# Presentation: 242091

##  Involving Urban Youth and Community Members

- Us Department of Education
- Office of Safe & Drug Free Schools
- GRAA TA Conference
- January 14th - 16th, 2008
**Presenters:**
**Andrea Carter & Delano Gurley**

## Workshop Goals

**Information covered in this session will be:**
- Issues Today’s Urban Youth Face
- Key Components of Effective Youth Programs
- Definition of Community Members
- Promoting Commitment and Responsibility of Community Members to Youth Programs
- Resources, Programs & Effective Techniques for Engaging Urban Youth

##             Tell me, and I’ll forget.     Show me, and I may not remember.     Involve me, and I’ll understand.

**                            **
**Native American Saying**

**Notes:**
Do 2 Sample Sessions

## Science challenges current course

**If all things stay the same, the projection for the year 2010 shows **
**a juvenile drug law violation arrest rate of 1445 per 100,000 juveniles**** **

- Projection

- 71.2 per
- 100,000
- Juveniles

- 1445 per
- 100,000
- Juveniles

- Data Source: Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation
- Uniform Crime Reports.
- Rates are per 100,000 juveniles ages 10 to 17.

- 756 per 100,000
- Juveniles (actual)

- Paxis Institute www.paxtalk.com

## Force Field Theory

**             **_**Active Influences**_                                                          _**Active Influences**_
**             ****Forces For ( + )                                                                Forces For ( - )**
**    **
**   ****Worse Case Behavior                                                          ****Preferred Behavior**** **

**Force Field Theory**

**Notes:**
How can we strengthen, utilize and Create new “forces for (+)  / Eliminate, weaken some of the forces (-) against. Which would move the current problem closer to the preferred (ideal) goal??  Talk about the circle of thought-feelings-behavior-consequences.

## Key components of effective Urban Youth Programs

**Self Analysis Component**
**         **
**Leadership Development Component**
**Broader Based Thinking Component**
**Program Development **

**Notes:**
Self Assessments, Values, Goals Setting, The Power of people etc.  - Leadership Skills, Evaluating leaders ship styles.  -Service learning, Community Awareness and Community Agency Involvement. Involvement in the design or the redesign of the program, input into processes, focus groups for input.

##  Key components of effective Urban Youth Programs

**Risk and Protective Factors **
- Effective Youth Programs Should Enhance Protective Factors and Reverse or Reduce Risk Factors
_**Risk Factors**_**        **
**Family Poverty **
**Lack of Quality Educational Opportunities**
**Parent who Abuses Substances**
**Lack of Parental Involvement**
**Negative environmental Influences**

**Notes:**
Risk and Protective factors are assessed within 5 key domains; Individual; Peer; Family; School; Community.

_**Protective Factors**_
**Strong Bond between Child and Significant Adults **
**Clear limits and Consistent enforcement of Discipline**
**Clear Consistent Communication**
**Rewards and Recognition of Positive behavior **
**Conflict Resolution with peers and family**

**Key components of effective Urban Youth Programs**

**Notes:**
Intuitive, cognitive and reasoning skills, Social development

## Key components of effective Urban Youth Programs

**40 Developmental Assets**
-       These Building Blocks of Healthy Development Help Young People Grow up Healthy, Caring and Responsible
_**External Assets**_
**                                              ****Support**
**Family Support**
**Positive Family Communication**
**Other Adult Relationships**
**Caring Neighborhood**
**Caring School Climate**
**Parent involvement in Schooling**

## Key components of effective Urban Youth Programs

**Empowerment**
**Community Values Youth**
**Young People as Resources**
**Service to Others**
**Safety**
**Boundaries and Expectations**
**Family Boundaries**
**School Boundaries**
**Neighborhood Boundaries**
**Adult Role Models**
**Positive Peer Influence**
**High Expectations**
**                                      **

## Key components of effective Urban Youth Programs

**Constructive Use of Time**
**Creative Activities**
**Youth Programs**
**Religious Community**
**Time at Home**
_**Internal Assets**_
**Commitment to Learning**
**Achievement Motivation**
**School Engagement**
**Homework**
**Bonding to School**
**Reading for Pleasure**

## Key components of effective Urban Youth Programs

**Positive Values**
**Caring **
**Equality and Social Justice**
**Integrity**
**Honesty**
**Responsibility**
**Restraint**
**Social Competencies**
**32.    Planning and Decision Making**
**Interpersonal Competencies**
**Cultural Competence**
**Resistance Skills**
**Peaceful Conflict Resolution                                      **

## Key components of effective Urban Youth Programs

**Positive Identity**
**37.    ****Personal Power**
**Self-Esteem**
**Sense of Purpose**
**Positive view of Personal Future**
- Info From “*What Teens need to Succeed* “ by Peter L. Benson, Ph.D., Judy Galbraith, M.A., and Pamela Espeland

## Key components of effective Urban Youth Programs

**Recruiting Youth**
- Develop a Speakers Service
- Utilize Other Programs Serving Youth
- Incentives for Participation
- Use Youthful Visuals** **
- Speak in a Youthful Way
- Be Aware of Other Competing Activities & Logistics
- Be Clear Why You Want Youth Involved
- Find Out What They Are Passionate About
- Find Out What They Want to Change in Their Community

**Notes:**
-Use lots of photos and quotes from other young people. Develop an advisory group of young people to help you with this aspect of your marketing.
-Put together a group of young speakers who can recruit their peers. Arrange speaking engagements at schools and churches.
-Make your opportunities relevant to the interests and needs of young people. Young people like language that is quick, fun, and exciting. Emphasize involvement and how they can contribute.
-Sports Programs, program times during school vs. after school

## Key components of effective Urban Youth Programs

- Retaining Youth Participation
- Be Open to and Non-judgmental About Their Insights and Suggestions.
- Consistent Dependable Leaders so That Youth Can Build a Rapport.
- Offer Ongoing Recognition Reflecting Their Contributions.  Have Fun,
- Treat Teens as Individuals and Take Advantage of the Expertise that Teens Offer. Don’t Make Assumptions About What Individual Young People are Like.

**Notes:**
-Let Them know that their Involvement is important.
-Like adults youth are more likely to get involved and remain active in programs and projects that are interesting and fulfilling. 

## Key components of effective Urban Youth Programs

- Retaining Youth Participation (Continued)
- Be Honest about the Expectations for the Program. Don’t Expect More From a Teen Than you would From an Adult.
- Be Prepared Ahead of Time to Offer Support (Logistical, Emotional, Training etc.)
- Don’t Move too Fast. Remember it takes Time to Develop Trust Because Some Youth are Unsure of Adults Intentions.

**Notes:**
-Let Them know that their Involvement is important.
-Like adults youth are more likely to get involved and remain active in programs and projects that are interesting and fulfilling. 

## Effective Techniques for Engaging Urban Youth

- Milieu Therapy
- Cultural Events and Culturally Specific Activities
- Dramatic Consciousness
- Mind / Role Modeling
- Thinking / Feeling / Doing / Overall Infusion Activities
- Storytelling Process

**Notes:**
Mind Modeling = Ideas and role models of people who are making a difference (People of excellence)
Thinking Activities ( Discussion. Analysis of Folk Tales, Proverbs etc) – Feeling Activities (What if) – Doing Activities – Overall Infusion Activities (Emphases on Moral Character (spiritual), Social Responsibility)
Story Telling – Split them into groups and distribute PRIDE Stories.  Discuss when Completed.

## Defining Community MembersWho are community members and why are they important?

- Family of Origin
- Family of Interest
- Program Leaders
- Youth
- Faith Based Leaders
- Teachers
- Others?

**Notes:**
Ask Participants to add to the above list     (Mentors, Business Owners, Park & Recreation Leaders)

## Promoting Commitment & Responsibility of Community Members

**The Community Members are informed of the Programs goals, Strategy And General Information**
**Invited to Participate in the Planning / implementation of the Program**
**Programs Should be available to Community Members as a Resource for continued Technical Assistance**
**Continuously “staying in front” of Community members as an ongoing reminder of needed Participation**
**Other?**

**Notes:**
Volunteerism

## Slide 20

## Programs for Engaging Urban Youth

- Smart Moves / Street Smart
-    Boys & Girls Club of America - Atlanta GA.
- Teens, Crime And The Community
-     National Crime Prevention Counsel – Washington DC
- The Cross Roads Program
-     Comprehensive Afro-American Adolescent Services Project – Cincinnati  OH
- Youth As Leaders
-     Youth As Leaders Organization – Indianapolis  IN

## Resources for Engaging Urban Youth

- Positive Youth Development Resource Manual
-        _[http://www.actforyouth.net](http://www.actforyouth.net/)_
- CSAP Prevention Works Technical Report #6 - An African Centered Model of Prevention For African American Youth At High Risk
- Advocates For Youth
-     _[http://www.advocatesforyouth.org](http://www.advocatesforyouth.org/)__ _
- Youth in Decision Making; A Study on the Impact of Youth on Adults and Organizations. Shepherd Z. Madison WI National 4-H Counsel 2002
- PRIDE Curriculum (Promoting Racial Identity & Developing Employability)
-      Angel Wings Publications - Minneapolis  MN  http://www.angelinstituteinc.com

## This time, like all times, is a very good one, if we but know what to do with it.  

- _[Ralph Waldo Emerson](http://www.quotationspage.com/quotes/Ralph_Waldo_Emerson/)_

## Questions & Final Comments

-                   **Andrea CarteR                                               Delano Gurley                                                                     **
**                              ****Angel Institute  Inc.                                      763-533-5675                                                                                        **
**                              ****Minneapolis,  MN                                                                        **
**                              ****612-338-1430**
**                                                ****angel1@tcq.net**