by Wendy de los Reyes, Ph.D.

According to a recent report by Common Sense Media, about 6 in 10 parents–as well as 6 in 10 kids–think their voices do not matter in decisions made by their local governments. This finding poses the question–does it have to be this way? 

What is CLTI?

The Children's Leadership Training Institute (CLTI) is a 20-week civic development program of the CT Commission on Women, Children, Seniors, Equity & Opportunity designed for children ages 3-12. Run nationally by the National Parent Leadership Institute, CLTI operates alongside a parallel parent civic initiative, the Parent Leadership Training Institute (PLTI), creating opportunities for entire families to grow as civic leaders together. This parallel structure creates opportunities for children and parents to learn from each other. Children don't just benefit from their parents' civic growth—they help teach their parents too, making the whole family stronger civic participants.

During these sessions, children explore topics like community systems, media literacy, public policy, and local government—all while building essential skills in reading, public speaking, and leadership. Each cohort culminates their experience by planning and implementing a community project, putting their learning into action.

How CLTI Shapes Young Civic Leaders

Our research team explored how CLTI influences children's civic engagement and family practices. We found that CLTI creates a unique environment that nurtures civic-minded children through several key approaches.

Creating a Safe and Inclusive Space

CTLI begins each session with "HOPES"-a ritual where children share values like Honor/ Help, Open/Ouch, Participate/Pass/Perspective, Escuchar/Experience, and Sensitive/Safe

Ms. Jasmine asks, “What’s the first letter of HOPES?” Robert reframes the HOPES and shares about a friend who is a good helper and good listener. Ms. Ruby acknowledges that, “Yes we all want to have a friend like this.”

This practice isn't just routine; it establishes ground rules that make every child feel valued and heard, establishing expectations for both the facilitators and the children. 

Whether a child is naturally outgoing or prefers to listen quietly, facilitators adapt their approach to ensure everyone feels included. As an observer remarked: "Speaking is encouraged, but not pressured, in the classroom setting... the kids appear to be completely at ease in the setting, and even feel secure enough to express that they have nothing to add at that particular time." Facilitators provide abundant praise, even telling one child, "You could be mayor one day." 

Making Learning Culturally Relevant

The CLTI program deliberately connects civic concepts to children's lived experiences. Children see videos featuring bilingual families, read books about diverse cultures, and hear from guest speakers who look like them—young people of color in leadership roles.

For example, children learned from the youngest radio producer in Connecticut and watched videos of young leaders like Kid President. These examples help children see that leadership isn't just for adults—it's something they can embrace now.

Teaching Systems Thinking in Age-Appropriate Ways

Rather than overwhelming young children with abstract civic concepts, CLTI makes systems thinking concrete and relatable. To explain how community systems work, facilitators use familiar examples like 911 emergency services, the post office, and grocery stores, from farmers growing food to trucks delivering it to stores. Most importantly, they discover that these systems can be changed and improved through collective action.

Empowering Young Voices

Perhaps most significantly, CLTI creates multiple opportunities for children to practice using their voice. Through regular practice sessions, children build confidence in public speaking. They take on leadership roles during their graduation ceremony—serving as class speakers, giving reports, and welcoming guests.

One powerful example involved a child named Robert, whom the facilitator mistakenly believed had been drawing on a shared screen during a session. Rather than accepting the mistake, he respectfully advocated for himself, saying, “Excuse me; that was not me.” He demonstrated the kind of civic courage CLTI aims to cultivate. Facilitators celebrated this moment as an example of leadership in action.

Building Community Connections

CLTI helps children understand they're part of a larger network. Through their community projects—like organizing toy drives—children experience firsthand how collaboration can create positive change. They learn to build alliances with people different from themselves and discover how working together strengthens their community.

The program also emphasizes family connections, encouraging children to interview grandparents about how jobs have changed over time and involving families in their learning journey. For example, at the beginning of every PLTI session, a child from CLTI presents about what they learned at their last session.

Creating Household Civics Culture

CLTI doesn't just impact individual children—it changes how entire families talk about and engage with their communities. During one parent session, Adam, a young CLTI participant, taught the adults about public facilities, explaining how they “pave the roads, do repairs, take the trash out, recycling, maintain the parks.” One parent noted that many adults “didn't realize what public facilities do,” and Adam's explanation was “very educational for the parents as well.” Many parents and children reported that they continued to discuss what they learned on the drive home and for days and weeks on end.

Key Findings

Our research revealed that CLTI's approach to civic engagement is successful because it:

• Meets children where they are: The program adapts to children's developmental levels while maintaining high expectations for civic participation.
• Celebrates diverse perspectives: Children from different cultural backgrounds see themselves represented and valued.
• Creates family learning: Children and parents learn together about civic concepts.
• Provides real practice opportunities: Rather than just talking about leadership, children actively practice public speaking and develop a community project.
• Builds confidence gradually: Through supportive environments and repeated practice, even shy children develop the confidence to speak publicly.
• Connects learning to action: Children don't just learn about civic systems—they work to improve them through community projects.

Recommendations

Based on our findings, we recommend that civic education programs for children in early and middle childhood:

1. Start with relationship-building: Establish group norms that create a welcoming environment before diving into civic content.
2. Use culturally relevant examples: Connect civic concepts to children's lived experiences and showcase diverse leadership models.
3. Practice systems thinking concretely: Use familiar examples from children's daily lives to explain complex civic systems.
4. Create multiple opportunities for voice: Provide regular, low-stakes opportunities for children to practice public speaking and advocacy.
5. Emphasize collective action: Show children how working together strengthens their ability to create change.
6. Involve families as learning partners: Create connections between children's civic learning and their home experiences, and recognize that children can teach their families too.

CLTI demonstrates that civic engagement isn't too complex for young children—it just needs to be taught in age-appropriate, culturally relevant, and empowering ways. 

The program's success suggests that effective civic education for children requires more than teaching about government structures. It demands creating environments where children feel valued, respected, and empowered to use their voices. When we invest in developing civic leaders from an early age, we're not only preparing children for future citizenship—we're building stronger communities today.

As one CLTI participant expressed, the program helped him "learn about communities I live in" and "change the way the community may look or work together." This is the power of civic education—transforming both the child and the community they serve.