Youth Engagement Strategies
A Transformative Model for Positive Youth Engagement
Translating adolescent brain science into practical,
real-world strategies for engaging youth.
YES Program Overview
Understanding the
YES model
Youth encounters present unique challenges across law enforcement, schools, faith communities, and youth-serving organizations. Adolescents interpret authority, communication, and consequences differently than adults, and without developmentally grounded approaches, routine interactions can escalate quickly—creating risk for youth, families, and the professionals trying to help them.
Youth Engagement Strategies (YES), developed by The Bowman Group, is an evidence-informed model that integrates adolescent development science, trauma-informed practice, legal standards, and real-world experience. The comprehensive YES approach moves organizations beyond surface-level engagement toward practices that are effective, defensible, and operationally sound. The goal is simple: improving outcomes for youth, their families, and the professionals who serve them.
YES helps organizations:
Strengthen communication and decision-making in youth encounters
Reduce escalation and improve safety for youth and professionals
Align policies, training, and leadership expectations across teams
Build cooperation through developmentally appropriate tactics
Sustain consistent, defensible practices across everyday operations
Yes Framework
Reducing Risk
In Youth Encounters
Why Do Youth
Encounters Require a Different Approach?
Youth encounters can be among the most complex and high-risk interactions professionals face—in law enforcement, schools, faith settings, and community programs.
Adolescents process communication, consequences, and authority differently than adults. Without developmentally grounded approaches, routine interactions can quickly escalate, increasing risk for everyone involved.
What is the YES Program?
Youth Engagement Strategies (YES) is a Bowman Group-developed, evidence-informed model that integrates adolescent development science, trauma-informed practice, legal standards, and real-world experience.
The program equips leaders and frontline personnel in any youth-serving setting with assessment tools, training, technical assistance, and follow-up support to ensure safer, more consistent, and developmentally appropriate responses in daily operations.
How does YES Work?
YES begins with a comprehensive evaluation of policies, practices and operational needs to identify strengths, gaps, and opportunities for improvement.
From there, YES is tailored to local challenges, partnerships, and operational environments and
delivers practical, scenario-based training reinforced by targeted technical assistance and leadership alignment. Through clear decision-making frameworks and real-world application, YES equips organizations with practical tools to make safer, more defensible, and sustainable responses during youth encounters.
strategic Value
Strengthening Youth Encounter Outcomes
YES strengthens both the strategic posture and day-to-day operational response
of organizations that regularly engage with youth.
THE STRATEGIC VALUE
Reduces organizational risk in youth-related situations
Modernizes youth approaches using adolescent development science
Strengthens professionalism, consistency, and defensibility
Operational application
Practical guidance that keeps situations more controlled and calm
Rapport-building strategies that improve cooperation and lower tension
Tactics professionals can apply during high-pressure encounters
The TBG Process:
Evaluate. Educate. Equip. Empower
How YES is implemented
Our structured, phased implementation model helps organizations adopt strategies that are operationally relevant, legally defensible, and sustainable over time.
YES equips frontline personnel, supervisors, and organizational leaders with aligned policies, practical tools, and measurable performance indicators that drive safer, more consistent youth engagement in real-world situations.
Organizational Review & Risk Assessment
We conduct a comprehensive review of policies, procedures, youth engagement practices, and response protocols to identify strengths, gaps, and operational risks. Findings inform leadership priorities and implementation planning.
Cross-System Collaboration
We facilitate cross-sector collaboration among key stakeholders in your community—including law enforcement, education, child welfare, healthcare, and victim services—to strengthen coordinated, developmentally appropriate, and legally sound responses to youth.
Community Trust and Prevention
We help organizations develop clear communication and outreach strategies that build trust, increase awareness, strengthen prevention efforts, and promote earlier identification of youth risk and victimization.
Customized Training & Implementation Support
We deliver customized, evidence-informed training aligned with each organization’s operational needs, covering adolescent development, trauma, legal standards, decision-making, and youth engagement practices.
Sustainment & Evaluation
We provide structured follow-up and implementation support to evaluate application in practice, reinforce skills, identify supervisory needs, and measure outcomes over time.
Our Professionals
Meet the YES Team
Collectively, the YES team brings more than 100 years of combined experience
across policing, juvenile justice, victim services, and national policy leadership.
Theron L. Bowman, PhD
Founder/CEO/Instructor
Jaya Davis, PhD
Contributor/Instructor
James Hawthorne, MA
Contributor/Instructor
Cynthia Erich, MS
Contributor/Instructor
Pastor (Ret.) Ken Harrell
Contributor/Instructor
Delivery
National Delivery. Local Relevance.
YES can be delivered on-site or virtually, depending on your organization’s needs. Training scenarios, examples, and reinforcement tools are tailored to the local community and operational environment, ensuring the material is relevant for professionals working in law enforcement, schools, faith communities, and other youth-serving settings.
On-Site Training
Virtual Options
Customized Scenarios
Relevant Tactics
Coaching Tools
Practical Strategies
On-Site Training
Virtual Options
Customized Scenarios
Relevant Tactics
Coaching Tools
Practical Strategies
testimonials
What Leaders Say About YES
Our work is focused on one goal: improving outcomes for youth,
their families, and the professionals who serve them.
YES is built for moments that escalate quickly—and are often reviewed later.
Leaders who have implemented the training report that it helps professionals better understand youth behavior and approach encounters differently.
“Youth Engagement Strategies is a good interrupter—it helps break the cycle between juvenile delinquency and later adult criminal behavior.”
Now Offering
Faith-Based YES Training
May 9, 2026
A live, interactive virtual training designed for church leaders and ministry teams.
Consultation Available
Ready To Strengthen
Youth Encounter Outcomes?
Schedule a free consultation to discuss your current challenges, training goals, and delivery options. We'll recommend a practical, tailored approach to strengthen safety, consistency, and youth engagement outcomes.
The Bowman Group is a nationally recognized public safety consulting firm that helps organizations reduce risk, rebuild trust, and strengthen safety and collaboration. Led by former police chiefs and public safety leaders, the team brings decades of experience in public safety, leadership, youth engagement, and cross-sector partnerships. We provide practical, values-driven solutions that support consistent, defensible, and sustainable outcomes.
Phone: 817-502-9197
Email: [email protected]
Quick Links
Business Hours
monday: 8am - 5pm
tuesday: 8am - 5pm
wednesday: 8am - 5pm
thursday: 8am - 5pm
friday: 8am - 5pm
Copyright 2026. The Bowman Group. All rights reserved.
