Designed for ALL Youth

No Youth Left Out:

Designing Programs Where All Young People Belong

By: Brittany Potvin

People who work with youth often share commitments to values like inclusion, equity, and empowerment. Still, even the most well-meaning programs can unintentionally leave some young people out. It’s not always obvious: the youth who quietly disengage because their learning style isn’t reflected, the teen who stops coming because the space feels overwhelming, or the young person who never applies because they don’t see themselves represented. Inclusion is more than a value, it’s a practice that requires the right tools, frameworks, and intentionality. Here at MYAN, we are spending Disability Pride Month challenging ourselves to increase our program awareness and intentional design strategies to benefit all young people, especially those with different abilities, learning styles, or support needs.