Adultism
Adultism is the systematic subordination of young people as a targeted group with little access to goods, resources, and power. Adults almost exclusively make the policy, programmatic, and practice decisions that govern young people’s lives. Yet, adults who are isolated from young people often hold negative attitudes and beliefs about them, and thus create policies that are from a deficit perspective. These policies and laws limit opportunities for youth development.
In UpRISE, we position youth as decision-makers who have unique knowledge about their lives. We work with adults to acknowledge the power they have and amplify the work and ideas of young people.
