YPA x FYP

Schedule Next Meeting

-Aliza, Keegan, Jose, Ava

Brainstorming

• Sept Event (Workshops, Joint Fundraising)
• SXSW + Dec 2024/Sep 2025 Event
  • Universial Framework/Leverage/Inteface (Mental Health, AI) ->SXSW or next Sep
• Peer Orgs

Direct Interfacing

Joint Comm Grassroot panel between panel and social media companies trust and safety of AI and social media companies

1. clarification how they want to be involved
2. provide our initial proposal for their involvement in the summit (bring in 1 high-level speaker and 1 youth speaker from their team; contribute to impact campaign)

SXSW 2025 Ideas

marx's thought make the panel about a critique and reflection of youth led nonprofits and coalition in mental health and responsible tech works touching areas such as 1) how to break the only elite youth advocate narrative 2) how to break the narrative and get more everyday youth ways to involve (democratize youth advocacy) 3) how to protect advocates well being 4) how to ensure accounatbility 5) how to leverage the strengths of different youth nonprofits and audiences to make something impact together and build capacity and togetherness together. for instance, fyp runs on no money structure with open knowledge hub that allows us to be able to faciliate a lot of the large coalition and unionization of youth led nonprofits and collective movement.

Possible Themes/Aliza: Behavioral health policy Role of youth in developing and influencing the direction of policy Intersectionality of mental health Cultural competence and diverse providers within mental health care How and why youth are at the forefront of mental health advocacy today Healthy People 2030 research objectives around behavioral health

Proposed Framework:

1. Grassroots Foundation: Establish partnerships with local chapters of various youth-focused organizations to create a bottom-up foundation for connection, input, and output. This ensures that the union is grounded in the real experiences and needs of youth at the grassroots level, as well as a pathway for grassroots to join negotiation.

2. Centralized Conversation and Advocate Gathering: Leverage platforms like ForYouPage and DesignItForUs to create a centralized hub for conversation, resource sharing, and advocate gathering. This network will facilitate collaboration, knowledge exchange, and the development of a unified youth voice.

3. Open Organized Negotiation Representative Team: Form a representative team of youth advocates who will engage in open, organized negotiations with policymakers and tech companies. This team will be democratically selected from the grassroots foundation and will be responsible for presenting the collective interests and demands of the youth advocate union.

4. Testing Ground through ForYouPage Events: The series of events you are organizing through ForYouPage can serve as a testing ground for this advocacy pipeline. During these events, you can form an initial framework and engage in organized negotiation and conversation with your final speakers, such as Bill Smith from Inseparable or Surgeon General Vivek Murthy. This will provide valuable experience and insights for refining the youth advocate union's approach.

5. Direct Negotiation at Events: The events themselves can also function as direct negotiation grounds, similar to the UN Youth Climate Summit. By inviting older stakeholders to the events, you create opportunities for youth advocates to engage in direct negotiations and discussions, aligning with the theme of action priorities.

6. Storytelling for Grassroots Advocacy Pathway: Use storytelling as both an impact campaign for the events and a way to engage grassroots youth as an easy and low effort way to communicate their voices. Design a base framework for the content, including length, focal points, and key questions and answers, while allowing grassroots youth to fill in the rest with their own creative input-provide a door for grassroots involvement and help flush out FYP content with diverse youth perspectives.

Historical Examples:

1. The Civil Rights Movement (1954-1968): The Civil Rights Movement in the United States demonstrated the power of grassroots organizing, centralized leadership, and collective action. Organizations like the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) and the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) mobilized local communities, coordinated efforts, and negotiated with policymakers to advance racial equality and justice.

2. The Solidarity Movement in Poland (1980-1989): The Solidarity Movement, led by labor unions, successfully challenged the communist government in Poland through a combination of grassroots organizing, nationwide strikes, and negotiations. This movement showcased the effectiveness of a unified front in driving political and social change.

3. The global climate strikes (2018-present): Inspired by Greta Thunberg, youth around the world have organized global climate strikes to demand action on climate change. These strikes have involved grassroots organizing, centralized coordination through networks like Fridays for Future, and direct negotiations with policymakers at events such as the UN Youth Climate Summit.