This is the city's seventh annual community forum, and the first on teen issues.

The dialogue will explore how the community is responding to teens' needs as well as identify specific action plans for improvement.

According to Shawn Spano, a consultant with the Public Dialogue Consortium, which has been working with the city to organize the event, the forum will take on an interactive format, which consists of small groups, large groups and open discussions.

"The forum will be open-ended. It's not highly structured like a council meeting," Spano says. "This will create opportunities for all of the participants to share their ideas as well as hear others' input."

Besides participating in the discussions, trained students from local schools will also serve as facilitators and recorders to the table discussions.

"Community leaders and decision-makers will speak last because we want them to listen and then respond to what they've heard. Teens take a central role in the event. It'll be very empowering to the teens," Spano says.

The forum, which is open to all interested community members, will take place from 4 to 7 p.m. on April 30 at the Quinlan Community Center, 10185 N. Stelling Road.