American Conversation Project for Young Americans: Become a Youth Conversation Host and Help Shape a National Dialogue

The American Conversation Project (ACP) for Young Americans is creating an opportunity for young people across the United States to bring people together, encourage meaningful conversations within their communities, and ensure that the experiences and perspectives of younger generations are heard as part of a broader national conversation.

The initiative gives young people between the ages of 13 and 25 an opportunity to become certified youth conversation hosts. Rather than relying exclusively on online discussions, social media posts, comment sections, and group chats, the project encourages young people to create spaces where people can meet in person, share their experiences, listen to one another, and discuss the issues and opportunities affecting their communities.

Through the project, youth hosts organize and record small-group conversations involving peers and other community members. These conversations can explore what people appreciate about their communities, what they believe needs to change, their hopes for the future, and the actions they would like to take.

The initiative combines community-based conversations with technology-assisted analysis to identify themes and insights emerging from conversations across the country. The goal is to create a broader understanding of what Americans are thinking, feeling, experiencing, and hoping for in their communities.

About the American Conversation Project

The American Conversation Project is a national initiative focused on strengthening community connections by encouraging Americans to have meaningful conversations about the places where they live.

The project creates opportunities for people to move beyond highly polarized or fast-moving online exchanges and participate in more intentional conversations where participants can listen to different perspectives and learn about the experiences of people in their communities.

Young people are an important part of this effort. Through the youth host program, individuals between 13 and 25 can take an active role in organizing conversations among friends, classmates, neighbors, family members, educators, and other members of their communities.

A youth host does not need to be a professional facilitator, political science student, community leader, or experienced public speaker. Instead, the project is designed to give ordinary young people the opportunity to create a space where community members can talk and listen to each other.

The conversations may focus on questions such as:

• What do people love about their community?
• What makes their community a good place to live?
• What challenges or problems do community members experience?
• What do people believe is not working?
• What changes would they like to see?
• What are their hopes for the future?
• What actions could individuals or communities take?

By collecting these conversations, the American Conversation Project seeks to create a broader record of community perspectives that can be analyzed and shared nationally.

Why the American Conversation Project Is Engaging Young People

Young people increasingly communicate through digital platforms, including group chats, social media, comment sections, and direct messages. These platforms provide opportunities for people to express opinions and connect with others, but they do not necessarily create opportunities for sustained, face-to-face conversations.

The American Conversation Project provides another avenue for young people to engage with their communities.

Instead of conversations happening only online, youth hosts can bring people together in physical spaces where participants can speak directly with one another. These spaces might include libraries, community centers, schools, clubs, or other locations where people already gather.

Importantly, youth hosts are not expected to gather only people who share their own views or experiences. A host can invite different members of their community, including people from different age groups and backgrounds.

This creates an opportunity for young people to learn more about their communities while also helping other community members listen to perspectives they may not encounter in their everyday lives.

What Is the Role of a Youth Conversation Host?

A youth conversation host serves as the person who brings a small group of community members together and helps facilitate a conversation.

The role is designed to be accessible. Participants do not need previous professional facilitation experience, and the project does not require hosts to have a particular academic background.

The main responsibilities involve completing the required training, organizing participants, conducting conversations, recording those conversations, and submitting the recordings to the American Conversation Project.

1. Complete the Youth Host Certification

Young people who want to participate first complete a self-directed certification process.

The certification consists of eight short training modules. According to the project, the complete training takes approximately 30 to 60 minutes.

The training is designed to be completed independently, meaning participants do not need to attend scheduled live training sessions.

This allows young people to complete the certification using their own schedules and at their own pace.

Once the required training is completed, participants become certified ACP youth conversation hosts.

2. Bring a Small Group Together

After certification, hosts identify people within their communities who can participate in the conversations.

Hosts may invite people such as:

• Friends
• Classmates
• Neighbors
• Parents
• Teachers
• Other community members
• People from different age groups and backgrounds

The project encourages hosts to create conversations that extend beyond their immediate social circles.

The location can also be practical and accessible. The project suggests places such as a library room or community center, although hosts can identify an appropriate quiet location within their communities.

3. Lead and Record at Least Three Conversations

Each youth host is expected to lead and record at least three conversations.

The conversations are designed to give participants an opportunity to discuss their communities, experiences, concerns, hopes, and ideas for action.

After the conversations are completed, hosts upload the recordings to the American Conversation Project.

The ACP team then handles the next stage of the process.

How the Conversations Contribute to a National Picture

One of the distinctive aspects of the American Conversation Project is that individual community conversations are intended to contribute to a larger national record.

The project works with Cortico, using a combination of human listening and AI-assisted tools to identify insights and themes from conversations taking place across communities.

This means that the conversations conducted by individual youth hosts are not simply isolated discussions.

Instead, the recordings can contribute to a larger body of information that helps identify common themes and perspectives emerging from communities throughout the United States.

The project intends to share these insights back with communities and the wider public, allowing young people and other participants to see what people in different communities are saying and thinking.

What Youth Hosts Receive

Participating in the American Conversation Project provides more than an opportunity to organize community discussions.

Youth hosts can gain practical experience and resources that may be useful for education, community engagement, leadership, communications, and future professional opportunities.

Certified ACP Conversation Host Credential

Participants who complete the required process receive an ACP Conversation Host credential that can demonstrate their experience in facilitating community conversations.

This can provide evidence of practical experience in areas such as communication, listening, community engagement, and facilitation.

Practical Conversation and Facilitation Experience

Youth hosts gain hands-on experience leading real conversations with members of their communities.

This can involve developing confidence in:

• Facilitating group discussions
• Encouraging participation
• Listening to different perspectives
• Communicating with people from different backgrounds
• Organizing community activities
• Creating welcoming conversation environments
• Managing small-group discussions

ACP Host Toolkit

Youth hosts receive access to the ACP Host Toolkit, which includes resources intended to make it easier to organize and conduct conversations.

The toolkit includes materials such as:

• Conversation guides
• Outreach templates
• Social media assets

These resources can help hosts communicate the purpose of the project and invite participants to their conversations.

Recognition in the National Synthesis

Youth hosts can also receive named credit in ACP’s national synthesis.

The project states that this synthesis will be shared through partners, including local and national media organizations.

This gives participating young people an opportunity to have their contribution recognized as part of a broader national effort to understand community perspectives.

Connection With Other Youth Hosts

The program also provides an opportunity to connect with a national network of young people participating as conversation hosts.

This can create opportunities for participants to learn from other youth hosts, exchange experiences, and see how young people in different communities are approaching the project.

Timeline for the American Conversation Project

The program has a flexible participation structure rather than a single application deadline for certification.

Certification

Young people can sign up and complete the certification now.

The certification is self-paced, and the project states that there is no deadline for completing the certification.

Hosting Conversations

After becoming certified, youth hosts can organize and conduct their three conversations according to their circumstances and community setting.

The project describes participation as ongoing, allowing hosts to arrange conversations in locations and at times that work for them and their participants.

National Goal for 2026

The American Conversation Project aims to reach 500 youth-led conversations nationwide by the end of 2026.

Young people participating in the program can therefore contribute to this broader national goal by organizing and completing their required conversations.

Who Can Participate?

The American Conversation Project for Young Americans is specifically designed for young people between the ages of 13 and 25.

Participants must fall within the stated youth age range.

Young people who are 13 to 17 years old must have permission from a parent or caregiver to participate.

The opportunity is designed for young people living in the United States, as the project focuses on conversations within communities across the country.

Do You Need Previous Experience?

No specific professional facilitation experience is required.

The project states that participants do not need:

• Facilitation training
• A political science degree
• A large social media following
• Professional community organizing experience

The key requirement is a willingness to bring people together and create an environment where participants can engage in meaningful conversation.

This makes the opportunity potentially relevant to students, youth leaders, community members, aspiring communicators, volunteers, and other young people interested in community engagement.

What Kind of Skills Can Participants Develop?

Although the program is centered on community conversations, participating youth can develop a range of transferable skills.

These may include:

Communication Skills

Hosts practice communicating with participants before, during, and after conversations. They also gain experience explaining the purpose of an initiative and encouraging people to participate.

Facilitation Skills

Leading group conversations provides practical exposure to facilitating discussions and helping participants contribute.

Active Listening

The project emphasizes meaningful conversation and listening, giving participants an opportunity to strengthen their ability to listen to people with different experiences and perspectives.

Community Engagement

Hosts work directly with members of their communities and gain experience organizing people around a shared activity.

Organization and Planning

Arranging participants, selecting a suitable location, preparing for conversations, and recording the sessions require planning and organizational skills.

Digital Skills

Because conversations are recorded and submitted digitally, hosts also gain experience working with digital tools and project resources.

A Chance to Strengthen Community Connections

At its core, the American Conversation Project is about creating opportunities for people to talk with one another about their communities.

The initiative recognizes that people can have very different experiences of the same place. One person may see their community as welcoming and full of opportunities, while another may experience barriers or challenges that others do not notice.

Bringing these perspectives into the same conversation can help participants understand their community from different viewpoints.

For young hosts, this can also be an opportunity to learn more about the people who live around them.

A conversation involving classmates, parents, teachers, neighbors, and other residents can reveal perspectives that young people might not encounter through their normal social networks.

How to Apply to Become a Youth Host

Young people interested in participating can apply through the American Conversation Project’s youth program.

The process involves signing up and completing the required self-directed certification. Once certified, participants can begin organizing their conversations.

Applicants can use the official application page to learn more about the program and begin the process.

The project also provides a specific application route for the Knight Cities youth host cohort.

APPLY HERE

Questions and Additional Information

Young people who have questions about the program can contact Kate at the National Conference on Citizenship using the email address provided by the project: kate@ncoc.org

The American Conversation Project is led by the National Conference on Citizenship, in partnership with Cortico and a growing coalition of civic, cultural, educational, faith, and media organizations.

Visit HERE to learn more about the American Conversation Project for Young Americans.

Conclusion

The American Conversation Project for Young Americans offers young people an opportunity to move beyond online discussions and take an active role in creating meaningful conversations within their communities.

Participants between the ages of 13 and 25 can become certified youth conversation hosts by completing eight short, self-directed training modules. They can then bring community members together, lead and record at least three conversations, and submit those recordings to the American Conversation Project.

The initiative combines youth participation, community engagement, storytelling, listening, and technology-assisted analysis to help build a broader understanding of what people across the United States are experiencing and thinking about their communities.

For young people interested in communication, leadership, community engagement, facilitation, civic participation, storytelling, or youth development, the project provides a practical way to gain hands-on experience while contributing to a national conversation.

Deadline: There is no deadline for signing up and completing the self-paced certification. Youth hosts are encouraged to participate on an ongoing basis, with the broader project aiming to reach 500 youth-led conversations nationwide by the end of 2026.