• Create intentional pathways to social justice work through organizing: Creating intentional pathways requires investments in partnerships and collaborations between schools and community-based organizations, universities and employment training institutes that build upon young people’s social justice leadership skills and experiences.
  • Increase the number of young people entering progressive, social justice work: While creating pathways for post-secondary social justice leadership development is important, it is also critical to continue to provide multiple points of entry into organizing for young people in high school and middle school. Youth organizing groups and community organizations will need more strategic investments in civic opportunities in schools.
  • Build the capacity of organizations to enrich transformative opportunities for young people to engage in social justice work at the high school age: Youth organizing provides high school youth with more than skills and knowledge about how to change things. More importantly, it builds hope, optimism and courage necessary for effective social change. These dimensions of social change are often overlooked, yet remain perhaps one of the most important outcomes of youth organizing.
  • Help organizations and individuals transition post-high school and maintain a commitment to social justice work: Creating social justice leadership pipelines require investments in a progressive infrastructure where partnerships, collaborations and networks are formed to build upon young people’s leadership skills after high school. These pipelines transition young people from high school to social justice activities such as coordinating a campaign for city council, serving as an executive director of a social justice organization, or creating a new organization that addresses other unmet needs of our society.
  • Increase and build social justice networks and networking opportunities: One of the most significant factors that contribute to greater overall capacity is the ability to network, and share information and practices across issue areas. Youth organizing groups have few opportunities to convene and build collective consciousness beyond issue areas, or local problems.