What Is Life. As Told By Youth?

Using digital media to spread ideas, shift attitudes and behaviors, and improve access to community resources. That’s what Life. As Told By Youth is all about.

We give young people in our state a platform to use filmmaking and social media to help their peers break free from the cycle of poverty.

A glimpse into Life. As Told By Youth.

Let’s make a movie.

Step 1:

We partner with a Colorado organization that works with young people.

Step 2:

Together, we recruit youth participants interested in different aspects of filmmaking—producing, acting, scripting, set and costume design, hair and makeup, music supervision, and more.

Step 3:

Youth producers collaborate with our executive producers to develop a social marketing concept for a film that will change the attitudes and behaviors of their peers. As the concept is finalized, youth participate in activities that promote sharing experiences to learn how life circumstances shape their futures. Family and parenting, class and poverty, identity and intersectionality, sex and birth control, having a legal father and child support—we discuss it all.

Step 4:

We shoot the film with a professional film crew.

Step 5:

Once the film is created, we support the youth producers in sharing their film with their peers through community screenings and social media.

Our project has resulted in two films made in partnership with the Colorado Division of Youth Services and The Matthews House. We are not looking for additional partners at this time.

Life. As Told By Youth is a joint project of the Colorado Division of Child Support Services and the Colorado Sexual Health Initiative. By grounding our work in the Positive Youth Development (PYD) model, we engage youth to transform ingrained beliefs through social marketing campaigns. Our campaign is funded by a grant with the federal Office of Child Support Services, Charting a Course for Economic Mobility and Responsible Parenting.

The video below offers a brief glimpse into how our campaign works. Interested in learning more? Get in touch with us.

A teen girl from The Matthews House is interviewed about her role in the Eclipsed film

Video

In 2023, Life. As Told By Youth partnered with youth from The Matthews House to develop a social marketing concept for the film Eclipsed. Nine youth conceptualized, wrote, and produced the film which is designed to the attitudes and behaviors of their peers. Watch to find out how this project impacted them and what they learned.