Youth & Young Adult Leadership & Partnership
Youth engagement is a key component in implementing positive system transformation and youth-driven care. Youth voice is a key value of the Systems of Care philosophy. Creating intentional space for youth at all levels is an important and valuable way to ensure that youth are true partners in advancing and transforming systems of care.
Aligning with youth and young adults in this way –- through meaningful integration of their voice and experience -- not only helps to ensure that services and supports are engaging, developmentally appropriate and useful to young people. It also promotes youth and young adult development and strengthens youth-adult partnerships throughout the community.
System of Care communities are responsible for ensuring youth voice is at the table, from the planning process to implementation to evaluation.
Youth MOVE National leads the TA Network’s youth engagement and leadership efforts.
Youth MOVE National is a youth-driven, chapter-based organization dedicated to improving services and systems that support positive growth and development by uniting the voices of individuals who have lived experience in various systems—including mental health, juvenile justice, education, and child welfare. Youth MOVE National works as a diverse collective to unite the voices and causes of youth while raising awareness around youth issues, advocating for youth rights and voice in mental health and the other systems that serve them, for the purpose of empowering youth to be equal partners in the process of change.
Their network represents over 60 chapters in 33 different states, 4 tribal nations and the District of Columbia.
Youth MOVE National works toward the day when all people will recognize and accept the culture of youth, their families, and the communities that serve them in order to be truly culturally competent. Youth MOVE National looks forward to the day when youth are no longer treated as numbers, problems, or caseloads, but as individuals and humans. We will all stand as partners: youth, youth advocates, supporters, parents, and professionals to see youth become successful.