Engaging youth as leaders and partners can improve substance use prevention: a call to action to support youth engagement practice and research

Substance use prevention researchers and professionals are increasingly focusing on translating research into practice, developing a skilled workforce of prevention specialists, and creating a robust prevention infrastructure. A critical need for professional development in this field is training and technical assistance on how to include young people in developing, implementing, and evaluating substance use prevention programs.

Amplifying youth voices can enhance the quality and responsiveness of prevention research and practice, hasten the translation of interventions into practice, and benefit youth themselves. However, youth engagement is multi-layered and nuanced. Training prevention professionals in youth development and youth/adult partnerships is crucial for meaningful youth engagement. The substance use prevention workforce needs at least three specific competencies: 1) understanding adolescent development and the core elements of youth-adult partnerships; 2) applying this knowledge to program design and practice; and 3) implementing relational practices to share power with young people.

Incorporating young people's insights can improve substance use prevention. The prevention workforce should develop competencies to engage youth meaningfully, requiring dedicated training and resources to support this training.