This interactive session, led by our national NAMI Next Gen (NNG) Advisors, centers the youth voice as a powerful driver of mental health advocacy, leadership, and systems change.

NNG Advisors will share firsthand insights from their work with their local NAMI office, highlighting real-world examples of youth-led initiatives, advisory structures, and advocacy efforts. Participants will hear directly from young leaders about what authentic youth engagement looks like in practice, what has worked, and what challenges still exist when trying to center the youth voice within established organizations and systems.

Participants will gain tools to better collaborate with youth and young adults, understand the importance of shared decision-making, and recognize youth as experts in their own experiences.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

1. Identify key principles of authentic youth and young adult engagement rooted in lived experience and peer leadership.
2. Understand the role of youth voice in shaping effective mental health programs, advocacy efforts, and organizational decision-making.
3. Learn practical strategies for supporting, collaborating with, and sustaining youth-led initiatives within their communities.
4. Reflect on barriers to youth engagement and explore approaches to creating more inclusive, youth-centered spaces.
5. Gain inspiration and actionable ideas from NNG Advisors to strengthen youth leadership and partnership at the local and state level.