Activating Youth Choice, Amplifying Youth Voice

“Youth learn how to make good choices by making choices, not by following directions." - Alfie Kohn

Empowering youth through choice fosters engagement and ownership in their learning. Content choices help youth set meaningful goals, while process choices allow for self-expression within structured tasks. In a youth choice-centered setting, educators provide safety, structure, and support while guiding decision-making through input, options, and limits. Using frameworks like the Needs Pyramid and Youth Voice Ladder ensures youth voices are valued while maintaining educational goals.