Youth Engagement Engaging Youth as Partners in SUN

Youth Engagement Engaging Youth as Partners in SUN Community Schools Julie Petrokubi, jpetrokubi@portlandcampfire. org Camp Fire Portland Metro Council/University of Wisconsin Joshua Todd Multnomah Commission on Children, Families & Communities SUN Community Schools Training January 13, 2010

Workshop Goals p p p Discuss promising practices and models for engaging youth as partners in programs and communities Explore strategies for promoting youth voice and choice in community schools Reflection and action planning around how you may incorporate youth engagement strategies into your own practice.

What is Youth Engagement?

Youth Engagement p p Youth-Adult Partnership: A group of youth and adults working together on important community, organization and program issues Assumes youth have the right and capacity to participate in decisions that impact their lives. Assumes mutual learning between youth and adults A set of principles and practices, rather than a specific program model

Opportunities for Youth Engagement in Organizations & Communities Program Planning & Implementation Training & Outreach Governance & Policymaking Organizing & Activism Youth-Adult Partnership (Y-AP) Research & Evaluation Communication & Media Service & Philanthropy (Adapted from Zeldin, Petrokubi & Mac. Neil, 2007)

County/City Youth Engagement Opportunities Youth Bill of Rights p Multnomah Youth Commission p Youth Planner Program p Youth on boards and committees p

Why Engage Youth as Partners? An Issue of Youth Development… p Recognition of youth capacity, youth as resources p Youth need opportunities for new roles and responsibilities p Youth need opportunities for active learning An Issue of Civil Society… p Youth need opportunities to develop the knowledge, skills, attitudes and habits of citizenship p Youth offer unique insight on design of policy/programs An Issue of Social Justice… p Youth are isolated from public decision making/work p Youth have distinct interests

Research Support for Youth Engagement in Out-of-School Time p OST programs are critical settings for youth civic development, especially for marginalized youth (O’Donoghue & Kirshner; Schneider-Munoz & Politz; Westheimer & Kahne). p Youth report peak experiences of of “flow” in OST settings. Opportunities for voice, choice and youth-adult partnership increase youth motivation & interest (Denton; Lerner; Shernoff & Vandell; Smith & Hohmann ) p Youth-Adult Partnerships have the potential to enhance school climate (Battisoni; Jocelowsky; Mitra) & offer other benefits to organizations & communities (Delgado & Staples; Lewis-Charp et al; Zeldin & Petrokubi)

Benefits for Out-of-School Time Programs p Ensure program offerings match youth interests p Increase youth recruitment and retention p Enhance program quality and innovation p Build new youth-adult relationships p Increase adult engagement & job satisfaction p Promote positive youth development

Thinking about Youth Engagement in Out-of-School Time Programs VOICE CHOICE MOTIVATION

Building a Culture of Youth-Adult Partnership Organizational Culture of Youth-Adult Partnership • Partnership Values • Partnership Structures • Public/Civic Action Multi-Level Impacts • Youth • Adult Staff • Community Leaders • Community Institutions