Partnering with Youth on Policy Change
Highlights from a community-wide youth data-sharing event
In December 2023, students from the CUNY SPS Youth Studies programs participated in Winter Dataland, a citywide event in which the program shares data generated by young people in partnership with YS students and hundreds of other young people in NYC. Patricia Kerrigan, a BA in Youth Studies student, shared her reflections on the evening and the possibilities it offered for youth workers and advocates in the year to come.
Winter Dataland Event 2023
On December 7, 2023, the NYC Youth Agenda Steering Committee — a powerhouse coalition that includes YVote, CUNY SPS’ Intergenerational Change Initiative, Citizens’ Committee for Children, My Brother’s & Sister’s Keepers, and ONS Youth Leadership Council — gathered for an evening engaging in youth-centered policy work at the Winter Dataland event. Empowered by the findings of youth-driven research and data crafted within the corridors of CUNY SPS via the Youth Studies department, young advocates and adult allies came together in a dynamic showcase of intergenerational collaboration.
Winter Dataland wasn’t just an event; it was a fervent celebration of the unyielding spirit of NYC youth and the indispensable role they play in shaping the policies that govern their lives. This dynamic collaborative planning effort was not confined to brainstorming rooms. Here, the NYC Youth Agenda Steering Committee meticulously planned activities unfolded as an illustration of harmonious synergy between youth and adult allies, transforming raw data into engaging narratives that resonated with a room full of over 200 young people and dedicated adult supporters. The Winter Dataland event thus became a living testament to the potency of collaboration, where the fusion of insights from diverse perspectives fueled the collective drive to address the pressing issues impacting NYC youth.
From the pulse-quickening rounds of “The Data is Right”, to a data-fueled interpretation of the timeless classic “Family Feud”, and the introspective “Data Walk” activities, Winter Dataland wasn’t your typical data presentation — it was a living, breathing canvas of the myriad stories, struggles, and triumphs that encapsulate the youth narrative in NYC. The power of interactive activities wasn’t just about making data accessible; it was about empowering young individuals to assert their agency in the policymaking arena.
As a student in the CUNY SPS BA in Youth Studies program, I have found my program to be one that is deeply reflective and built on blending theory with actionable youth work experience by way of presenting experiential learning opportunities. In August 2023, I was offered the opportunity to engage with the Intergenerational Change Initiative (ICI) as an adult co-researcher and, as part of this role, was also invited to engage with the NYC Youth Agenda Steering Committee as an adult ally. Engaging in these roles and witnessing the collective identification of key policy areas for the 2024 NYC Youth Agenda has served as a high point in my learning experiences. Winter Dataland wasn’t just about data points; it was a proclamation that young voices matter, and their inclusion in policy making is not just desirable — it’s imperative as policy is inherited by those who come after us, and therefore, are entitled to stand alongside adults in intergenerational lockstep in its shaping.
As I reflect on this experience, I am resolute in the belief that youth-centered policy work isn’t a checkbox — it’s a commitment to nurturing the leaders of tomorrow and a true gauge on the quality of work being done today. Engaging in this effort through a youth participatory action research model has solidified my commitment to youth work — aiming to center young people and amplify their lived experiences as building blocks for policy of today and beyond. I am privileged to have the opportunity to move in solidarity with NYC youth advocates, researchers, activists, and adult allies as we all continue to shift the needle forward in shaping a city that embodies the vision of NYC youth and stands to serve the wider community as a whole.
Patricia Kerrigan is currently a senior in the BA in Youth Studies program at CUNY SPS. Her interest in youth studies was ignited while working as an Agency Paralegal for a youth-serving nonprofit, where she recognized the program’s potential to align with her long-term professional goal of uplifting NYC youth and creating effective frameworks for their future. In her downtime, Kerrigan indulges in her love for painting and collage-making, as creative outlets have always helped synthesize and reflect on the various experiences she has shared with those in her community.
