Youth Friendly Communities - Part II

What are we trying to do or learn?

We are working directly with youth to understand what they want and need in their communities to support their needs, preferences and development. We are particularly engaging youth to assess their outdoor community spaces and identify youth-friendly changes they would like to make to these local spaces. The study also sought to directly engaged young people in community assessment as well as community action planning.

Where and with whom?

In collaboration with Cornell Cooperative Extension 4H and Parent Educators, we are working with groups of youth (aged ~12-16 years) in diverse communities from across New York State including urban, suburban/small town and rural areas.

Approach & Methods Used

Through a customized Youth Workshop series, we take youth through a series of activities to help them assess local outdoor spaces, such as parks and recreation areas and identify changes they would like to see to make these spaces more youth-friendly. For example, using a new environmental audit tool (developed in collaboration with youth) and Photovoice young people will evaluate local outdoor spaces to identify gaps in provision, issues of concern, or improved features and services that would make the spaces more appealing to and welcoming of young people. We then work with youth to prioritize changes they would like to see and identify possible course of action to both communicate their needs and to effect real changes in their communities. We also engage parents of local youth in focus group workshops to help raise awareness of how local environments can support positive youth development, and how parents and other caretakers can in turn support youth time in community outdoor spaces and civic activities.

Findings & Publications

• WWNY 7 News Story Oct 3, 2025: LaFargeville student group plans to improve rundown basketball court

• Cornell Chronicle story Sept 11, 2025: Net gain: Teens revitalize basketball court as gathering place