In this interactive session, participants will be invited to reflect on their own experiences and to interrogate the ageist assumptions that underpin our interactions with youth. We will seek to answer questions such as: How does fear drive us to exert more control over youth than is necessary, and how can we manage those fears? How can I safely introduce more autonomy into the expectations I set for youth, while providing the tools for them to meet those expectations successfully? How can I access empathy as a resource to build a strong foundation of trust and honesty in my relationships with youth?