With Youth

In this model, youth not only participate in the program services but their voices are also sought as a way to get a perspective on the program. This model is adult driven, but the adults are conscious of the need to listen to youth and use their input to influence the program design and services. The mechanisms for getting the voice of youth are largely informal and may not be done on a consistent basis. In this model, youth may be hired as staff, but they are generally not given supervisory or leadership roles. A hallmark of this model is that there are elements of the program that have been influenced to some degree by the voice of youth. However, while the culture of this model may draw on the opinions of youth, providing a consistent way of making this happen could strengthen the structure. The program is influenced by youth, but youth do not necessarily develop leadership skills as an intentional component of the program.