Empowering Youth Advocacy Through Trauma-Informed Engagement

Over the past 30 years, countless stories have emerged from youth, young adults (Y/YAs), and supportive adults across the country, shedding light on both the successes and challenges of system-change advocacy. While advocating for change, many have faced unintended negative consequences such as re-experiencing trauma, feelings of fear, hopelessness, and even relapse. These outcomes underscore the critical need for trauma-informed approaches when engaging youth and young adults in advocacy and care planning.

The Challenge of Youth Engagement

Engaging Y/YAs to be advocates or leaders in their own care planning can be challenging. Supportive adults may struggle with:

A group of five students outdoors, two standing with a notebook, others sitting with drinks. Casual attire, green background. Relaxed mood.

Encouraging consistent attendance and participation.
Motivating youth to take an active role in their care planning.
Maintaining their enthusiasm to achieve personal goals.

Despite these challenges, you remain dedicated to supporting their success. The Trauma-Informed Youth Engagement Workshops are designed to help you do just that.

The Purpose of Trauma-Informed Training

This training addresses the need to effectively engage, prepare, and support youth and young adults (TAYs) to safely and meaningfully participate in meetings, committees, boards, panels, and other advocacy settings—all through a trauma-informed lens. Applying trauma-informed principles is essential, as sharing lived experiences can have profound emotional impacts on Y/YAs. Participants in Trauma-Informed Youth Engagement Workshops report numerous positive outcomes, including:

Decreased negative experiences.
Reduced tokenism.
Higher levels of youth participation.
Less stress for supportive adults.
A focus on effective strategies that foster growth without harm.

Who Should Attend?

This training is ideal for:

Youth/family coordinators.
Independent living coordinators.
Supervisors and program managers.
Mental health clinicians and direct care staff.
Peer specialists, family advocates, and young adult advocates.
Adult allies preparing Y/YA advocates for active participation.

Workshop Series Overview

The Trauma-Informed Youth Engagement Series comprises six interactive and stand-alone workshops:

Workshop 1: Ask More, Tell Less

Learn to ask trauma-informed questions using the TAQOs guide and worksheet. This workshop emphasizes listening over telling, creating safe conditions for learning and engagement.

Workshop 2: Using Social Learning to Empower Youth

Apply social learning theory and self-efficacy principles to empower youth. Gain tools like the self-efficacy booster guide and action planner to help youth develop skills and confidence.

Workshop 3: Embracing Limitations and Increasing Hope

Explore the five qualities of transformational relationships. Identify and overcome barriers to building authentic connections that foster hope and engagement.

Workshop 4: Effective Youth Participation Without Tokenism

Eliminate tokenism by learning to apply Hart’s Ladder of Youth Participation. Practice real-life scenarios to ensure authentic and meaningful youth involvement.

Workshop 5: Optimizing Youth Voice

Conduct benefits and risk analyses to ensure the safety and well-being of youth sharing their lived experiences. Learn to maximize benefits while minimizing risks.

Workshop 6: Preparing and Supporting Youth Advocates

Master the Trauma-Informed Methods of Engagement™ model. Prepare youth for advocacy roles, provide ongoing support, and debrief effectively to promote growth and prevent re-traumatization.

Why This Training Matters

Youth voices are critical to shaping systems and services that meet their needs and aspirations. By adopting trauma-informed principles, supportive adults can create safe, empowering environments that enable Y/YAs to thrive as leaders and advocates.

The Trauma-Informed Youth Engagement Workshops are highly interactive, offering practical tools, breakout activities, and opportunities to connect with peers. Reserve your spot today and join us in transforming the way we engage youth and young adults for lasting impact.