At TI, youth participants work within an Action Group to build trust and communication skills through various fun and challenging activities, including a Project Adventure-style low ropes course, before working together to create an action plan to improve their home community.  

Youth participants brainstorm their community and group assets and challenges, while considering what issues their community is facing, and how they can have a positive impact. The team creates a specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-oriented (SMART) youth-led Action Plan to implement their idea, with support from Teen institute.

Past plans include a mental health awareness campaign for high schools, environmental cleanups, an all-inclusive and welcoming school lunch table, a charity ball in support of childhood illness, educational theatrical performances, a traveling teen dinner to discuss youth substance misuse, a public mental health forum, a freshman mentoring program, fundraisers, and more.