Youth Power Curriculum

About this Guide. The Guide is a resource for teaching youth about activism, leadership and community organizing. Use the easy-to-follow lessons in this practical training manual to partner with high-school aged youth to create real changes in their lives and communities.

Skills gained from organizing, finding creative solutions and taking them out into the world, and speaking one's truth to power can last a lifetime. We hope that you find the experiences as rewarding as we have.

Introduction to Youth Development and Community Organizing

Complete Document (5.5MB PDF, 211pp.)

Table of Contents (49k PDF, 1p.)

Introduction (83k PDF, 3pp.)

Lesson 1 (82k PDF, 2pp.)
Youth Development and Community Organizing defines the underlying framework and approaches that guide our work with youth.

Lesson 2 (155k PDF, 8pp.)
The Adult Leader & Other Adult Allies provides tips for the adult leader on working in true partnership with young people.

Lesson 3 (758k PDF, 10pp.)
Leadership Development includes tools for youth to assess their leadership skills and practical tools for youth assuming leadership roles.

Getting Started & Making Decisions

Lesson 4 (242k PDF, 19pp.)
Getting Started guides the adult leader through the behind-the-scenes process of establishing a youth group.

Lesson 5 (663k PDF, 12pp.)
Getting Organized provides concrete steps to structure your group, especially around group decision-making.

Lesson 6 (256k PDF, 12pp.)
Communicating Across Disagreement provides practical activities that will help the group develop skills to resolve conflicts.

Community Organizing Basics

Lesson 7 (325k PDF, 16pp.)
Power helps the group explore issues of power and how power structures impact their lives.

Lesson 8 (745k PDF, 14pp.)
Introduction to Community Organizing describes key concepts and tools used in direct action community organizing.

Assessing & Selecting Issues

Lesson 9 (257k PDF, 17pp.)
Assessment guides the group through a step-by-step process of identifying assets and problems in their community, which will help the group define their main project.

Lesson 10 (515k PDF, 10pp.)
Choosing a Problem assists the group leader and participants to prioritize problems to solve.

Lesson 11 (514k PDF, 14pp.)
Researching the Problem introduces young people to the concepts and methods of research so they can use research to narrow their focus or learn about a problem.

Lesson 12 (186k PDF, 12pp.)
Selecting the Issue helps focus the group on concrete solutions to the problem they have chosen to solve.

Creating & Implementing Strategy

Lesson 13 (350k PDF, 10pp.)
Creating a Strategy Chart: provides steps for creating a roadmap for the campaign.

Lesson 14 (127k PDF, 7pp.)
Meeting with your Target highlights tips and tools for meeting with the people who can give your group what it wants.

Lesson 15 (379k PDF, 12pp.)
Getting out the Message describes how to craft a message and use the media to build power and win the campaign.

Other Resources

Icebreakers, Energizers & Team Building Activities (400k PDF, 16pp.) includes a variety of activities to allow your group to have fun, establish trust and build shared experiences.

Resources/Background Information includes general forms (118k PDF, 5pp.), community resources (169k PDF, 6pp.) and a glossary (89k PDF, 5pp.) of key terms.