Youth Summits
Youth summits are programs that are designed to help youth and adults identify and understand public policy issues and to encourage active youth involvement in solving the problems that face their communities, particularly violence by and against youth. Youth summits provide a forum through which young people can (1) share their perspectives on serious problems that directly affect them; (2) make recommendations to policymakers and each other for reducing and eliminating problems; (3) learn from other youth, and the adults working with them, who have been successful in addressing problems; and (4) design projects through which they can participate actively in solving problems. Youth summits are usually 1-day events held at a single site, drawing students from several secondary schools and policy experts from a variety of backgrounds, including police, lawyers, and governmental officials. They meet in large and small groups, share information and ideas, and conclude with action plans.Youth summits give young people an opportunity to share their ideas in an environment where their opinions are sought, listened to, and respected. Summits give youth both an understanding of the law and strategies for active involvement in solving national problems.4
A new youth summit supported by Youth for Justice is the National Online Youth Summit, which engages high school classrooms around the country in computer-linked discussions with each other and with public policy experts on topics such as the antigang loitering law. More information about these summits appears later in this Bulletin.
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