Youth Community Conversations

Creating Space for Youth Voice, Connection, and Belonging.

Youth Community Conversations

Creating Space for Youth Voice, Connection, and Belonging

Youth Community Conversations are a central part of the FutureYOUth Initiative ecosystem. These facilitated conversations remember that young people don’t just need programs — they need space to be heard, understood, and connected to one another.

Rather than one-off discussions, Youth Community Conversations are designed as shared experiences that bring youth together across schools, programs, and communities to talk honestly about what they’re navigating and what they need to thrive.

Three friends laughing and working together at a wooden table with laptops.
Students in a classroom with one standing and holding books.

What Youth Community Conversations Are

Youth Community Conversations are:

  • Structured, facilitated virtual group sessions
  • Led primarily by trained college students and young adult facilitators
  • Supported by adult moderators when needed
  • Focused on youth voice, belonging, and shared experience

These conversations are not therapy sessions, lectures, or assessments. They are spaces for reflection, listening, and connection.

How They Work

  • FYI will host 8–10 virtual Youth Community Conversations during the FYI cycle
  • Youth from participating programs and individual applicants are invited to join
  • Conversations bring together youth from different groups, not just one program
  • Sessions are time-limited, facilitated, and guided by shared prompts

Youth may participate in one or more sessions, depending on availability and interest.

A group of young people happily taking a selfie outdoors.
Three people collaborating on laptops in a cozy workspace.

What Youth Talk About

Conversation topics may include:

  • Transitioning out of high school
  • Stress, pressure, and expectations
  • Identity and belonging
  • Mental and emotional wellness
  • Feeling supported — or unsupported
  • Hopes, fears, and future goals

Topics are youth-centered and grounded in real experiences, not scripted answers.

Why Youth Community Conversations Matter

Youth Community Conversations help FYI:

  • Normalize youth voice
  • Build connection across communities
  • Reduce isolation during transition years
  • Complement insight gathered through SEE360â„¢
  • Inform broader understanding of youth experiences statewide

These conversations add context and humanity to the data — without replacing it.

Lecture hall with students attending a presentation.
Four friends happily chatting and using a tablet together.

Who Participates

Youth Community Conversations are open to:

  • High school students connected to participating programs
  • Individual youth applicants
  • Youth selected as FYI finalists or award recipients

Participation is voluntary but strongly encouraged as part of the FYI ecosystem.

How Youth Join

Access to Youth Community Conversations is shared through the FYI Participation Hub after a program or individual joins the ecosystem.
Details, session dates, and registration links are provided directly to participants.

Three friends studying together in a cozy library.

Important Note

Youth Community Conversations are designed for dialogue and connection.
They are not clinical services and do not replace counseling or crisis support. Youth are always encouraged to seek help from trusted adults or local resources if they need additional support.