Unlocking Potential: The Power of Youth Co-Creation

This blog is the first in a 5-part series that YouthxYouth has collaborated with Headstream on to support in uplifting the wisdom from Co-creators within Headstream’s Youth Collective program, Co-Creator Club.

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Unlocking Potential: The Power of Youth Co-Creation

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Discussing the value of engaging youth in the creative process and how to implement this treasured form of collaboration.

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Introduction

Young people tend to look at life through a different lens than most adults, making them the ideal collaborators for any budding innovation. The representation and perspectives of youth contribute to productivity and cultivate real connections within the development process of technologies. Youth perspectives ensure that the topics mentioned and discussed are relevant and better aligned with the interests of young people. Youth co-creation not only offers fresh and innovative viewpoints but also equips teens with valuable skills that can be used to change the world around them. Walt Disney said it best: “Our greatest natural resource is the minds of our children.”

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Benefits of Youth Co-Creation

The authenticity of the youth voice holds great power in spaces of creation and innovation. As unapologetic individuals, we are not afraid to voice our opinions and drive change related to the challenges we encounter. The diverse viewpoints that youth leaders bring to the conversation allow them to approach creativity and problem-solving with a fresh perspective. Additionally, our youthful and expansive imaginations serve as a huge advantage when working in creative spaces. New ideas are always popping into our heads and we want to share them with YOU! Working with youth is a two-way street because we provide honest feedback while gaining much knowledge and inspiration as we collaborate with others and explore new perspectives. 

Young people value making connections with other creators because it strengthens our discussions, debates, and collaboration as we collectively work towards a better world one creation at a time.

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Examples of Successful Youth Co-Creation Initiatives

Youth co-creation is a fairly new idea and is on the rise as more innovators see the potential in youth collaboration. There are already many co-created initiatives that have seen success and are serving as inspiration for ones to come. Some examples of successful youth co-creation initiatives are:

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• Peer Health Exchange is an initiative that “provides young people with the support, resources, education, opportunities, and digital products needed to make positive healthy decisions.” Currently, they have partnered with more than 400,000 youth! Working with young people has allowed them to vastly expand their impact through the training of more than 15,000 college students to deliver health education to over 188,000 high schoolers.  

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• Pineapple, the professional networking app for Gen Z, was built with the suggestions, input, and feedback given by youth representatives. Through several meetings and group sessions with youth, the app was created to be attractive, accessible, and easy to use. Pineapple currently houses more than 20,000 Gen Z-ers and serves as a platform for youth “enacting change across industries and shattering glass ceilings.” 

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• Alongside provides social-emotional learning and self-help wellness tools to students, including clinician-powered and research-based AI. It is developed for teens by teens through youth interns and advisors who work year-round with the clinical team to help design new product features and refine language for AI-supported chatbots, ensuring engagement, safety, and the best possible experience for their peers. The presence of youth is thoroughly integrated into their platform, making it incredibly suitable for schools, as endorsed by myriads of principals who share how much of a “game-changer” Alongside has been.

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Challenges & Solutions

Youth are an active part of many organizations, but there are a few obstacles that can hinder their participation:

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• Time: Many teenagers do not have the time to engage in innovation due to school, extracurricular activities, or work. Oftentimes, young people don't apply to participate because of a perceived ignorance from adults who may assume they’re inexperienced due to age. 

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• Finances: Some students work jobs after school to save for college, contribute to their household, and more. Financial compensation can be a good strategy for enlisting diverse youth. By paying for their time and experience, they are better able to carve out time in their day without compromising their financial goals or responsibilities. 

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• Representation: Additionally, youth are not often given seats at the table or not taken seriously. Promoting the importance of youth perspectives, and allowing youth to create their own seats could further amplify youth voices. 

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• Intersectionality: It is vital to hold space for intersectionality in innovation. Creating seats at the table gets even harder when you’re from a systematically excluded community. Access to resources, education, and more can hinder youth from engaging in innovation. 

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Best Practices for Implementing Youth Co-Creation

Fostering youth connections in an inclusive space starts with respectful language and a willingness to amplify youth voices. It can be easy to discount teen voices because of age, but lived experiences cannot be negated. This concept makes mentor-youth relationships so important. It gives youth a chance to lift their voice and advocate for themselves, while the mentor opens the floor for further communication, support, and feedback.

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Impact and Future Outlook

As the most recent generations grow up with the internet, the perspective they have on website layouts, game mechanics, and social media is different from those who used to send love letters rather than snap streaks. The unique perspective youth brings to issues that currently affect us is the biggest benefit to youth co-creation. Being able to bring them into projects made for youth, by youth is priceless. The potential of youth collaboration is vital, positioning teenagers as agents of change and pillars for the future.

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Conclusion

Youth co-creation can be an extremely valuable tool for expanding the potential of innovation and bringing it to new heights. Engaging young people in a way that fully embraces their perspectives, truly listens to their voices, and takes action on their suggestions will establish a hub for innovation that can positively revolutionize the world. 

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At Headstream Innovation, we are committed to fostering and prioritizing youth mental well-being through digital products, with a focus on systemically excluded communities. Through the collaboration between our Youth Collective and Accelerator programs, we cultivate the space for innovators, entrepreneurs, and industry leaders to work directly with youth as co-creators. We have reached and impacted over 10 million youth and caring adults and over $20 million has been raised to scale the innovations that develop out of this program. Help us achieve our goal of impacting 20 million youth by 2026 by connecting with us and getting involved with our programs! We invite YOU to help us create a beautiful world hand-in-hand with the greatest minds of our time: the youth.