The most effective cross-sector partnerships for adolescents and young adults (AYA) are grounded in one essential ingredient: their voice. When you engage AYA as partners, not just participants, you tap into their lived experience, creativity, and leadership. This fosters the development of more responsive, accessible, and effective programs. That means going beyond inviting their token input. It means ensuring their perspectives are front and center, providing real opportunities for youth to lead, co-design, and shape the work.

Before you get started, consider:

• Do organizations within your partnership currently include AYA in decision-making, and if so, how? What can you learn from these existing efforts?
• What are the barriers to authentic youth engagement within your partnership
• How can you adapt your systems integration initiatives to better reflect AYA input?