This volume examines how organizations advocating on behalf of youth maneuver between grassroots social movements pressing for reform and the established systems of power and authority to improve conditions for youth in urban communities.

This book provides a range of perspectives offering valuable insights, suggestions and advice to stimulate ideas for establishing, growing and modifying a Child Advocacy Centre (CAC) model and multi-agency collaboration in order to build capacity to respond to the incredibly diverse types of cases, children, youth and families that come through a CAC’s doors.

Living Proof is the first comprehensive guide to telling your personal story as an advocate and is for anyone who hopes one person's story can move audiences from apathy to empathy to action.

Empowered youth CAN and DO make a difference! Young people become empowered by their participation in the institutions and decisions that affect their lives—which in turn can lead to real positive change in the community. Youth Participation and Community Change presents leading authorities providing the latest research and effective approaches on how young people can be drawn to participate in organizations and communities. The diverse perspectives discuss youth participation in today’s society, the models and methods of its practice, the roles of youth and adults, and the future of youth participation and community in a diverse democracy. Approaches include those which promote participatory community-based research and evaluation, and involve youth groups in poor and racially segregated areas. The mainstream view of much of today’s youth is that of being victims of society rather than a being a possible positive influence on society as a whole. Youth Participation and Community Change seeks to shift the viewpoint from youth as being problems to empowering them to enact positive social change. The book explores community agency efforts to involve young people, and the process by which youth civic engagement promotes empowerment. Social work and public health approaches are examined, with cogent discussions on conceptual and theoretical issues. Empirically based case studies illustrate best practices and interdisciplinary work that draws upon psychology, sociology, social work, public health, education, and related academic disciplines and professional fields. Topics in Youth Participation and Community Change include: key dimensions of critical youth empowerment a case study of youth leadership development in Hawaii—the Sariling Gawa Youth Council the Lexington Youth Leadership Academy—a leadership development and community change program a new model for youth civic engagement in Hampton, Virginia three projects that engage urban youth in community change through participatory research youth engagement strategies and the benefits of youth participation in health research ten projects which used photovoice to represent, advocate, and enhance community health a participatory action research process with youth in Bosnia and Herzegovina the Growing Up in Cities project of UNESCO training students as facilitators for the Youth Empowerment Strategies (YES!) project four characteristics of engagement in the research literature and a school-community-university project differences in developmental outcomes among youth organizing, identity-support, and traditional youth development agencies Youth Participation and Community Change is thought-provoking, enlightening reading that is perfect for organizers, planners, policymakers, advocates, youth service workers, agency administrators, educators, students, and professionals in psychology, sociology, social work, urban planning, public policy, and public health.

Six Steps to Successful Child Advocacy: Changing the World for Children (by Amy Conley Wright and Kenneth J. Jaffe) offers an interdisciplinary approach to child advocacy, nurturing key skills through a proven six-step process that has been used to train child advocates and create social change around the world. The approach is applicable for micro-advocacy for one child, mezzo-advocacy for a community or group of children, and macro-advocacy at a regional, national, or international level. This practical text offers skill-building activities and includes timely topics such as how to use social media for advocacy. Case studies of advocacy campaigns highlight applied approaches to advocacy across a range of issues, including child welfare, disability, early childhood, and education. Words of wisdom from noted child advocates from the U.S. and around the world, including a foreword from Dr. Jane Goodall, illustrate key concepts. Readers are guided through the process of developing a plan and tools for a real-life child advocacy campaign.

The role of an advocate for children is one that I perform myself which is why I have found much of the research presented in this book so interesting... We are all on the same side battling to improve life for children who have, through no fault of their own, been handed a very bad set of cards.' - From the Foreword by Cherie Booth QC Advocacy for vulnerable people is increasingly becoming a part of health and social care practice, and over the past decade policy developments have contributed to a rapid development of advocacy services for children and young people. This book explores the latest debates and findings relating to research and practice in the field of children and young people's advocacy. Contributors present the key issues and dynamics of current advocacy practice and examine its role within health, education and social care services, including its impact on inter-professional collaboration, the development of personalised services and the barriers and facilitators to children's participation in children's services. This book will be valued by any professional working with young people, including children and young people's advocates, health and social care professionals, teachers and youth workers.