Table 1.

Descriptions of the Systems Science and Leadership Activities Employed During the Four Youth-Engaged Workshop Sessions.

Session schedule and topic	Description of activities	Approximate duration of activity	Existing sources used or adapted
Session 1: Introduction to Leadership and Complex Systems Science
Community builder and leadership styles activity	Community builder: Participants were divided into groups of four to five and completed a team building activity. The groups were provided with miscellaneous materials (duct tape, newspaper) and given 5 minutes to choose and create an animal statue in their small groups. After completion, the participants discussed group dynamics, leadership styles, group strengths, and weaknesses.	30 Minutes	Youth Engaged in Leadership and Learning Curricula (John W. Gardner Center for Youth and their Communities, 2007)
	Leadership Styles: Participants completed a leadership compass activity. Each participant was provided a handout of characteristics of four major styles of leadership, and asked to circle characteristics that most apply to them. Youth were then divided into four corners of the room based on their identified strongest leadership style, and discussed the group’s distribution, strengths and challenges of each style, and the implications of different styles for addressing obesity prevention in their community.	30 Minutes
Introduction to complex systems and food systems role-playing activity	Introduction to complex systems: Brief introduction with didactic presentation to introduce concepts of complex systems and causal loop diagramming.	15 Minutes	Materials created for project
	Food systems role-playing activity: Youth participated in a hands-on activity to simulate how food choices are influenced by interactions of access and food preferences over time. More information can be found in the supplemental materials available online at http://heb.sagepub.com/content/by/supplemental-data. In brief, two teams of youth were formed and provided with plastic tubs filled with dried beans of two colors (representing healthy and unhealthy items) and a ¼ teaspoon utensil for selecting beans out of the tub. The tubs had different proportions of the two bean colors; representing differential access. The goal of the simulation game was to obtain as many points as possible by getting beans out of the tub. Several rounds were played, and dependent on outcomes of each round, the points for and proportions of the different beans in each tub were changed.	45 Minutes	Adapted from “The Bean Game” (Waters Foundation, 2016)
Session 2: Diagramming Complex Systems
Identifying variables to include in the diagrams	Variable elicitation: Participants watched two short videos, each highlighting different aspects and important factors to consider related to obesity prevention. The participants were provided with a worksheet to complete while watching the video. The worksheet asked them to list the factors they heard during the video that influenced obesity and the outcomes of obesity. After watching the video, participants discussed their thoughts and a list of the factors they identified was compiled on flip chart paper.	1 Hour	Adapted from “Variable Elicitation” Group Model Building Script (Hovmand, Rouwette, Andersen, Richardson, & Kraus, 2013)
Charting outcomes over time	Graphs over time: Participants were shown how to draw an example graph that illustrates how a factor or variable changes over time. They were each provided with several graph templates that had an x-axis of time and y-axis (with fill-in blank for the “variable” of interest). They were guided to complete the worksheets using the variables elicited in the previous exercise.	30 Minutes	Adapted from “Graph Over Time” Group Model Building Script (Hovmand et al., 2013)
Connecting the variables in diagrams	Connection circles: The facilitator drew a circle on flip chart paper and guided them through an example of developing their own causal loop diagram. They were given blank paper and asked to also draw a circle on the paper. Then they were guided through a series of steps to add variables, arrows between variables, specify the direction of the relationship between variables, and finally, identify feedback loops in their diagram. The youth were allowed to work in small groups, but asked to each create their own diagram. The youth were all asked to include two variables (i.e., diabetes and soda consumption) in their diagrams, but to include any other variables they thought were valuable to include. This was done to help focus the conversation and allow for potential linkages.	1.5 Hours	Connection Circles (Quaden, Ticotsky, Lyneis, & Walker, 2006)
Session 3: Identifying Leadership Opportunities and Intervention Strategies Within Complex Systems
Recap of key insights of previous session activities	Recap graphs over time and connection circles: A selection of graphs over time and participant connection circles were highlighted and discussed at the beginning of the session.	10 Minutes	Materials created for project
Presentation of surveillance and research data on obesity	Research-based graphs over time and diagrams: Participants were also shown graphs over time that were constructed with U.S. surveillance data and research. For example, highlighting trends in obesity over time among youth in different racial/ethnic minority groups, consumption of different types of food, and activity levels. A causal loop diagram of these factors was also presented.	10 Minutes	Materials created for project
Concept simulation model	Interaction with a concept simulation model: A simulation model was constructed to specifically highlight a system with both a balancing and reinforcing feedback loop. The specific model highlighted a reinforcing loop that involved changes in weight, motivation to lose weight, and soda consumption; and a balancing loop that involved changes in motivation to lose weight, physical activity, and subsequent energy drink consumption. Different scenarios were described wherein variables of soda consumption, energy drink consumption, physical activity, motivation levels were changed, and participants were asked to predict the output. Output was then shown and they discussed their predictions and how the dynamics influenced the actual outcomes.	15 Minutes	Adapted from “Concept Model” Group Model Building Script (Hovmand et al., 2013)
Identifying interventions	Identifying interventions and strategies using seed diagrams: Four “seed” causal loop diagrams were created and drawn on flip chart paper. The diagrams were informed by the connection circles the youth created in the prior session. The participants were divided into small groups of four to five, to work on one of the four diagrams, and provided with a worksheet to complete. In the small groups, a facilitator guided them through completing the worksheet which involved activities such as identifying other variables that were needed in the diagrams, the factors they might want to target for change, the types of strategies that might be best to change those factors, and the potential resources and challenges for implementing their strategies. Each small group shared and discussed their worksheet with the whole group. Strategies from all small groups were compiled into one list.	2 Hours	Adapted from “Elaborating on a Causal Loop Diagram” Group Model Building Script (Hovmand et al., 2013)
Session 4: Communicating About Complex Systems
Communication activity	Communications exercise: Participants divided into pairs and sat back-to-back. In each pair, one participant was provided with a template of a shape and the second with blank paper and a drawing utensil. The participant with the template was instructed to guide his or her partner to draw an exact duplicate of the shape on his or her sheet, using only verbal directions. After they were done, the participants compared the provided shape with what was drawn.	20 Minutes	Communications exercise (Teampedia, 2015)
Developing a presentation	Developing a presentation: A list of strategies from the prior session (based on the four diagrams) were compiled on flip chart paper. Participants divided back into their small groups, and were asked to choose one of the strategies to formulate a presentation, and given a worksheet to guide their development of the presentation. A facilitator worked with each group, and guided them through completing the worksheet to develop their presentation. The worksheet guided them through issues such as identifying their target audience for the presentation and highlighting important system structures like feedback loops that guided the choice of strategies.	2 Hours	Materials created for project
Practicing a presentation	Practicing presentations: A few additional community members were invited to the final part of the session, and the participants practiced their developed presentations to the whole group. They were allowed to ask questions of each other and discuss their ideas. Community members also provided feedback on youth’s presentations and ideas.	45 Minutes	Materials created for project