puzzles, board games, drawing materials, children’s books, etc.
• Remember the audience. If the event is marketed for children and youth to join, then reference the above tips to be mindful of engaging them alongside adults. Adults may also come out of their shells when given the opportunity to engage alongside children.

Other Engagement Contexts

If classroom or workshop-based engagement is not available, consider these alternatives to engage youth in their own contexts:

• One-on-one interviews in public spaces or in their chosen environments.
  • For example, staff working on a park improvement project may interview youth at a park about how they use the park and what features they feel could use updating.
• Arts-based engagement
  • For example, staff working on a climate resiliency project can ask youth to be creative and brainstorm ideas for nature-based solutions by drawing on paper.
  • Artistic competitions or events like photo, film, or writing contests are another option.
• Field trips and tours can help youth visualize a project site and provide input on-site.
• Interactive activities using stickers or sticky notes such as community mapping or visual preference surveys.
• Web-based meetings may be useful for engaging with youth who were not able to attend in person.
• Youth working groups or advisory committees for longer-running public engagement.
• Youth community liaisons who engage with youth community members to improve outreach and equitable access to City decision-making processes.

Additional Considerations

• Working with youth provides the opportunity to focus on the future and lay the foundation for future engagement. Extra effort made to report findings and outcomes in audience-appropriate ways can be highly motivating for this population and helps to create engaged community members for the future.
• Consider incorporating opportunities for intergenerational dialogue for youth to share their perspectives while also engaging with older adults’ knowledge. This approach can enrich the discussion and build community connections.
  • For intergenerational dialogues, consider that different age groups may prefer varied communication strategies and engagement techniques. Older adults may prefer verbal and tactile engagement strategies, while children and youth may prefer digital or visual approaches.  
• Plan to gather written parent/guardian consent, especially when working with youth outside of an existing school or program. Media release consent will also be required, where applicable.