We Keep Asking Young People to Trust Us.But How Much Do We Really
Trust Them?
Every day, young people and adults work together to solve problems, make decisions, and create change.TrustYouth is a guided reflection process that helps youth and adults explore how trust shapes leadership, opportunity, influence, and shared decision-making.Because trust shapes opportunity and opportunity shapes leadership.
Imagine This...
You notice a problem.You have an idea.You speak up.Then what happens?Are you invited into the conversation?Are you trusted to help?Can you influence what happens next?Trust shapes the answer.That's the question behind TrustYouth.
The Trust Gap
Young people are often invited to participate.They are less often invited to influence decisions.They are asked for feedback.They are less often trusted with real influence.They are encouraged to lead.But leadership requires opportunity.We call this the Trust Gap.Trust shapes opportunity.And opportunity shapes leadership.
How it Works
TrustYouth uses a shared reflection process to help young people and adults explore how trust shapes leadership, opportunity, influence, and shared decision-making.Youth and adults reflect on the same experiences, compare perspectives, identify patterns, and explore opportunities for action together.What happens when young people and adults learn together?When responsibility is shared?When ideas lead to action?When trust becomes visible?TrustYouth is helping communities explore how trust shapes leadership, belonging, contribution, and thriving.
Better Questions. Better Conversations.
TrustYouth helps youth and adults explore where trust exists, where it breaks down, and what becomes possible when trust grows.The goal isn't to score trust.The goal is to strengthen it.The five reflection questions shown here help spark conversation, learning, and action.Most conversations focus on whether young people trust adults.TrustYouth also asks whether adults, organizations, and communities trust young people.
Learning Together
TrustYouth invites youth and adults to reflect on the same experiences and compare perspectives.The goal isn't agreement.The goal is understanding.Sometimes the biggest insights come from seeing the same experience through different eyes.
Trust In Action
Being asked is important.Being trusted is different.TrustYouth helps us move from:
Voice → Influence
Participation → Leadership
Consultation → Shared Ownership
Ideas → Action
Early Insights
Early TrustYouth conversations have surfaced a consistent pattern.Many participants describe young people being invited to participate.They are less likely to describe young people having influence over decisions.These conversations are helping participants explore the difference between participation, influence, and shared leadership.Many of these conversations point back to the same question:What does it look like when trust becomes visible?
Help Build TrustYouth
TrustYouth is still growing.We're continuing to test, refine, and strengthen the reflection process alongside young people and adults.And that's intentional.We believe the future of TrustYouth should be shaped by the people it serves.Whether you're a student, educator, parent, school leader, nonprofit professional, researcher, funder, or community member, your perspective matters.Because trust grows when people learn together, reflect together, and help shape what happens next.
Become a
Founding Partner
TrustYouth is being built with young people and adults, not for them.Most conversations focus on whether young people trust adults.TrustYouth explores a different question:Do adults trust young people?Founding Partners are helping shape a growing movement focused on creating more opportunities for young people to contribute, influence decisions, and help shape what happens next.Some will simply stay connected and follow the work. Others may choose to help test ideas, share feedback, or explore TrustYouth in their schools and communities.There is no major time commitment. We're simply looking for people who believe trust matters and want to help build something meaningful together.
Frequently Asked QuestionsWhat is TrustYouth?TrustYouth is a guided reflection process and growing movement that helps youth and adults explore how trust shapes leadership, opportunity, influence, and shared decision-making.The goal is to create stronger youth-adult partnerships and expand opportunities for young people to contribute, lead, and create change.Who is TrustYouth for?TrustYouth is designed for young people, educators, schools, youth-serving organizations, community leaders, funders, and others who want to better understand and strengthen youth-adult partnerships.Anyone interested in helping young people move from participation to leadership can participate.How does TrustYouth work?Youth and adults reflect on a shared set of questions about their experiences.Participants compare perspectives, identify patterns, explore where trust exists or breaks down, and discuss opportunities to strengthen trust, leadership, and shared decision-making.The process is designed to spark conversation, reflection, learning, and action.Is TrustYouth an assessment or scorecard?No.TrustYouth is not designed to judge, rank, or score people, schools, or organizations.It is intended to serve as a mirror and conversation starter that helps participants better understand their experiences and identify opportunities for growth.What kinds of questions does TrustYouth explore?TrustYouth explores questions such as:• Who gets invited into conversations?
• Who gets heard?
• Who is trusted with responsibility?
• Who has influence over decisions?
• What happens after young people share their ideas?These conversations often reveal the difference between participation, influence, and leadership.What happens after participating?Participants reflect on their experiences, compare perspectives, identify patterns, and explore opportunities to strengthen trust and leadership.Participating groups receive a TrustYouth Profile that highlights strengths, opportunities, and areas for further conversation.The goal is not to judge performance, but to help communities better understand how trust shapes leadership, influence, and shared decision-making.Is TrustYouth connected to the Alliance for Youth Thriving?Yes.TrustYouth is connected to the Alliance for Youth Thriving, a national network of organizations working to create the conditions that help young people thrive.The Alliance's focus on belonging, meaning, well-being, and purpose has helped shape the development of TrustYouth and its emphasis on trust as a foundation for thriving.Is TrustYouth still being developed?Yes.TrustYouth is currently being tested, refined, and strengthened alongside young people, schools, organizations, and community partners.Feedback from participants continues to shape the reflection process, tools, and future direction of the initiative.How can I get involved?Become a Founding Partner.We're looking for young people and adults who want to help shape the future of TrustYouth as it grows. You can learn more and sign up using the Founding Partner form on this page.
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