Outreach and engagement are essential to developing a youth talent pipeline. Although these terms are often used interchangeably, differentiating the two allows you to plan techniques that are aligned with your union’s goals. Explore the tabs below to learn more.
Establishing Connections
Youth outreach focuses on sharing information and establishing connections with young people. Outreach efforts often aim to connect with as many young people as possible; successful efforts meet young people where they are. Think about choosing strategies that bring information and opportunities to the spaces youth already frequent like…
- schools and colleges;
- social media platforms;
- community-based youth programs;
- after-school programs;
- and student groups/clubs.
In addition to information, offer career exploration activities to young people as a form of outreach. Even activities at career fairs allow youth to gain insights into public service careers.
Information Sharing

“…successful efforts meet young people where they are.”

Remember, in order to take advantage of public service career paths, we must do our part to inform youth about the age-appropriate opportunities and resources available to them. Create equitable access to this information by diversifying your partners, incorporating inclusive language , and offering materials in multiple languages and formats. Equitable outreach makes your information accessible to a larger, more diverse pool of young people. To optimize your impact, plan activities and share information that is age-appropriate, accessible, and designed with the interests of young people in mind. Consider your union’s capacity and goals when deciding what information and opportunities to share with a specific age group.
Consistent Connections in and Beyond Outreach
The effects of your efforts will multiply when you establish pathways to engagement through your outreach. Provide ways for young people to connect with your union and further explore public service careers. Ongoing connection is crucial because…
- it establishes trust between our union and young people;
- young people need to hear about opportunities multiple times before pursuing them;
- and not all young people will have the interests, skills, and capacity to engage with you at any one time.
So be persistent. Establish consistency by following up with youth who shared contact information at a career fair or conducting multiple outreach efforts with the same partner. Persistent outreach will allow you to connect and ultimately engage with youth when they are most interested in career exploration.
Tip: Want to share information with as many people as possible? Create accessible content and plan strategies with diversity and accessibility in mind.

Quality Connections

Rather than maximizing the number of youth connections through outreach, engagement focuses on the quality of your connections. Quality connections can influence a young person’s decision-making regarding applying for a program or position, remaining on their current career path, taking steps to prepare for an occupation, and even whether they join our union and become an active member once they’re working in public service.
Foster quality connections by making communication a two-way exchange between youth and our union. Engagement is more than sharing information; engagement creates space for youth to share their ideas and experiences too. Listening to young people can…
- help them feel engaged;
- help you make connections between public service careers and youth interests;
- provide you with insights on how to improve your outreach and engagement efforts.
Young people are more likely to be engaged if they feel heard, so be open to listening! Creating a space that values youth input goes a long way in building our union’s relationship with young people.
Principles of Youth Engagement

Youth engagement establishes and strengthens relationships by elevating youth voices, cultivating a sense of belonging, and meeting people where they are today. You can incorporate these principles into your engagement approaches by creating formal and informal opportunities for youth to share their ideas and engage with their peers. Consider whether your outreach materials are representative of the young people in your region, and identify and address barriers to youth participation whenever possible. Incorporating these principles allows you to engage young people in every career exploration approach from career days to internships.
Developing Relationships
Like outreach, engagement is most impactful when strategies are ongoing. Consistent connection creates trust, which is essential to developing relationships. Engaging young people becomes much easier as you establish a relationship with them. The most engaging opportunities are achieved when we recognize young people as partners in their career exploration and preparation.

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