Youth Leadership Works – Over the past two years, TOCA – the lead organization of the Initiative – has made a very significant investment of time, effort, resources and relationships into creating deep and vital partnerships with youth, not as leaders of tomorrow, but of leaders of today. These commitments to young people are not merely symbolic; rather they place young people at the core of all programming – from goal setting and planning to implementation and evaluation. By building genuine partnerships between young people, adults and elders – based upon respect for what each has to offer – young people able to fully utilize their natural strengths (e.g., high levels of energy and enthusiasm for making change, and incredible creativity and imagination). At the same time, when young people know that they have the freedom and resources to make their vision of a healthy community a reality, a stronger relationship is built that allows for adults and elders to share their own perspectives, knowledge and wisdom in a way that is respected by youth. Moreover, when given the freedom and resources to develop and implement programming, young people also can be held accountable.
Examples of how this investment in youth leadership currently looks include:
• 54% of all TOCA program staff are now under age 25, very closely reflecting the demographics of the Tohono O’odham community. This us up from 12% in 2008.
• Young people are the drivers of much of the new programming of the last year. For example, Project Oidak (see details below) was initiated by and for young people. The project emerged from the interest, energy, vision and demands of youth. In turn, these young leaders are now driving programming in the realm of school gardens, cultural revitalization, active living, etc.
• With significant investment of time, effort, resources and relationships, youth can and are taking on larger and more important roles in programming. For example, one former YOUTH (see below) intern is now a member of the TOCA program staff, coordinating a 10-week summer agriculture internship for other youth. Another young person joined the TOCA staff as a program assistant four years ago at age 19. Today, she has taken on increasing levels of responsibility and now has significant responsibility for overseeing key components of both Food & Fitness Initiative program areas.
