K-State Research and Extension

Youth Community Perceptions

Want to involve youth in your community?  Youth Community Perceptions can help youth learn how to identify needs and opportunities that exist for your community's future, and work with community leaders to make a difference!

School Specific Details:

Civic engagement is listed as a component for success in a high school graduate according to the Kansas State Board of Education (See page 13 under Section 14 of the Kansas Education Systems Accreditationdocument). 

If you are interested in using Youth Community Perceptions as part of your school's curriculum, the following resources are school-specific and are to be used along with the additional program forms and templates below.

Youth Community Perceptions Handout - Schools

Youth Community Perceptions School Application

Program Forms and Templates:

Youth Community Perceptions Handout

Youth Community Perceptions Leader's Guide

Youth Community Perceptions Community Capitals Learning Tool

Youth Community Perceptions Application

Youth Community Perceptions Checklist

Youth Community Perceptions Team Report Form

Youth Community Perceptions Abbreviated Team Report Form - The abbreviated form may be used by youth groups not wishing to utilize the more detailed version.

Youth Community Perceptions PowerPoint Template

Photography Guide 

Photo Release Form

Community Capitals Framework

What opportunities do you have moving forward?  Here are some ideas:

Create a presentation!

• A presentation can be created and presented at a public forum.  This can get a conversation going in your community and help people prioritize the community's needs.
• Want to create a video?  Be sure to follow the suggestions about privacy outlined in the Photography Guide above.

Before and After

• Create a collage of before pictures.  After action is taken, create a new collage with after pictures.
• If you want to create a video using your pictures, free software like Adobe Express (previously Adobe Spark) can be easy to use and the end product is ready to publish on the web or social media.

Take Action!

• Want to be the difference?  Join or create your own community improvement group!  Kansas PRIDE communities are great examples of groups to join.  Civic organizations may also have openings, so contact them to lend a hand!  No group to speak of in your town?  You can create your own.  The Kansas PRIDE program gives support to youth PRIDE initiatives with opportunities for technical assistance, education, and grants.

Tell Your Story!

• Get the word out by creating press releases to go out in e-mails, via social media, on flyers, and more.
• Have your facts straight, ask for help, and make your first sentence count.
• Create a friendly atmosphere.
• Work with local news.  Ask for the Kansas PRIDE Guide Press Kit - just e-mail us at ksrecv@k-state.edu.
• Determine who needs to know:
  • Elected officials?
  • Community members?
  • Businesses?
  • Organizations?
  • K-State Research and Extension?

Get in touch with the Youth Community Perceptions Community Vitality Team members for more information on how to get started:

Youth Community Perceptions is a collaboration between K-State Research and Extension Community Vitality and: