VALLEY — This weekend I get to take 14 local youth to Denver for the 4-H Leadership Development Camp. There they will join hundreds of other teens from around the state to learn about the legislative process and get engaged in community issues. Youth will work together to share ideas and develop action plans to tackle local challenges. On Monday, they’ll travel to the State Capitol and learn how they can make their voices heard through government.

I think events like these that engage youth in discussing issues that affect them are extremely important. Youth need to know that their opinions and experiences are valued. As adults, we need to make sure we provide youth with a platform to get involved and make their voices heard.

Many adults discount the value of teen input on community issues, thinking that they couldn’t possibly have the breadth of life experience to really contribute to the discussion It is important to remember that youth experience is valid and valuable, and might be quite different from our own. If given the chance, youth can provide a fresh perspective and valuable insight, especially relating to issues that affect them.

I just caught an article in The Colorado Sun that focused on youth suicide prevention in El Paso County. Youth there started a suicide awareness campaign called “Below the Surface” in response to a string of classmate suicides. The campaign focused on bold and relatable messages of what youth might be feeling internally. All the copy was written by teens, for teens, and directed youth to an anonymous text message helpline.

After the teen-driven campaign was launched, contacts with the helpline nearly doubled over the previous year. The outreach effort was so successful that the Colorado Office of Behavioral Health is expanding it across the state. This is an example of how engaging youth in community issues, and trusting their insight can make a real impact.

To get engaged kids, youth need to see engaged adults. We can all work to be positive civic role models for our youth by becoming active in local issues and local government. Parents and adults can also actively encourage kids to think about ways to make the community better. If kids come up with an idea, adults can help them flesh it out, or encourage them to work with other youth to make an action plan.

Once they have a plan in place, adults can connect youth with local resources to help their voices get heard. That might include introducing youth to a local community group that is working on an issue they find important. It also might involve encouraging youth to talk to their local elected officials to influence legislation.

All organizations in the Valley that serve youth in anyway should also consider including youth voices in their planning. The youth perspective can help adults look at challenges and opportunities in new ways and can generate lots of out-of-the-box ideas. Adults need to make sure they find ways to get youth input that are also engaging and rewarding for youth.

I’m excited to see what our conference attendees come up with this weekend, and hope to use the momentum from the event to encourage more youth engagement locally. Youth who have avenues to share their experiences and insights, and feel that input is valued will be key to helping shape a brighter future for all Valley residents.

Amy Henschen is the 4-H Youth Development Agent for Colorado State University Extension. To find out more about Extension and the 4-H program visit http://sanluisvalley.colostate.edu or call 719-852-7381. The Extension office is located at 1899 E Hwy 160, on the eastern edge of Monte Vista. Extension programs are available to all without discrimination.