Declaration of Participation

Nearly two and a half centuries ago, America was founded with a Declaration that each of us has the right to Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. We know that young people are crucial to the Common Good, both now and in the future. Therefore, we hold these truths to be self-evident:

That all young people are created equal and that our unalienable rights come with inherent responsibilities to participate and work together for the Common Good, among these are volunteering & service, voting & civic engagement, and joining & leadership.

That to support young people in meeting these responsibilities, the Nation’s institutions must be organized to eliminate the barriers to youth participation including limited opportunities to participate, a lack of knowledge & skills, equity and opportunity gaps in access and resources, and a need for increased inspiration, aspiration, and connection to community.

Let these beliefs and commitments be submitted to the world:

1. Active participation should be the common expectation and common experience of every young person in America.  We will create a culture that values the meaningful participation of all young people to strengthen themselves, our communities, and our democracy.

2. Youth from all backgrounds – regardless of age, race, ethnicity, gender, socio-economic class, ability, religion, or sexual orientation – must have opportunities to participate in their communities.  We will actively work to close opportunity and equity gaps and involve those who too often face barriers to participation.

3. Meaningful youth participation creates strong, diverse communities of inspired, intelligent, pragmatic, civically-minded young people.  We will work to convince leaders and communities – large and small – that youth participation is not just “nice” to have; it is essential.

4. Children and youth are ready, willing, and able to address pressing issues, including health, education, human services, economic opportunity, racial and social justice, human rights, civic health, and the environment & climate.  We will support youth-led volunteering, community service, service-learning, and national service efforts to solve our current crises.

5. Young people have a right to participate in public policy, particularly where it directly affects their lives and their future, and communities are stronger when they do. We will support youth-led voting, advocacy, civic education & engagement, and public service efforts to ensure youth voice at every decision-making table.

6. Participating in a youth development organization, out-of-school time program, faith-based organization, or civic group increases the likelihood that a young person develops civic knowledge, skills, and dispositions. We will support youth-led joining, recruitment, social capital building, and leadership development efforts to prepare them for a lifetime of meaningful participation, learning, and leadership.

7. All youth need adults who support them.  We will engage caring adults, mentors, and champions of young people to encourage the development of their passions, interests, talents, and skills to prepare them for success in school, work, and life.

8. Youth benefit from seamless integration of the people and settings that they live in.  We will collaborate with schools, colleges & universities, youth development & afterschool programs, community-based organizations, nonprofits, national service programs, faith-based organizations, families, businesses & employers, and governments to increase the quantity and quality of youth participation opportunities.

And for the support of this Declaration and of the Common Good, we mutually pledge to each other our voices, our resources, and our actions.