Involving youth in program decision-making: How common and what might it do for youth?

T Akiva, KS Cortina, C Smith

Abstract

The strategy of sharing program decisionmaking with youth in youth programs, a specific form of youth-adult partnership, is widely recommended in practitioner literature; however, empirical study is relatively limited. We investigated the prevalence and correlates of youth program decision-making practices (e.g., asking youth to help decide what activities are offered), using single-level and multilevel methods with a cross-sectional dataset of 979 youth attending 63 multipurpose afterschool programs (average age of youth = 11.4, 53 % female). The prevalence of such practices was relatively high, particularly for forms that involved low power sharing such as involving youth in selecting the activities a program offers. Hierarchical linear modeling revealed positive associations between youth program decisionmaking practices and youth motivation to attend programs. We also found positive correlations between decisionmaking practices and youth problem-solving efficacy, expression efficacy, and empathy. Significant interactions with age suggest that correlations with problem solving and empathy are more pronounced for older youth. Overall, the findings suggest that involving youth in program decisionmaking is a promising strategy for promoting youth motivation and skill building, and in some cases this is particularly the case for older (high school-age) youth.

Relevance to scouting

This article is directly relevant for Scouting because it provides empirical evidence that involving young people in program decision-making enhances their motivation, problem-solving, self-expression, and empathy. These are core competencies Scouting seeks to develop through youth-led and participatory approaches. While Scouting has long promoted youth–adult partnerships and youth involvement in shaping activities, this research strengthens the case with data: giving youth meaningful decision-making roles is not just democratic, it also leads to stronger engagement and developmental outcomes. The findings also highlight that older youth, in particular, benefit when they are trusted with greater voice and responsibility—an insight that can guide how Scouts design progressive leadership opportunities across age sections. Embedding decision-making practices more systematically within Scouting programs can therefore deepen both educational impact and youth empowerment.