Youth Work Is... Leading With

 "Rather than focusing on individual-level outcomes for youth-in the way that mentoring or coaching might-youth-adult partnership work typically is designed to "support youth (and adults) as agents of their own development. .. [who are] expected to collaborate, choosing objectives, and making commitments on issues that matter to both parties"

I think this quote is very powerful for both the youth and adults. The adults and children are learning to respect each others opinions, and ways of thinking. They are working together to achieve a common goal. In addition, they are both leaving preconceived opinions of the other party aside . For example, adults are giving the younger generation the opportunity to present new ideas that are more current in today's world. The youth are also allowing the adults the opportunity to present ideas that have been tried and proven effective. I believe that this is important especially in youth settings. It teaches children to respect and work with the adults so as they grow they know the value of both age group working together. When they become adults they can teach the younger generation the same valuable lesson. 

The Ladder of Youth Development

The way this ladder is illustrated, shows the youth the value of their opinions. It proves when
presented to them correctly they have the ability to work through ideas to achieve a successful goal. The Degrees of Participation are a very important factor to this ladder. The second step which is listed as "Youth-Initiated and Directed," I thought was very fascinating. This is where youth have the initial idea and decide how the project is to be carried out. Adults are available but do not take charge. In youth settings, this step is valuable because the youth are able to have the control and power which is not always present. At my job, I always give the opportunity for my children to voice their opinions and add value to any lesson. For instance, the first thing my children love doing when arriving at school is writing their name. Everyday they come up with different ways together that they can do this. I am always there if they need my support or guidance. However, they work and navigate together as a team to come up with new and creative ways with any activity. With this step my children are learning new things everyday, growing as an individual, and feeling like they are in control for once. The other steps in the Degrees of Participation also reflect youth having power but not fully. The adults are more in control but are still respecting the youths views and giving them the self confidence to throw in their knowledge.


Youth In Action (YIA)
I absolutely love Youth In Action. They do so many wonderful things to help support our youth. This organization supports all types of learners in our community. I believe this is valuable because not every child learns in the same way. Having an organization like Youth in Action allows young people to feel safe and connected. Not only does this organization offer great support in academics, it also provides close relationships with adults. YIA cares for young people in so many ways to help them succeed in any area of their life. 

"Youth in Action is committed to being a place where youth share their stories, practice leadership, and create change in their communities: that is, we share, lead, change. For YIA, youth development means nurturing a brave space that is curated to provide practice and reflection for young people, such that they may safely explore cognitive and social/ emotional milestones in their development. "

This quote stood out to me when reading the article because it showcased the true meaning of what YIA stands for. The youth have the opportunity to bring their ideas and stories to light. This is a safe place where youth can feel comfortable and connected in our community. The most powerful thing I took away from this quote was the words SHARE, LEAD, and CHANGE. To me, the meaning behind these words is that YIA will help our youth become great leaders that will shape our community in the future.






  



    

Comments

  1. Victoria RestlerNovember 9, 2020 at 5:36 PM

    Thanks for your post Alyssa, your close reading and engagement with the texts. I appreciate the three concepts + quotes that you pulled out for us to explore!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Youth Work Is... Purposeful Play

Image
These articles provided a new insight to me on how children play. Play is such an important aspect in a child's growth physically and emotionally. I never knew that play had so many parts to it until I read these readings. According to Henry Jenkins play is composed of the six P's which are permission, process, passion, productivity, participation, and pleasure. I kept re-reading this article because I was trying to find what the main message she was trying to portray. I realized that I needed to stop worrying about piecing together her words and instead understanding that kids learn the best through any kind of play. I really resonated with her reasoning behind permission. I learned about the "magic circle" which is a mental bracket we put around our activities which changes their affects, meaning, and most of all their consequences.  "Within that magic circle, we lower the consequences of risks; we agree to engage with each other with good humor; we try hard bu...
Read more

Stereotyping Our Youth

Image
  Serve and return: Engagement is one of the most important things you can do for your child. Describes the fundamental adult-child interactions which helps a baby reach their full potential It’s something basic like paying peekaboo with your child or talking to them so they can learn words and form a language  Studies show that a child surrounded by caring and responsive adults will start elementary school with better social skills, better emotional regulation, and a better ability to focus then a child lacking the positive adult attention A lack of serve in return is one of the causes of the education gaps happening in society today Without healthy brain architecture children are at risk of falling behind and never catching up. I believe this statement is partially untrue because as a current educator, I know many parents that work long hours and may not have the time every moment of the day to talk and interact with their babies. However, as I do believe that it’s great to ...
Read more

Youth Work is... Social Justice

Image
  Social Justice Youth Development programs are very important to establishing equity in communities. There are many programs focused on social justice youth development nationwide, including some close to home in Rhode Island. One such program is called Youth in Action. This is an organization based in Providence, Rhode Island.   Youth in Action serves Rhode Island's communities that are effected by a "disproportionate share of social, economic and environmental burdens." The programs focus on giving support and resources to youth who are people of color. Sone of the programs that they provide is a three step program. The first step is "core" which is a year long program where the participants meet to share their stories, focus on emotional development and learn about identity. They also have an immersion program, which has the participants immerse themselves in community service to help the communities that they deem need it most. The ...
Read more