Waupaca: Youth Development Story

The Innovation Center ‘s approach to youth development focuses on giving youth the skills and tools to shape their own communities. We’vef found that this is the best way to build their abilities and sense of self. Our work with the Healthy Communities Healthy Youth Initiative in Waupaca, WI, is an example of this apporach in action.

We provided training and technical assistance to the initiative as they mapped local resources, collaborated with the city to designate land and resources for a skateboard park; supported young leaders in establishing professional connections with local social change agencies.

Healthy Communities--Healthy Youth accomplishments include:

• A new skateboard park for the town;
• Volunteer opportunities at community organizations for sixth graders;
• A youth-led philanthropy committee (funded by the Kellogg Foundation) to offer local organizations grants in exchange for service projects that involved youth as partners; and,
• Seats for young people as voting members of city council.

Because of a partnership between The Innovation Center , Social Policy Research Associates (SPR) and the Ford Foundation, what happened in Waupaca didn’t stay in Waupaca. With funding from the Ford Foundation, we worked with SPR to document the impact of the project on both the community and on the young people themselves. The results of the study showed that social change programs attract hard-to-reach, alienated youth. By involving these young people in efforts to better their communities, organizations can achieve excellent youth development.

For more information about implementing these strategies in your work, contact us at info@theinnovationcenter.org or 301-270-1700.