Welcome to the Ohio Adult Allies Technical Assistance Process!

For those participating in the Ohio Adult Allies Training Academy, technical assistance is offered to provide support and clarity as you and your team develop a youth-led program grounded in the Youth Empowerment Conceptual Framework (YECF) and the Strategic Prevention Framework (SPF). The information on this page will be used to guide you through the technical assistance process.

If you are not part of the Ohio Adult Allies Training Academy, we are glad you are here! This information is still for you! You can use the information on this page as a detailed guide to help you navigate through the Ohio Adult Allies website.

What We Do

Ohio Adult Allies facilitate youth-led programs. Youth-led programs are designed to empower young people to promote change in their communities that contribute to building healthier, safer, and more resilient communities throughout Ohio. In youth-led programs, young people are provided spaces to develop critical learning, innovation, life, and career skills.

To begin your technical assistance journey, review the following resources. We recommend you review them in order.
After you view the resources, continue thinking about the youth-led program that you facilitate.
  • Complete Section One: Context, questions 1 – 7 of your Group Narrative Questionnaire handout

Why We Do It

The voice of the youth can be powerful, and youth are leading the way for positive community change. Youth-led programs equip young people with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed to impact their community while providing a platform for the youth voice to be heard creating opportunities for inclusion in the planning and development of initiatives, programs, and policies. Youth are encouraged to evaluate their surroundings, gather information, and then address community topics/issues that are relevant to their lives.

To continue your technical assistance journey, review the following resources. We recommend you review them in order.
After you view the resources, continue thinking about the youth-led program that you facilitate.
  • Complete Section Two: Youth Characteristics and Recruitment, questions 1 – 4 of your Group Narrative Questionnaire handout

Youth Empowerment Conceptual Framework

These 3 videos provide an overview of the core components of the Youth Empowerment Conceptual Framework (YECF). The YECF gives an in-depth explanation of the ecological context, adult involvement, and group structure of youth-led programs. In addition, it provides analogical examples to help adult allies further understand this conceptual framework.

To continue your technical assistance journey, review the following resources. We recommend you review them in order.
After you view the resources, continue thinking about the youth-led program that you facilitate.
  • Complete Section Three: Collective Participation, questions 1 – 8 of your Group Narrative Questionnaire handout

Briefing Paper - Youth Led Programs

This briefing paper provides a more in-depth understanding of how and why Youth-Led Programs are an asset to the community. The foundation of Youth-Led Programs is to engage youth in collective activities and experiences and enhance their ability to address local issues. Youth-led programs promotes the development of youth’s knowledge, skills, and attitudes so that they can be catalysts for positive change within their communities. In short, youth are empowered to create community change.

Click here to read the briefing paper.
After you view the Youth-Led Programs Briefing Paper, continue thinking about the youth-led program that you facilitate.
  • Complete Section Four: Adult Involvement, questions 1 – 5 of your Group Narrative Questionnaire handout

Briefing Paper - Youth Empowerment

This briefing paper provides and in-depth understanding of youth empowerment. Because Youth-led programs focus is on positive youth development, Adult Allies use the theory of youth empowerment to guide the youth in their community change efforts. With emphasizes on collective participation and contribution, youth are able to gain skills and competencies that cultivate positive development for self and others.

Click here to read the briefing paper.​
After you view the Youth Empowerment Briefing Paper, continue thinking about the youth-led program that you facilitate.
  • Complete Section Five: Group Structures ,questions 1 – 6 of your Group Narrative Questionnaire handout

Journal Article - Conceptualizing Youth
Empowerment within Tobacco Control

This article presents a conceptual framework designed to develop youth-led, youth-directed initiatives within local communities. This framework was used to guide a national evaluation of the American Legacy Foundation’s (Legacy) Statewide Youth Movement Against Tobacco Use (SYMATU) program. The approach extends the traditional individual-focused strategies. It encompassed coordinated, multicomponent interventions that aim to promote community-level change towards attitudes, norms, and behaviors against tobacco use by altering the surrounding social and physical environment.

Click here to read the journal article.
After you view the Youth Empowerment Briefing Paper, continue thinking about the youth-led program that you facilitate.
  • Complete Section Six: Group Climate, questions 1 – 5 of your Group Narrative Questionnaire handout