Youth Empowerment
woman speaks with healthcare receptionist

Empowering Youth in Healthcare

Health care professionals can implement programs and practices to develop adolescents into knowledgeable and engaged health care consumers.
Why It Matters

Empowering youth to actively participate in their health care leads to more preventive visits and lifelong engagement in their health and well-being. Health care professionals can implement programs and practices to develop adolescents into knowledgeable and engaged health care consumers. Additionally, health care professionals can improve the quality of their care by centering the values and opinions of the young people they serve. The following resources can help you along the way.
Youth/Adult Co-Facilitation Modules

When youth and adults team up to facilitate a training or presentation on an adolescent-related topic, it can benefit everyone involved. Young people bring theory to life through sharing their lived experiences, priorities, and perspectives. The opportunity to recognize and share their expertise can be a great professional development opportunity for youth, and for their adult partners as well.

Since our first conference in 2013, AHI has been connecting youth and adult facilitators to help them present on adolescent health-related topics, and we’ve learned some things along the way! Our staff and youth council members co-created three modules to help youth and adults co-facilitate in meaningful ways. The modules can be used together, or as standalone resources. Each resource includes activities and strategies to support a model of shared power in planning and facilitation.
For Adult Professionals

This module is intended for an adult to complete individually, before they plan with youth. It includes a brief overview of the theories behind youth engagement, activities to help adults consider their values and biases about partnering with young people, and tips to help them plan effectively and respectfully.

Planning Together

This module was created for adults and youth to complete together, at the same time, to guide teams through the presentation planning process from beginning to end. It includes a get-to-know-you activity, discussion prompts to help teams develop objectives and activities, and tips to make the most of your partnership.

By Youth, For Youth

This module is intended for a young person to complete individually to help them plan or present with an adult. It includes tips on public speaking, what questions to ask and what to expect, as well as when and how to advocate for yourself when working with adults.

Starter Guides

AHI offers mini-toolkits that offer concrete, actionable steps to improve adolescent care. Check out this Starter Guide to learn about strategies for providing youth-friendly services.

Browse Our Starter Guide Library

Strategies for Providing Youth-Friendly Services

Young people may avoid accessing the services they need for various reasons, which may include concerns about confidentiality, fear of judgment, and inconvenient hours and location. Youth-serving organizations must take young people's unique needs and concerns seriously and implement changes to make their organizations more youth-friendly. This Starter Guide provides ways your organization’s policies, practices, and environment can become more youth-friendly.

Access the Starter Guide
Spark Trainings
Non-Directive Counseling for Pregnancy Options in Title X Clinics

Sparks are designed for providers or staff to deliver in 15-30 minutes at staff meetings or professional development opportunities. These trainings will “spark” discussion and reflection among your multidisciplinary team. All sparks include a PowerPoint presentation, a facilitator outline, and follow-up materials.

Access the Spark Training
Mini Toolkits for Improving Adolescent-centered Care

Youth empowerment can be impacted through programming, visual cues, and one-on-one conversations with patients. AHI offers resources on all three!
  • Youth-friendly Materials Library
  • Creating and Sustaining a Thriving Youth Advisory Council
  • Take Charge of Your Health - English
  • Take Charge of Your Health - Spanish
  • Health Rights for Teens Posters
  • Youth-Led Health Center Assessment Tool
    • Hear from Teens

    Hear directly from teens about how you can improve their health care experience.

    View the Video Library
    Additional Resources
    Got Transition

    Got Transition aims to help youth and young adults move from pediatric to adult health care.

    The Forum for Youth Investment

    Helping leaders get young people ready for life

    We Can Help

    Are you interested in empowering youth to be savvy health care consumers? Would you like to learn strategies to get authentic youth feedback on your adolescent services?

    Contact Us