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**Youth Advocate Collective Interview **

1. Introduction & Rationale

Engaging youth advocates through one-on-one interviews offers a high-impact way to strengthen relationships, surface unmet needs, and co-create strategies for collective action. Research on youth participation (Checkoway, 2011; UNICEF, 2018) shows that personalized outreach and meaningful involvement boost long-term engagement and leadership development.

Key Goals

  1. Understand Current Needs: Identify each advocate’s top challenges, interests, and barriers to deeper engagement.
  2. Introduce FYP’s Policy Branch Concept: Gauge interest in contributing to emerging initiatives that influence policy and drive collective impact.
  3. Deepen Connections: Build trust, gather feedback, and provide a direct pathway to FYP’s mailing list, Slack, and future collaborative opportunities.

2. Interview Objectives

  1. Assess Engagement Barriers: Why might advocates be less active now (time, resources, clarity on next steps)?
  2. Uncover Areas for FYP Support: Where can FYP help—whether through policy briefings, resource-sharing, or capacity-building?
  3. Explore Policy Interests: How can advocates collaborate on a youth-led policy campaigns?
  4. Strengthen Advocacy Network: Rekindle Slack activity, expand the mailing list, and identify future youth leaders in policy-oriented work.

3. Methodology

  1. Participant Selection:

    • Start with a prioritized list of ~20 advocates who have shown interest or have unique expertise.
    • Gradually expand to all 70+ in the Slack community if capacity allows.

  2. Scheduling & Format:

    • Conduct 30-45 minute virtual calls (via Zoom or phone).
    • Associates will send personalized invitations via Slack DM or email.
    • Offer flexible time slots to accommodate diverse schedules.

  3. Data Collection & Consistency:

    • Use a standardized interview guide (see Section 5) to ensure comparable data.
    • Record key insights in a shared spreadsheet (or Airtable/Google Sheet) after each interview.
    • Track who consents to mailing list inclusion and policy/think-tank follow-up.

  4. Ethical Considerations:

    • Emphasize voluntary participation.
    • Ensure confidentiality of personal details; share only aggregated findings unless permission is given.

4. Sample Interview Questions

Use open-ended questions, then tailor follow-ups based on each advocate’s responses.

  1. Current Involvement & Interests

    • “What youth advocacy work are you currently focused on or passionate about?”
    • “Have you been active in FYP events/Slack recently? If not, what’s been the main barrier?”

  2. Identifying Needs & Challenges

    • “What challenges are you facing in your advocacy work (e.g., funding, networking, policy knowledge)?”
    • “How could FYP better support your projects or initiatives?”

  3. FYP’s Potential Role

    • “What types of resources, trainings, or collaborations would be most helpful to you?”
    • “If FYP were to launch a youth-led policy branch or think-tank, what topics or issues would you want it to address?”

  4. Policy & Think-Tank Interests

    • “Are you interested in shaping policy or working with FYP on advocacy campaigns that influence decision-makers?”
    • “What would motivate you to contribute to a youth think-tank within FYP?”

  5. Communication & Next Steps

    • “How do you prefer to stay informed (Slack, email, text)?”
    • “Would you like to join our focused mailing list for policy updates, new opportunities, and event invitations?”

  6. Closing

    • “Is there anything else you’d like to share or any questions for us?”
    • “Thank you! We really value your insights—looking forward to collaborating more.”

5. Expected Outcomes

  • Insights on Engagement Gaps: Understand the “why” behind current participation patterns, informing strategies to revitalize Slack and event attendance.
  • Policy & Think-Tank Roadmap: Gauge interest and gather fresh ideas for a potential youth-led research and policy-advocacy branch under FYP.
  • Targeted Support Initiatives: Discover what trainings, mentorship, or resource-sharing can bolster advocates’ impact.
  • Strengthened Relationships: Increase advocates’ sense of belonging and ownership within FYP.
  • Mailing List & Slack Reengagement: Grow a targeted mailing list of members eager for updates and re-ignite Slack conversations through personal follow-ups.

6. Brief Supporting Literature

  • Checkoway, B. (2011). “What is youth participation?” Children and Youth Services Review, 33(2), 340–345.
    • Explores frameworks for meaningful youth engagement and the importance of direct dialogue.
  • UNICEF (2018). Adolescent and Youth Engagement Strategic Framework.
    • Emphasizes inclusive methods for involving young people in decision-making and policy influence.
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