ABSTRACT
This chapter provides a perspective of young people as community resources. It identifies various forms of youth participation, describes some of their benefits, and relates these to the human services. The chapter draws upon extensive work in the field, including a national study of innovative program planning for community-based youth programs. It is based on the belief that young people are valuable community resources, and that human service workers should promote youth participation. Human service workers have a long history of commitment to youth, but the voices of young people have been largely silent in planning, delivery, and evaluation of programs and services. Young people are proving their resourcefulness in communities nationwide. Youth participation is a process of community-based leadership development. It can contribute to organizational development. Young people also present educational programs to school children, sociodramas to popular audiences, and demonstrations in community centers.
