(Conference coming up in June 2009. Original article date: December 2007, March 2008 update.)

Young people are planners even if they don't know it. The Young Planners Network recognizes this innate capacity that becomes apparent when youth hang out on the corner or bike down their block, ride the bus or participate in an after-school program.

On the other hand, some young people know full well that they are planners, know their power to positively change the world, and are actively participating in planning processes in their communities. You might find many of these young leaders at PLANet YOUTH 2009: Building Bridges to a Sustainable Future, the Young Planners Network’s third annual conference held at the University of California, Berkeley on June 4-7, 2009.

With local chapters in New York, Chicago, the San Francisco Bay area, and New Orleans, the Young Planners Network has members that work on environmental protection, civic participation, service learning, social justice issues, and other issues.

Workshops, mobile workshops, poster sessions, networking events, poetry, film, and music will highlight this youth-centered event. The setting will encourage the sharing of ideas and stories of public participation from around the country.

The conference is not just for youth; it is also for adult allies, who support and work with young planners. Adult allies collaborate with young planners to bring about meaningful positive social change in their cities, towns, and regions.