Information Collection and Exchange

Publication No. M0067

WORKING WITH YOUTH:

APPROACHES FOR

VOLUNTEERS

ace

rps

CE

mber

067 WORKING WITH YOUTH: APPROACHES FOR VOLUNTEERS
Peace Corps i

Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

WORKING WITH

YOUTH:

APPROACHES

FOR

VOLUNTEERS

PEACE CORPS

2002

INFORMATION AND COLLECTION EXCHANGE

ICE #M0067
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

ii

INFORMATION COLLECTION

AND EXCHANGE

This publication was produced by the Peace Corps Center for Field Assistance and

Applied Research. It is distributed through the Information Collection and Exchange

(ICE). For further information or additional copies, please contact ICE and refer to

the ICE Catalog number that appears on the publication.

Peace Corps

Paul D. Coverdell Peace Corps Headquarters

Information Collection and Exchange

1111 20th Street NW – Fifth Floor

Washington, DC 20526

Add your experience to the ICE Resource Center. Send your materials to ICE or the

Center for Field Assistance and Applied Research so that we can share them with

other development workers. Your technical insights serve as the basis for the generation of Peace Corps manuals, reprints, and training materials. They also ensure that

the Peace Corps is providing the most up-to-date, innovative problem-solving

techniques and information available to you and your fellow development workers.
Peace Corps iii

Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

TABLE OF

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................. 1

Why a Volunteer Manual on Working With Youth? ........................................ 1

Peace Corps Experience Working With Youth ................................................ 2

Key Lessons That Inform This Manual .......................................................... 3

How to Use This Book .................................................................................... 4

Acknowledgments ........................................................................................... 5

PART ONE: BEING WITH YOUTH ............................................................. 7

Working With Youth in Different Circumstances ........................................... 7

A. In-School Youth ............................................................................... 8

B. Out-of-School Youth ...................................................................... 10

C. Differently Abled Youth ................................................................. 12

D. Street Children and Youth .............................................................. 14

E. Working Youth ............................................................................... 16

F. Refugees and Internally Displaced Youth...................................... 16

G. Orphaned Youth ............................................................................. 17

PART TWO: CREATING CREDIBILITY, ADDRESSING

SUSTAINABILITY, AND BUILDING CAPACITY ................................... 19

Credibility: Understanding Your Community’s Youth Environment ............ 19

Sustainability: Challenges and Responses .................................................... 22

Building Capacity ......................................................................................... 24

Volunteer Roles ............................................................................................. 25

Communicating With Youth .................................................................. 25

Communicating With Parents or Guardians ......................................... 27

A. The Volunteer as Mentor ................................................................. 29

B. The Volunteer as Youth Promoter .................................................... 30

C. The Volunteer as Community Youth Developer .............................. 31

Basing Activities on Sound Theory and Experience ..................................... 33

Stages of Adolescent Development ...................................................... 34

Approaches to Youth Development ...................................................... 38

Family Life, World of Work, Active Citizenship .................................. 39

Family Life .................................................................................... 40

World of Work ............................................................................... 42

Active Citizenship ......................................................................... 44

40 Assets, Eight Asset Types ................................................................ 45

External Asset Types ..................................................................... 45

Type 1: Support ......................................................................... 46

Type 2: Empowerment ............................................................... 47
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

iv

Type 3: Boundaries and Expectations ....................................... 49

Type 4: Constructive Use of Time ............................................. 51

Internal Asset Types ...................................................................... 52

Type 5: Commitment to Learning ............................................. 52

Type 6: Positive Values .............................................................. 54

Type 7: Social Competencies .................................................... 56

Type 8: Positive Identity ............................................................ 58

Planning, Implementing, and Evaluating a Youth Development Activity..... 60

Planning and Implementing a Youth Development Activity ................. 60

What Makes an Effective Youth Development Activity?...................... 62

Youth Participation: What Is It?............................................................ 64

The Community Action Cycle .............................................................. 69

Evaluating Along the Way .................................................................... 75

Saying Goodbye .................................................................................... 78

PART THREE: TOOLS, TECHNIQUES, AND GAMES......................... 81

Assessment Tools .......................................................................................... 81

For Volunteers ....................................................................................... 81

Youth Development Assets in Your Community ........................... 81

Observation .................................................................................... 85

Asking Questions .......................................................................... 86

Informal Interviews ....................................................................... 87

For Youth ............................................................................................... 89

The Community Map .................................................................... 89

The Venn Diagram ......................................................................... 89

Brainstorm ..................................................................................... 90

Group Interviews With Community Youth .................................... 90

In-Depth Interviews With Youth .................................................... 90

Compiling Information .................................................................. 91

Presenting the Information ............................................................ 91

Planning Tools............................................................................................... 92

Solution Tree......................................................................................... 92

Choosing a “Winnable Victory”............................................................ 93

Force Field Analysis: Assets and Obstacles.......................................... 94

Task Analysis ........................................................................................ 95

Advisory Boards ................................................................................... 95

Implementation Tools.................................................................................... 96

Managing Group Dynamics .................................................................. 96

Facilitating Group Discussions...................................................... 96

Some Icebreakers .......................................................................... 98

Managing Conflict ......................................................................... 99

Computer Activities ............................................................................ 101

The Incredible Flying Dinosaur! ................................................. 101

On the Road...in ................................................. 101

Cookies!....................................................................................... 102
Peace Corps v

Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

Ecology Leadership Training Activities ............................................. 103

Sensory Walk ............................................................................... 103

Snapshot ...................................................................................... 103

Green Umbrellas.......................................................................... 103

Habitat Lap Sit............................................................................. 103

Solid Waste Management ............................................................ 104

Fishing Dilemma ......................................................................... 104

Coastal Treasure Hunt/Snorkeling ............................................... 104

Reforestation Game ..................................................................... 104

Girls’ Empowerment Activities ........................................................... 106

Girls Can Do Anything! Banner .................................................. 106

Participant-Led Discussions ........................................................ 106

Debate .......................................................................................... 107

Panel of Distinguished Women ................................................... 107

Closing Ceremony ....................................................................... 108

Evaluation Tools.......................................................................................... 109

Daily Evaluation of a Workshop ......................................................... 109

Musical Questions ............................................................................... 109

Evaluation Posters ............................................................................... 110

Likert Scale Questionnaire ................................................................. 110

Games, Songs, and Other Activities ........................................................... 111

PART FOUR: PROMISING ACTIVITIES ............................................... 113

Activities ..................................................................................................... 113

Some Thoughts on How to Read This Section ................................... 113

Adolescent Community Baseline Needs Assessment ......................... 117

After School Theater Group ............................................................... 119

Big Buddies Club ................................................................................ 122

Bus Tour .............................................................................................. 125

Camp GLOW: Girls Leading Our World ........................................... 127

Camp Peace Corps .............................................................................. 130

Comprehensive Language Improvement Plan (CLIP)........................ 132

Computer Skills Training .................................................................... 135

Earth Day on the Street ....................................................................... 138

English Language Drama Festival ...................................................... 141

English Language Summer Camp ...................................................... 143

Environmental Camps for Youth Leadership ...................................... 146

Expressive Art: Communicating and Connecting ............................... 151

First-Aid Workshop............................................................................. 153

Future Farmers’ Club .......................................................................... 155

Geography Game ................................................................................ 157

Girls’ Community Basketball Training ............................................... 160

Girls’ Empowerment Workshop.......................................................... 162

Girls’ Magazine................................................................................... 165

Healthy Bodies, Healthy Schools ....................................................... 167
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

vi

Health Newsletter ............................................................................... 168

Holiday Carnival ................................................................................. 170

Library Club........................................................................................ 172

Life Skills Training ............................................................................. 173

Making Wooden Trash Bins ................................................................ 175

Men’s Health Clinic ............................................................................ 177

Mural Painting With Youth ................................................................. 180

Peer Training Seminars for Reproductive Health Education .............. 183

Produce and Sell Dolls........................................................................ 188

Reproductive Health Football Camp .................................................. 190

Take Our Daughters to Work Day Conference ................................... 192

Take the Students to Work Day........................................................... 195

Volunteer Open House – #1 ................................................................ 198

Volunteer Open House – #2 ................................................................ 202

Water Restoration Project ................................................................... 203

Women’s Essay Contest ...................................................................... 206

Youth Credit Union ............................................................................. 208

Youth Football Tournament ................................................................ 212

Youth Leadership Conference............................................................. 214

Youth Mountain Club ......................................................................... 216

PART FIVE: RESOURCES .......................................................................... 219

Information Collection and Exchange (ICE) .............................................. 219

Organizations .............................................................................................. 220

Bibliography ............................................................................................... 221

Endnotes ...................................................................................................... 223
Introduction

Peace Corps 1

INTRODUCTION

WHY A VOLUNTEER MANUAL

ON WORKING WITH YOUTH?

Since the first Volunteer stepped off the airplane in Accra, Ghana, in 1961, and

in other countries around the world since then, local youth have been watching

and interacting with Peace Corps Volunteers. Local young people offer Volunteers opportunities to develop enriching relationships that can satisfy Volunteers’ aspirations to make a meaningful difference, participate in family life

activities, and have fun.

Youth work crosses all sectors of Peace Corps projects. At various times during

your Peace Corps experience, you will have opportunities to make a positive

impact on the local young people. If your primary assignment is in the youth

development area, we urge you to use this book to gather ideas for activities to

support the goals and objectives of your Peace Corps Project Plan. If your

primary responsibilities are in another sector, this book is for you too. Increasingly, youth are being recognized as an important and worthy group to target in

development activities. This book can help you connect your project to young

people.

Sustainable development must include young men and women. Helping youth

build their knowledge and skills is an important investment in the future and

should be part of every Volunteer’s work. Fortunately, young women and men

are like sponges. When given the opportunity, they can absorb and retain a

wealth of information and experiences that can strongly influence their development and that of their families and communities.

This manual is intended to complement knowledge, intuition, and good intentions in your encounters with youth. It can support your efforts by helping you

make more informed and thoughtful decisions as you engage young people in

discussions and activities. Through advice and information from Volunteers,

staff, and experts, this manual will provide you with creative and innovative
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

2

ideas for activities that are founded on development principles and gathered

from experience throughout the world.

This manual is not only an information resource, but we hope also a source of

encouragement and inspiration. We hope you will use it to look at your work

through a different lens and further discover the potential of young people.

PEACE CORPS EXPERIENCE

WORKING WITH YOUTH

Recent estimates place Volunteers reaching over 225,000 in-and-out-of-school

youth each year. The Volunteers work in all sectors: Agriculture, Education,

Environment, Health, Business Development, and Youth Development. It is

estimated that at least 40 percent of all Volunteers reach in-school youth while

about 20 percent of all Volunteers reach community-based youth with information, skills training, opportunities, and nurturing relationships.

Many Volunteers who work in Youth Development Projects are doing life skills

training and teaching healthy lifestyles and practices. This includes human

immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS),

alcohol and substance abuse prevention, and health peer education. Sports are

popular points of connection. Volunteers also help young people become

acquainted with and prepared for the world of work. They provide literacy and

numeracy education that extends to setting up and supporting libraries and reading programs. Vocational skills development has included teaching entrepreneurial and employability skills and, in recent years, computer training.

Volunteers work to engage young women and men through community service, environmental action, and leadership training. They also reach out to outof-school, out-of-work youth. Over the years, more orphans and vulnerable

children, such as those with disabilities, have become beneficiaries of Peace

Corps projects.

Volunteers in all sectors have found ways to include youth in their projects.

Agriculture Volunteers have involved youth in hillside agriculture and fish culture extension projects. Business Development Volunteers have worked to build

youth marketing skills and helped improve organizational management of youth

organizations. Environment and Education Volunteers have created camps and

clubs to increase natural resources awareness and build English language skills.

Health Volunteers have engaged young men and women in peer health education projects.

[When] we launched our

youth-focused project

crossing all sectors, the

rationale was pretty

simple and clear. All our

Volunteers work with

youth in some capacity

during their

service...and though

youth here are often the

most underutilized

segment of the

population...they are the

most enthusiastic and

open sector of our

society...They can retain

information, knowledge,

and experiences which

can...influence them as

individuals and society at

large. They are more

open to new ideas and

are much less resistant to

changes than adults.

—APCD, TEFL

Program Manager,

Kazakhstan
Introduction

Peace Corps 3

KEY LESSONS THAT

INFORM THIS MANUAL

The most effective and sustainable work with youth, their families, and communities is represented in three important principles that form the underlying

theme of working with youth:

1. Positive youth development

To help young people thrive:

• Surround them and their families with experiences, education, opportunities, and relationships that support development.

• See young men and women as resources to be developed rather than

problems to be solved.

2. Youth participation

In projects and activities that affect them:

• Youth should participate at all stages of the life of a project or activity—

planning, implementation, and evaluation.

• Youth must receive the support and training necessary to succeed in

contributing in ways that prepare them to be competent, caring, active,

and responsible adults.

3. Asset-based community development

To help communities:

• Recognize that people are more energized when the focus is on aspirations and opportunities.

• Build on capacities, gifts, and strengths that are already in place.

WHO ARE “YOUTH” IN THIS MANUAL?

The descriptions and suggested activities are intended for youth between the

ages of 10 and 20 years old. To avoid excessive use of one term, we refer to

them as “youth,” “young people,” “young women” and “young men,” “adolescents,” and sometimes “kids” and “children.” We are also aware that there is

great country-to-country variation in the use of these terms.

The United Nations system, in collecting demographic statistics, defines “youth”

as those persons who are 15 to 24 years old. It is helpful to recognize that

Article 1 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child defines

“children” as persons up to the age of 18. This was an intentional effort to

protect as many in this age grouping as possible.
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

4

The practical lesson here is that all activities have to be appropriate to the age,

sex, culture, and developmental stage of the individuals involved. Part One of

this manual is designed to help you address this. You may need to be more

consistent in your use of terms in your locale. For example, it may not be

appropriate to refer to 16 year olds as “children” in one sentence and “young

adults” in another.

HOW TO USE THIS BOOK

Working With Youth can be used in a variety of ways. You may want to read it

completely starting with Part One: Being With Youth. This section provides

information about the young people you may encounter in your community,

lessons the Peace Corps has learned about working with youth, information

about youth development, and suggestions to guide your planning.

Part Two: Tools, Techniques, and Games provides specific tools to use when

conducting activities with young people. In Promising Activities, Volunteers

share detailed descriptions of activities they implemented in their host communities and suggestions for others who want to try them.

Or you might prefer to pick up this manual and browse through it when you

have a few minutes, starting with the sections that seem most relevant to your

Peace Corps Project Plan, the needs of your community, or your own interests.

For example, if you are in an area where many youth live and work on the

street, you may find that the section Street Children and Youth (p. 14) helps

you understand and relate to them differently as you move around your community.

Reading Volunteer Roles (p. 25-32) will provide you with information about

the multiple roles all adults can play in the lives of youth and help you convey

the importance of positive role modeling to your Counterpart and other host

country adults.

Looking for some community entry ideas that relate to youth? Consult Creating Credibility, Addressing Sustainability, and Building Capacity (p. 19-

24) for ideas about how to build relationships with young people and gather

information about the youth environment in your area.

When you are ready to take action, be sure to consult Planning, Implementing, and Evaluating a Youth Activity (p. 60-76) for ways to include youth

work in your Peace Corps Project Plan. Then look through Promising Activities (p. 97-185) for some specific ideas to discuss with your Counterparts and

Associate Peace Corps Director (APCD). If you are excited about an idea, but

unsure if it would work in your community, consult I Have a Great Idea.

What Should I Do? (p. 63).
Introduction

Peace Corps 5

Do you like to start with a theoretical framework? If so, you may want to begin

with Basing Activities on Sound Theory and Experience (p. 33).

Looking for a quick activity that will build leadership skills? In addition to

Promising Activities, look over the Tools, Techniques, and Games section

(p. 81-111), which will give you some ideas and guidance on processes and

activities to do with youth for assessing, planning, and managing group

dynamics.

Want to do something just for fun this afternoon? See 60 Things to Do on the

Spot for a reminder list of all that stuff you did as a kid and may have forgotten

about (p. 111).

However you decide to approach Working With Youth, we hope that you’ll

come back to it often and that it will inspire you to create meaningful connections with the youth in your community.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The creation of this manual was a highly collaborative process. In addition to

theory and expert opinions, it includes the experiences of the Volunteers working with youth around the world. In all cases, the projects would not have been

possible without the dedicated work of their Counterparts, Volunteers who preceded them, and the local Peace Corps staff. The Peace Corps acknowledges

the following people who contributed, enhanced, and reviewed the manual:

Sandy Callier, Ana Maria Castro, Ana Coghlan, Juan Coward, Terri Elders,

Carol Elsesser, Anita Friedman, Shari Howe, Erin Mone, Amber Myers,

Michaeline Schuman, Yumi Sera, Chuck Wattles, Teri Wingate, Tameka Salis

for research, and Betsy Devlin-Foltz for writing, in collaboration with Paul

Sully, Community and Youth Development Specialist, the Center for Field

Assistance and Applied Research, Peace Corps/Washington.
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

6
Part One: Being With Youth

Peace Corps 7

BEING WITH

YOUTH

Part One of this book provides information to help you understand youth. Whatever your sector or your role, it is intended to offer you the current thinking and

best practices for being with the young people in your community. The process

of learning takes time and is ongoing. You will not wait until you know it all

before you begin to act. Rather, you are encouraged to take thoughtful action

based on knowledge, relationships, opportunities, and agreement and consultation with your Counterpart.

WORKING WITH YOUTH IN

DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES

The first step in working with youth is to find them. Some young men and

women may seek you out, curious and eager to get to know someone from

outside their community and culture. It is also easy to find young people by

spending time in schools. Your primary project may put you in touch with a

specific population of young people. These are good places to start. We also

urge you to reach out broadly and get to know a diverse group of young people.

Look for youth in intergenerational contexts such as family and religious gatherings and community organizations. Also, be sure to look for youth who may

be less visible. To find some young women and men, you may need to go

through youth homes or camps, soup kitchens, health clinics, or NGOs that do

outreach to specific populations.

To begin this section we share with you introductory information about some

of the groups of youth you may encounter and the challenges they face; we

offer ideas for activities that might benefit them. This is by no means a comPART

In the youth project in

Belize, a Volunteer

formed peer education

programs in secondary

schools, where young

people were trained in

providing support to

their peers in matters

related to sexuality,

HIV/AIDS, and other

youth issues.
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

8

plete list, nor does it reflect the variety within each group. It is gleaned from

the work of other Volunteers and youth development professionals to help you

get started.

A. IN-SCHOOL YOUTH

As Volunteers, many of you work in or in association with schools. By reaching out to youth in schools, you will quickly find a “captive audience.” You

may also find, as others have, that young people in school are generally very

willing to take direction and tend to have positive relationships with adults. On

nearly a daily basis, in-school youth see teachers, principals, headmasters, school

counselors, and other students who may play supportive roles in their lives. Inschool youth represent a range of academic and achievement abilities and

motivations, including children with learning disabilities. The spectrum ranges

from children who are on a track to higher education to those who may leave

school before graduation for academic, social, or economic reasons. An important characteristic of the day for all in-school youth is that they have structured

time in a learning environment.

Another category of in-school youth is those who are in alternative learning

institutions, such as vocational schools and apprenticeship programs. While

these youth in particular share many of the above characteristics with their

academic peers, the types of support and encouragement that they receive focus

on acquiring skills and readying themselves for the world of work.

If you are a Volunteer who works primarily as a teacher, we hope that you will

consult this manual for ideas about how to broaden your experiences with young

people in informal, out-of-classroom settings and that you will encourage your

colleagues to do the same.

One project I enjoyed

was a community

forestry project with an

elementary school.

After months of giving

classes on how to

maintain tree nurseries

and the importance of

reforestation, the

teacher organized a

planting day. Going

house to house in their

rural village, the group

of students read a few

sentences to the owners

of houses asking them

to come for their new

tree. Seeing the kids

talk about the

importance of trees,

with some of the

groups led by the

normally shy kids,

made me feel I made a

small contribution to

their learning.

— Environment Volunteer,

Honduras

○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○
Part One: Being With Youth

Peace Corps 9

Gender Analysis1

Whether a young person is male or female will have a

significant impact on the messages he or she receives,

community and family expectations, the resources

available to him or her, and his or her participation in

the traditions and activities of the community. Asking

the questions below will help you find out more about

the gender environment in your host community:

• Gender Roles — What does this community see as

appropriate roles, responsibilities, behavior, and dress

for men, women, boys, and girls?

• Division of Labor — How does gender affect who does what in the

household, the community, and the workplace?

• Access — Do men, women, boys, and girls have the same access to

opportunities, facilities, organizations, information, benefits, and other resources?

• Power Relationships — How does gender influence who has power

over, power with, power to, and power within? Who has decision-making

power?

• Gender Needs — Given answers to the above questions, what are the

practical and strategic gender needs in this community? Addressing practical gender needs makes one’s gender role easier. For example, providing water sources closer to the home eases the workload of women

and girls. Addressing strategic gender needs can alter gender roles.

Increasing access to education for girls postpones their marriage age

and the age at which they have their first child.

• Does social class, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, or religion change

any of the above?

As you learn more about gender roles in your

community be attuned to any information about

how you should relate to young men and women

in your community. Find out, for example, if it is

acceptable for a male Volunteer to meet alone with

a young woman, even if they are discussing business. How might adults in the community feel if a

female Volunteer invited a young man to join her in

visiting a project in another town? Take guidance from Peace Corps staff,

your Counterparts, and other local adults on these topics.

The Youth at Risk

project in Jamaica

addressed male

marginalization by

focusing more on

adolescent reproductive

health and educational

opportunities for boys

and young men.
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

10

A youth Volunteer in Ecuador noticed that a foundation’s effort to provide

opportunities for working children to play sports resulted in fields filled with

young boys playing soccer and basketball. There was not one girl on the

field. The Volunteer found an employee of the foundation to work together

to recruit coaches for a new girls’ team. They went house-to-house to recruit

the girls and found the parents very hesitant, explaining that the girls had

lots of work in the house and many of them had jobs as well. The Volunteer

and Counterpart kept explaining the benefits of sports and kept the effort

up. Little by little girls would start showing up. In addition to recruiting, the

Volunteers organized fundraisers and received donations of shoes, balls,

and uniforms. Thirty-five primarily working girls got involved. They also participated in communications, self-esteem, and sex education workshops

and many received scholarships to continue their schooling. The parents’

attitudes changed. Instead of pushing the girls to work, the girls are pushed

to play. On top of it, the parents participated in some of the same workshops their daughters attended.

B. OUT-OF-SCHOOL YOUTH

Increasingly, Volunteers may find themselves working with youth who are not

attending school. There is a wide spectrum of out-of-school and out-of-work

youth. They may be primarily at home helping out with the daily tasks of the

household. They may use the house as a sleeping location and spend their days

visiting friends, playing games or sports, talking, and socializing. They may do

small low-skilled jobs for immediate cash needs or find someone to teach them

a skill in exchange for their labor.

Other groupings of out-of-school youth include youth who are considered to

be living in difficult circumstances. They include youth with disabilities and

youth who work long hours in factories or as domestic workers. They may

have lived through war, other violent conflict, or serious economic hardship

and may be working and/or living on the streets with little or no contact with

their families or other regular sources of support. They may have fled their

homes and may be living in a camp for refugees or displaced people. They may

be living with HIV or may have lost family members to AIDS. These groups

are described in the following pages.

Out-of-school youth differ from the in-school youth in several ways. Differences include: more unstructured time, fewer adults providing support and

encouragement in a learning environment, more vulnerability to physical and

emotional abuse, and more exposure to daily pressures of meeting basic human

needs.
Part One: Being With Youth

Peace Corps 11

In some situations, it is important to create programs specifically for out-ofschool, out-of-work youth and those youth who are living in difficult circumstances. It is equally crucial to look for ways to include them in activities and

projects designed for all young people in their communities. Though specialized services may sometimes be required, Volunteers supporting youth in difficult circumstances should look for ways to integrate them into youth activities

in the wider community whenever possible.

Reactions to Difficult Circumstances

Young people who face difficult circumstances, whether it is a physical challenge, social marginalization, displacement, or a traumatic

experience, have a variety of behavioral responses. They may experience depression and sadness. Some feel constantly afraid. Many find

themselves unable to get violent and traumatic experiences out of

their thoughts and dreams. Others become ill or tired and lose their

appetites. They may experience restlessness and difficulty concentrating. They may be easily angered, and may lose their trust in others

and their confidence in themselves.2 They may treat other youth or

adults with hostility or even violence.3

Children and young people can also show tremendous resilience in

the face of violence, trauma, severe economic hardship, and disability. Some may be strong by nature. Others may gain strength when,

encouraged by social and cultural expectations, they take on caretaker and provider roles when adults can’t. Adults working with youth

in difficult circumstances can help them develop resiliency by highlighting their strengths and supporting them as they seek to meet the

challenges in their lives. There is evidence to suggest that youth who

use critical thinking skills and try actively to overcome adversity by

attempting to solve problems, regulate their emotions, protect their

self-esteem, and manage their relationships fare better in the end than

those who don’t, even when faced with very challenging situations.

Working with youth in difficult circumstances requires honoring their

strengths and looking for ways to build healthy one-on-one relationships between them and other members of their communities. Many

young men and women show great resilience in meeting the challenges they face. It is vital to recognize their capacities by providing

them with appropriate space and opportunity to take charge of their

lives and develop healthy coping skills for their present and future.4,5

Drawn from the work and comments of

Naomi Richman, Diana Pereira, Mark Lorey, Jo Boyden, and Jay Boll.
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

12

C. DIFFERENTLY ABLED YOUTH

One need not be an expert on disability to work with youth with disabilities. In

fact, they should be included alongside other young men and women in the

planning, implementation, and evaluation of any activity for youth. The biggest challenges to working with people with disabilities can be one’s own fears

and the attitudes of the surrounding community.

Volunteers in St. Lucia

who worked with

students with

disabilities developed

an assessmentscreening tool to

identify kindergarten

and grade one level

students with

learning difficulties.

PC/Jamaica Volunteers’ work with

challenged and special populations included

improving the quality of early education for

hearing-impaired students and strengthening a

sports program for athletes using wheelchairs.

PC/Jamaica and PC/Belize included efforts to assist

their national Special Olympics teams. A PC/Micronesia

project also reached people with disabilities with

stretching, weight training, and tennis. In Tonga, a

Volunteer’s introduction of sign language helped a family

communicate with a young person in the family for the

first time ever. In Grenada, Volunteers regularly

brought special needs youth to a village shop for

a snack and to hang out (“lime”) and interact

with members of the community so as to

give exposure and raise awareness.
Part One: Being With Youth

Peace Corps 13

Special Olympics

NGO Volunteers in

Lithuania designed and

delivered training

seminars on fundraising, grant proposal

writing, working with

Volunteers, and better

communication for

Special Olympics staff

and Volunteers in

Vilnius. In addition,

Volunteers assisted with

preparation of the

Annual Special Olympics

Games in Lithuania

through press releases,

marketing materials,

fundraising, and help

during competitions.

More than 1,000

mentally handicapped

athletes participated in

the games in one year.

Including Deaf Girls and Women in

“Take Our Daughters to Work Day”

In September 2000, Peace Corps/Kenya included deaf girls and deaf host mothers in

“Take Our Daughters to Work Day” for the

first time. Deaf Volunteers and other Volunteers in the deaf education sector nominated deaf girls from their schools. They

invited them to submit application essays

to the Gender and Development Committee. Four of them qualified, and we matched

them up with four deaf host mothers. Fortunately, I am a sign language interpreter and we identified one more to help

interpret proceedings during the event. The deaf students and deaf host

mothers participated equally in the activities because they had equal access to information in their natural language, which is Kenya Sign Language.

The results of this event were eye-opening. Because deafness is considered a taboo or curse, the deaf students from the villages were surprised to

learn that their deaf host moms had white-collar careers and successful

families. In sharing their plans after the event, the students expressed a

desire to be just as successful. They realized they have alternative career

options that can make their services both valuable and marketable.

Many hearing participants in the event were exposed to deaf people and

their language for the first time. They learned that there is no international

sign language and there are as many sign languages as there are spoken

languages. They were taught basic signs by playing the “broken telephone”

game in which a message was passed using signs from one participant to

the other. Participants were shocked to learn that less than five percent of

the deaf population in Kenya has attained secondary education and the

majority of deaf men and women are semiliterate. They strongly expressed

the need for revision of the curriculum of deaf students to enable all to

achieve their full potential. One hearing host mom, a court magistrate by

profession, was interested to learn that there are interpreters in Kenya who

can help break the communication barrier between the deaf and the hearing. As a result, she requested information on how to get in touch with

interpreters to assist deaf people in court.

— Peace Corps Program Assistant, Kenya
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

14

You may need to look hard to find youth with physical or cognitive disabilities

because they are often a source of shame for their families. Many don’t attend

school and are hidden away in their homes. They may also live or work in the

street and share some characteristics with able-bodied young people in these

groups. Outreach efforts can include asking one person with a disability about

the location of others as well as inquiring at local health centers and community-based rehabilitation programs, where available.6

People with disabilities are the best experts on what they need. Ask them what

will encourage them to participate. Adaptations will vary with the disability.

For example, anyone involved in building schools, health or community centers, and playgrounds should be sure to make these facilities accessible to those

with impaired mobility. (It takes the same amount of cement to build steps as it

does to build a ramp!) To participate in meetings and activities some youth may

need to bring a companion who can facilitate communication with them or

help them to participate in other ways.7

D. STREET CHILDREN AND YOUTH

In many cities children and young men and women work regularly in the street,

usually selling small items, delivering packages, watching cars, collecting cans,

bottles, and rags, shining shoes, begging or stealing, or exchanging sex for

money, material goods, or protection. The risk of contracting HIV is particularly high for this population, especially for young women.

Many of these children are still connected with families whose economic survival depends, in part, on the money they earn. In other cases, family ties have

been severed by illness, death, abuse,

violent conflicts, or severe economic

hardship or abandonment. It is important to look for ways to integrate them

into the community by helping them

to reestablish or strengthen their connections to their biological families

(when possible and appropriate) or to

others in their communities.

A significant challenge in working

with street youth lies in addressing the

negative attitudes toward them. They

are often a source of embarrassment

and fear because of their negative coping mechanisms. In communities torn

apart by violence, AIDS, or overpopulation, people may take out their frusIn Costa Rica,

Volunteers engaged

foster parents in

parenting workshops.

Significant gains were

reported in new efforts

to broaden and

systemize the Program

for Street Children. The

children received

educational mentoring,

recreational

opportunities,

vocational training, and

mental health and legal

child advocacy services.
Part One: Being With Youth

Peace Corps 15

trations on street children. They may

not know how to begin addressing their

serious issues and may ignore, avoid,

or isolate them out of prejudice, fear,

or ignorance, or they may just see them

as “part of the problem.” Much of the

work you do with street youth may be

informal. It may be in the respectful

way you relate to them as you walk

through the neighborhood that helps

them feel better about themselves. It

may be in the role modeling you do for

others in the community.

Street youth have highly developed survival skills. They can be receptive to

and benefit greatly from small-scale

income generation activities designed

to teach basic business practices8

 and

skills for independent living. Non-formal and peer education activities work

well with this population given that the

youth often resist participation in formal schooling. They may be embarrassed by their lack of education and

may not have been welcome in schools

in the past. Volunteer efforts can help

street children and youth develop basic

literacy and numeracy skills and provide them with essential health education.

Sometimes the

Volunteers need to

start work with

existing youth groups

in a community; only

after gaining better

skills are they then

able to begin

outreach activities

aimed at more 

‘at-risk’ youth.

Volunteer language

skills need to be very

good to understand

the difficult

circumstances and

the subculture where

they live.

— Youth APCD, Paraguay

Ways to Show Kids

You Care...9

Acknowledge them

Learn their names

Ask them about themselves

Listen to them

Play with them

West Russia Volunteers,

in collaboration with a

NGO, organized

homeless children to

produce blankets for

homeless elderly people.

Over 700 blankets and

300 scarves were made

and distributed over

a two-year period.
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

16

Street youth may be slow to trust adults and will test those who offer health,

education, and social services. Some may treat other youth or adults with hostility or even violence. Developing respectful relationships will take time. Successful interventions have been made in some places to begin changing attitudes

of the police and the public about street children and youth.10 If you decide to

work with street children and youth, it is critical to work with Counterparts and

other local adults who know the culture well and will be around for the youth

after you leave your post.

E. WORKING YOUTH

In many countries, families facing economic hardship may send young family

members to earn income by working full time in factories or in private homes

as domestic workers.11 These young people are contributing to their family’s

current needs; however, forgoing formal education or skills training translates

into fewer economic options and higher risks that are associated with marginal

literacy in most parts of the world. In addition, the young people are usually

poorly paid and often work in dangerous and unsanitary conditions.

Young men and women working in the formal or informal economy can benefit from recreational and non-formal education activities that are geared to

their schedules, locations, and needs. These may be located at drop-in centers

that also provide health and social services to youth and their families.12 Including young people and their parents or guardians, when possible, in the

planning and ongoing evaluation of these activities and services will ensure

that Volunteer efforts are truly helpful and appropriate.

F. REFUGEES AND INTERNALLY DISPLACED

YOUTH

Whether they have moved within their own countries or crossed national borders, young men and women fleeing conflict or severe economic hardship may

end up in a camp that is supported by local or international relief agencies.

(When no family support or organized services exist, they may become street

youth.)

Refugee and internally displaced youth in camps are often, at least initially,

very receptive to education and recreation activities provided in these settings.

In addition to building skills, these activities help normalize life, promote social

integration, encourage a sense of hope, help promote recovery from psychosocial distress, and provide an alternative to worrying about family and friends.

Ecuador Volunteers

worked with the National

Institute for the Child

and Family to improve

planning and budgeting

for their Working

Children Project. The

project also included a

substantive outreach

effort to parents about

children’s rights and the

negative effects of child

labor. Volunteers also

built contacts with

national and

international

organizations to ensure

donations of books,

clothing, and funding for

a foster home program.
Part One: Being With Youth

Peace Corps 17

Giving youth in camps meaningful roles in designing and implementing activities and programs will increase the likelihood that these programs meet their

needs. Young people are thus more likely to remain committed to the activities

instead of leaving the camp or turning to negative coping mechanisms such as

unhealthy relationships, drinking, or drug use.13

G. ORPHANED YOUTH

Extended family members or other community members

may care for a child whose parents or guardians have died.

Some orphaned children may live and work in city streets.

Others may live in institutions. In some countries, institutions known as “orphanages” also serve as homes for children whose parents are alive but temporarily or permanently unable to care for

them. The adult-to-youth ratios in these institutions are often high and overworked staff may have little or no time to provide individualized attention to

those who live there. These facilities are expensive and ineffective ways of

addressing poverty because they tend to create dependence and isolate children

from their community, their culture, their traditions, and other opportunities to

develop basic life skills.14

Volunteers in communities that have orphanages have worked to create activities that connect orphaned children to their communities. They have created

“buddy” programs, camps, and clubs that include both the children in the institutions and those in the community. These kinds of activities can help dispel

myths and stereotypes about orphaned children and help provide much needed

one-on-one contact.

The AIDS epidemic has increased the number of orphaned children and youth

worldwide. In areas where infection rates are high, and where extended family

structures that have traditionally taken in orphaned children are collapsing,

these children and young people are vulnerable to infection themselves. They

may be subject to sexual abuse or be forced to trade sex to meet their basic

needs for food, clothing, and shelter. It is particularly important for outreach

and prevention efforts to target this population.

In communities where many adults have died from AIDS, war, or other causes,

youth can play a crucial role in helping those left behind. As a Volunteer in

such an area, you can look for ways to help youth contribute through service

and leadership. Young men and women can assist with the care of vulnerable

children in their own families or those of neighbors. They can tutor and mentor

younger children, assist teachers in local primary schools, and help organize

and lead recreation activities for children in the community. They can assist

with the home-based care of ill adults and help vulnerable families with basic

household tasks.15

Volunteers in Costa Rica

worked in an

environment where

refugees from different

parts of Central America

were settled. Costa Rica

and Nicaragua

Volunteers jointly

organized workshops on

post-traumatic stress for

their counterparts and

professionals working

with youth who have

experienced traumatic

situations.
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

18

These activities can help youth gain valuable skills and help address the high

adult death rates in AIDS-affected areas. Equally important, they can improve

their sense of self-esteem and control over their lives. By acting to assist others, they can also overcome feelings of powerlessness and victimization. In

AIDS-affected areas, involvement with people living with AIDS or the children they leave behind can be a powerful way for youth to learn firsthand about

the consequences of unsafe behaviors. Involvement can also help build the understanding and solidarity needed to overcome the stigma associated with

AIDS.16

Peace Corps/Ecuador

Volunteers observed that

because of their life

skills program

“orphaned girls

practiced better hygiene

and demonstrated

behavior improvements

doing activities such as

cooking, art projects,

and other activities in

small groups.” Memory Boxes

In some areas, young people have helped terminally ill

parents prepare “memory boxes” or “memory books”

for their children. They have assisted these parents in

recording family history for their

children using stories,

poems, drawings, and

other items. The

boxes/books give

parents a way to

discuss their

approaching death

with their children,

as well as give

children a lasting

legacy from their

parents.

A Malawi Volunteer helped his

community create a system whereby schools

will be taking care of the AIDS orphans in their

communities. Community-based child care

schools are now established by the orphan

team and more areas have been identified. The

social welfare office trains three volunteer

teachers from each school.
Part Two: Creating Credibility, Addressing Sustainability, and Building Capacity

Peace Corps 19

CREATING CREDIBILITY,

ADDRESSING SUSTAINABILITY,

AND BUILDING CAPACITY

PART

CREDIBILITY: UNDERSTANDING

YOUR COMMUNITY’S YOUTH

ENVIRONMENT

Creating credibility is one of the principal tasks of community entry. This

includes showing members of the community that you have integrity, communication skills, language, cultural knowledge, and skills and abilities they value.

Even if your Project Plan includes a youth component and provides you with

an organizational base, creating credibility is a highly personal act of relationship building. If your work with young people is a new component of your

primary project, or you are doing it in addition to your primary project, there

are numerous ways to begin building relationships with youth. Get to know the

young people in a family you live with or near, or the children of friends or coworkers. Play sports. Sing. Do art. Ask someone to teach you a local game.

Volunteer to tutor some students at the local school. Do the things you like to

do and notice the young men and women who are interested. Who is running

alongside you? Who is curious about your music? Who wants to read your

books and magazines? Remember that it is sometimes the small gestures,

repeated consistently, that have the biggest impact.17

As you get to know individual young people and local adults, you can gather

information about the youth environment in your culture. Be sure to consult the

“Assessment Tools” in “Part Three: Tools, Techniques, and Games” of this

handbook for suggestions about how to gather information. “The Community

Map,” “Observation,” and “Informal Interviews” (p. 89, 85, and 87) may be

particularly useful to you.

Keep a record of your observations, the information you gather, as well as your

reflections and questions. You can use a bound journal or a simple notebook.

This can help you inform and manage your actions and planning. It also can

assist you in completing reports you routinely submit to your APCD.

Start out by getting

to know young people,

really understanding the

culture they come from

and the future they look

towards... become their

friend... smile lots and

be patient...get to know

their parents.

— A Volunteer in Honduras
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

20

Learning About the Youth Environment

Every culture has mechanisms or processes for helping young people develop values, skills, and

competencies as they move from the status of “youth” to “adult.” These range from formal structures such as schools to informal processes such as folk wisdom and peer group interactions.

Consider the questions below as you begin to learn about the youth environment in your community:18

Family/Cultural Traditions

In gathering information about family and cultural traditions, be sure to consider:

• Traditional coming of age and rites of passage ceremonies that signal the change in status from

child to youth and youth to adulthood and that send the message “now you are a man/woman.”

• Folk wisdom, stories, and legends in which folk heroes and heroines represent values held by

the community; family legends that address community values and skill areas.

• Roles and responsibilities of youth within the family structure and the skills their position develops;

parents or guardians and other adults serving as role models to help transmit values and teach

social skills.

• Religious institutions and traditions that help transmit cultural values and may include rites of

passage signaling a change in status.

Education/Employment

Look for formal and non-formal educational processes that contribute to positive youth development:

• Formal education/apprenticeships where youth learn academic and vocational skills, the rules

of work and society, and what is expected of them as adults. These might include mentoring or

internships.

• Life skills education camps, clubs, or classes in which youth learn the practical skills (budgeting,

homemaking, problem solving, communication, and farming) for successfully managing independent living as an adult.

• Youth employment/entrepreneurship activities in which young men and women learn about the

economic culture, expectations, roles, responsibilities, and rules by participating in the local

economy through income generation activities.

Peer Group/Social Activities

Look for social activities that can contribute to youth development:

• Recreation activities including sports, arts, crafts, games, and hobbies and other leisure time

activities with some learning component and skills enhancement. These can help adolescents

learn teamwork and build self-confidence and self-concept.

• Service learning, community volunteerism, and leadership activities that provide opportunities

for young people to take on meaningful roles in family and community. These also help youth

develop skills, learn community values, and prepare for the responsibilities of adult life.

• Peer group and peer influences: clubs, friends, and role models teach values and social skills.
Part Two: Creating Credibility, Addressing Sustainability, and Building Capacity

Peace Corps 21

Journaling

Journaling, or the act of writing and collecting details of one’s life and work,

can be a helpful way to bring focus and reflection into your work with youth

as well as your daily life. Journals can be large, medium, or small sheets of

lined or unlined paper. They can be bound, looseleaf, in a single volume, or

subdivided into sections. When writing, be sure to leave some white space

for notes and commentary when you reread the page later.

Some journal sections can be creative right-brain jottings, ideas, and

sketches. Other pages will contain narrative from left-brain “mind flows.”

You can use your journal to record the details of your observations and

interactions and review them periodically for reference and planning.

Some things to record:

• Full names of people • Rules of local games

• Observations and information • Feelings and emotions

about key meetings or exchanges • Descriptions of physical health

from life and work and wellness

• Individual and family profiles • Mementos

• Descriptions • Jokes

• Formal and informal relationships • Sketches

• Associations • Maps

• Activity settings • Reflections and internal dialogues

• Recipes • Plans

• Rituals • Predictions

• Events • Evaluations

• Numbers • Brochures

• Lists of ideas • Photos

• Quotations • Community meeting programs

• Folk stories and tales • News clippings

Or consider filling your journal pages with responses to prompts, a short

list of standard questions or topics you think are important to ask regularly

of yourself such as:

• Today’s date • Eating/drinking

• Day of the week • Wishing, remembering

• Season/weather • Talked to, accomplished, learned

• Physical, mental/emotional state • Idea brainstorms on youth activities

• Where I spent most of the day • Planning

• Other places I went • Questions I still have

• Reading, listening to, watching, • Opportunities I can help create

wearing

Whatever system you use, be sure to reread what you have written periodically to refresh your memory and reflect on the information you have gathered.

Volunteers and staff in

Samoa assisted the

Ministry of Youth, Sports

and Culture to formulate

the official youth policy

for the country by

helping to plan and

coordinate meetings.

Volunteers also played

an important role in

presenting the draft

policy to the public and

to youth in particular.
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

22

SUSTAINABILITY:

CHALLENGES AND RESPONSES

Development work is said to be “sustainable” when the community is able to

continue on its own without outside support. The Peace Corps sees sustainable

development as a process whereby people learn to build on their own strengths,

take charge of their lives, and address their expressed needs. Planning for

sustainability requires considering all of the following:

• Culturally sustainable: Does the project design fit within and build

on local beliefs and traditions, or will it be seen as an “outsider’s idea” and

not be acceptable or continued when you (i.e., the Volunteer) leave?

• Politically sustainable: When there is no longer an outsider in the

project, will it be sustainable within the sociopolitical context?

• Economically sustainable: Will there be sufficient local resources,

or the capacity to generate them when you or other supportive outsiders

leave?

• Managerially sustainable: Will there be the local management capacity to carry on the work when you leave?

• Environmentally sustainable: As the project grows, will the environment be able to support the continued use of resources?

By addressing these questions at the outset of the planning process, you and the

community will be more likely to create a meaningful project that has the impact you both desire. When you are working closely with Counterparts and

supervisors and are receiving guidance from program managers, there is greater

likelihood that the activities will be appropriate and sustainable.

In the long term, it has been said that development is not sustainable unless it

involves youth, as they are the investment in the future. Nevertheless, when

dealing with youth activities and small projects, special challenges emerge.

Some challenges and ideas for responses:

• Adults often undervalue youth’s contributions and abilities.

Response: Do some projects that are public. Focus attention on

achievement and celebrate success.

A Jamaica Volunteer

assisted in developing a

management plan for a

community life skills

education project. After

the activity was fully

assumed by the

Counterpart, it became

a registered nongovernmental

organization.
Part Two: Creating Credibility, Addressing Sustainability, and Building Capacity

Peace Corps 23

• Adults dominate discussion, meetings, and planning with youth.

Response: Coach and prepare both youth and adults to work with

each other through raising awareness and building communication and understanding among them.

• Youth’s access to financial resources is limited.

Response: Treat almost every activity as a demonstration project to

adults with resources or access to resources. These include

people who work in government agencies, religious organizations, non-governmental organizations, or community

organizations. Teach youth how to write proposals and

conduct fundraising events.

• Many youth prefer to experiment with their participation and move from

activity to activity more frequently than adults.

Response: Duties should be well defined and for short duration with

options to continue involvement in other areas as long as

the interest and participation levels remain high. Assign

two young people per position and have co-planners, cosecretaries, co-treasurers.

• The activity the youth wish to do is probably not replicable because of cost

or the existence of unique talents or people.

Response: Enhanced relationships or exceptional learning opportunities are often good outcomes from activities. Where

appropriate, celebrate these outcomes.

Ways to Show Kids

You Care...19

Read aloud together

Tell them their feelings are okay

Set boundaries that keep them safe

Be honest

Notice when they are absent
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

24

BUILDING CAPACITY

Keep in mind the Peace Corps capacity building approach to community development as you think about the roles you take on with young people. This approach focuses on helping people develop the capacity to improve their own

lives. Building in young people the confidence and skills to make a difference

in their communities is an important investment in the future of these communities. This can be done at various levels:

• Individual members of the community, project participants: Much of your work will be at the individual level. The activities in

this manual describe many different ways in which Volunteers have helped

build capacity in the young men and women they engage in these endeavors.

• Professionals, service providers: Involving Counterparts and other

local adults in the planning, implementation, and evaluation of activities

with youth or helping them to involve youth in activities that have not previously included young people helps develop capacity among professionals,

service providers, and those who will continue the work when you leave

your post.

• Organizations: You may also find that you can strengthen organizations’ management techniques by helping both youth serving and other organizations develop systems that encourage youth participation in their

projects and programs.

• Communities: Any time you involve youth in an activity that benefits

the community, you are broadening the base of participation and building

capacity for youth development in the wider community.

Keep a comfortable

balance between being a

leader and being a

friend. If authority is

lost, the children will

lose respect or interest.

We are in a unique role.

We can be their friends,

their teachers, and

their role models.

— Peace Corps Volunteer,

Morocco

Ways to Show Kids

You Care...20

Give them space when they need it

Discuss their dreams and nightmares

Answer their questions

Apologize when you’ve done something wrong

Keep the promises you make
Part Two: Creating Credibility, Addressing Sustainability, and Building Capacity

Peace Corps 25

VOLUNTEER ROLES

As a Volunteer, you will take on various capacity building roles in your work.

You will be a learner, trainer, co-facilitator, change agent, project co-planner, or mentor. For more specific information on the knowledge, skills, and

attitudes required for each of these roles, consult The Roles of the Volunteer

in Development.

21 The pages that follow will provide you with some specific

information to consider about your roles in relation to youth, beginning with

guidance on communicating with youth, parents, and guardians. Three roles

are described: the Volunteer as Mentor, as Youth Promoter, and as Community Youth Developer.

COMMUNICATING WITH YOUTH22

Improving your interpersonal communication skills will help you build relationships with the young people in your community and with adults too! Good

skills in this area allow you to show young people you respect them even when

you disagree. The skills described below can be useful when gathering information about youth activities in your community, helpful when coaching young

people as they take on leadership roles in their schools and communities, and a

source of guidance as you support a young man or woman who comes to you

for advice.

When working with young people, it can be tempting to give advice and solve

problems for them. Unless there is great urgency or you have specific information that they could not find independently, it is more helpful and empowering

to coach them as they meet challenges themselves. Keep these guidelines in

mind when communicating with youth:

• Be genuine.

Be relaxed and respectful and share your interests with them. Be careful not

to adopt the styles and language of youth just to try to relate to them. Young

people will sense your lack of sincerity and most won’t appreciate it.

• Remember that little things matter.

Greet young people. Get to know them. Learn their names. Invite a young

person you know to join you for an outing. Consult the tips sprinkled throughout this book to show them you care.

• Watch your non-verbal messages.

Young people may be reluctant to speak with an adult. They may be shy or

unsure that you want to listen and that they have the right to speak. Put them

at ease using culturally appropriate eye contact and body language. Encourage them to speak by remaining silent for a few seconds when you would

otherwise respond, and by making short encouraging sounds or remarks

such as “Hmmm,” “I see,” or “Interesting.”

Even if it doesn’t seem

like you are doing much,

your presence is

important. Being

consistent allows you

to build a stronger

relationship...especially

important if you want to

discuss sensitive topics.

— Volunteers in Ghana
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

26

• Turn off distractions and listen.

Listening involves “turning off” your own background conversation. Develop

your awareness of the voice inside that is agreeing, disagreeing, judging, or

problem solving. This will allow you to hear what young people are saying

more fully whether they are telling you about a football game or expressing

concerns they have. If a young person approaches you to discuss a sensitive

topic, try to determine whether you should stop what you are doing and

focus completely on him or her. This can send the important message that

he or she deserves your full attention. On the other hand, it might make you

both more comfortable to do something together while you talk.

• Ask questions with care.

When you do ask questions, try to use open-ended ones that require more

than a short answer. They will encourage the young man or woman to speak.

To avoid sounding like you are interrogating, be careful not to ask more

than two questions in a row, particularly when you are discussing sensitive

issues. (See “Asking Questions” on p. 86 for more on this topic.)

• Paraphrase cautiously.

Sometimes paraphrasing, or repeating

back what another person has said using your own words, can help communication. It can convey that you are listening carefully and may allow the other

person to correct any misunderstandings. You can use phrases such as “What

I am hearing is...,” or “How I understand what you meant is...is this what

you mean?” Be sure to use this technique

with care when communicating in crosscultural settings. Misinterpretations can

occur, especially when you are a non-native speaker of the language and

new to the culture. Remember also that it is inappropriate for young people

to “correct” adults in many cultures and that it may be impolite to tell a

visitor that he or she has made a mistake.

• Avoid giving advice, but do share information.

Sharing information is different from giving advice. Sharing information

means presenting material in such a way that a young man or woman can

decide whether or not to use it. Giving advice, on the other hand, means

presenting information as something that should be used. Remember that

many interactions provide opportunities to help youth develop their analytical and problem-solving skills, leading them to find their own answers. It is

fine to share your ideas and experiences as options and point to how they

connect to ideas and experiences the young person has already shared with

you.

Tell youth things

about yourself.

They really like that!

— A Volunteer in Nicaragua
Part Two: Creating Credibility, Addressing Sustainability, and Building Capacity

Peace Corps 27

What to Do About Crushes23

A “crush” is a romantic feeling a youth

can have for another youth or adult. Because of the difference in age and the

position of power your role as a Volunteer represents, it is never appropriate

for you to have an intimate relationship

with a young person. Even if you act

appropriately, by working with youth,

you are susceptible to admiration that

goes deeper than it should. Here is how

to handle being “crushed”:

Don’t blow the crush out of proportion. It’s a normal part of adolescence and is simply a sign of your importance in young people’s

lives.

Affirm the teenager. Kids need affirmation, and a crush is one way

of asking for it. Be careful, however, not to encourage romantic

ideas.

Use the crush as an opportunity to build friendship with the young

person. Prove that you’ll still be important in his or her life even

when the romantic feelings are gone.

Don’t put yourself in compromising situations. Tell a local adult and

the parent or guardian about the suspected crush to protect yourself.

COMMUNICATING WITH PARENTS

OR GUARDIANS

Regardless of the nature of your relationship with a young person, it is critical

to work closely with parents or guardians and other local adults as you build

relationships with, and create activities for, young people. Doing so will increase the likelihood that your work with youth will be appropriate to the needs,

interests, and culture of the community and that it will be sustainable. Friendship with adults from another culture can provide young people with an alternative lens on their world at an important time in their lives. Their relationship

with you should never be at the expense of good relationships with their parents,

guardians, or other local adults. If you have concerns about a relationship

between a child and his or her parents or guardians, share your concerns with a

local adult you trust to help you decide what to do. Community support mechaGive specific supportive

feedback to young people

about their strengths and

point out ways in which

their behavior makes a

difference. Be positive,

but in a specific way. It’s

better to say ‘I like the

way you colored that

flower,’ or ‘You used a lot

of colors in the flowers,’

than ‘That’s pretty.’ If

you must criticize,

criticize the action,

not the person. Say

something like ‘Don’t go

through the trash. It can

make you sick,’ instead

of ‘Little Piggy!’

— A Volunteer in Nicaragua

1

2

3

4
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

28

nisms should be developed to, whenever possible, help parents or guardians

help their children.24 Young people typically report a desire for guidance,

resources, and role modeling from their parents or guardians as they develop

their own leadership skills.25 Healthy relationships with other adults in the community can enhance young people’s relationships with their own parents.26 As a

Peace Corps staff member notes:

Youth are very fragile and open to “change material”.... Volunteers should [help them] build new values based on those

that exist, not destroy the old ones, and instill new ones that

will not be supported by parents and other adults....Youth

should be taught to communicate assertively with as many

adults from their community as possible. They should be taught

to state ...their concerns, problems, and challenges, as well as

their ideas, plans, and victories. Volunteers should...interact

with the community adult population...When the Volunteer

leaves he or she should leave parents and children willing to

learn about each other and willing to support each other.

— Peace Corps Program Manager, Moldova

Be sure to use the community observations, interactions, and interviews you

have conducted to understand the relationships between youth and adults in

your host community and look for ways to strengthen them.

The communication skills that work with youth (see “Communicating With

Youth,” p. 25) will also work with their parents or guardians. Here are a few

additional tips:

• Describe to parents or guardians the strengths you have observed in their children and invite them to do the same.

• Invite them to tell you about

their hopes and aspirations for

their children.

• Listen to parents and be respectful of their culture, language,

home, and personal space.

• Be clear about your role, what

you can and can’t do with and

for them and their children.

Do house visits

... to create a more

comfortable atmosphere

in which parents can

tell the Volunteer

how they feel.

— A Volunteer in Ecuador
Part Two: Creating Credibility, Addressing Sustainability, and Building Capacity

Peace Corps 29

A. THE VOLUNTEER AS MENTOR27

As a Volunteer, you may become a mentor to a young person in your community. Mentoring can occur in a variety of settings and have various purposes.

Regardless of the specific goals and context, a mentoring relationship is typically a voluntary, one-on-one, friendship-based relationship between two people

in which one provides support and encouragement to the other in developing

new skills and greater confidence. Mentoring can be focused on career planning or life skills development. It can be part of a formal program or can be an

informal arrangement. You might find yourself mentoring a young person as he

or she takes on a leadership role in the community or makes important life

decisions.

Successful youth mentors are those who accept and value youth as they are,

guide them, share decision making with them, and let youth set the agenda for

the relationship.28 A study of the Big Brothers/Big Sisters program found that

the best mentoring programs were those in which young people had “friendly”

rather than “preacher-like” relationships with their mentors. Perseverance, consistency, patience, respect, and self-esteem are important qualities in mentors.

Good mentors help young people feel confident and competent, assist them in

establishing achievable goals, and link them with other adults.29

Micronesia Volunteers

had a mentoring project

directed to high school

age youth. The one-toone pairing between

community-based

mentors and youth

included an average of

four meetings per month

and frequent telephone

conversations. The

mentors worked in

cooperation to assist the

guidance efforts of

the parent.

Ways to Show Kids

You Care...30

Display their artwork in your home

Be consistent

Tell them how proud you are of them

Ask them to help you

Applaud their successes
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

30

B. THE VOLUNTEER AS YOUTH PROMOTER

Even if your primary Peace Corps project is not in the youth development

sector, you can take on the role of youth promoter in your community. As such,

you can make a point of considering youth in all the projects in which you are

involved, regardless of the sector, and of encouraging local adults to do the

same. Ask how your activities will affect the youth in the community. Encourage your Counterparts to consider this question as well.

Look for ways to engage youth and to encourage others to engage them as full

contributing partners at all stages of program planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation, even in non-youth projects. You and your Counterparts

may want to be proactive in selecting specific youth as partners, especially if

involving them is a new experience for everyone. Construct selection criteria

that are linked to the objectives of the activity and be open about the selection

process. Help young people build the skills they need to be successful as partners with adults.

Becoming a youth promoter can also mean helping the young people involved

in community projects develop skills that can be transferred to income-generating

activities. These might include skills in communication, decision making, project

planning, budgeting, teamwork, and conducting meetings. Urge communities

and the public and private sectors to help youth gain skills by providing paid

and unpaid service. Encourage local adults to provide internships and service

learning opportunities to promote “hands-on learning” for young men and

women.

Remember that it may be quite new for the adults in your community to be

thinking about involving youth in this way. Be patient and helpful in supporting everyone involved in this new experience.
Part Two: Creating Credibility, Addressing Sustainability, and Building Capacity

Peace Corps 31

Helping Other Adults

Connect With Youth

Get to know local adults who are good at relating to youth. Learn

from them about culturally appropriate ways for adults and youth to

relate. Model this behavior.

Look for new ways to connect the men and women with the boys

and girls in the community. Who shares common interests? Who

might learn well from each other?

Invite youth and adults to a social event, a recreational activity, or a

meeting together. Consider some “icebreakers” to help them relate

to each other comfortably. These can be games or ordinary tasks

such as decorating for a party or setting up a room for a meeting.

Treat other adults as partners in your goal of involving youth more

fully. Don’t set yourself up as an “expert” in relating to youth.

Don’t try to behave or talk like the youth do. This may suggest to

other adults that you think this is the best way to relate to youth—it

isn’t. Young people usually won’t like it either.

If you see an adult disrespecting or mistreating a young person, seek

advice from a supportive local adult before intervening (unless it’s

an emergency).

C. THE VOLUNTEER AS

COMMUNITY YOUTH DEVELOPER

If youth development is the primary focus of your Peace Corps work, your

formal role will be that of community youth developer. The skills needed for

this kind of work may be different from those of a teacher or others traditionally trained to work with children and adolescents. Adults who take on this role

with young men and women have been called “promoters” or “street workers”

in some Latin American countries and “animators” in Europe. We use the term

“community youth developer.” This role is essentially one of facilitator. This

does not mean that you should not share your skills and knowledge, but rather

that you should do so by listening, supporting, and being a resource to children

and youth who are themselves actively identifying issues and finding solutions.31
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

32

You may need to build some skills in addition to the youth promotion and

mentoring qualities described above. Listed below is a summary of suggested

qualifications for this work, developed by a group of youth-serving organizations.32 Consider this list as you examine which qualities you have already and

which you may need to develop.

A Community Youth Developer:

• Is aware of self as youth development worker; has the ability to articulate a

personal vision of youth development work, to be reflective, and to seek

feedback from colleagues, parents or guardians, and youth

• Cares for youth and families; enjoys youth, believes in the potential and

empowerment of all youth and family members, and engages all family

members in youth initiatives

• Respects diversity and differences among youth, families, and communities

• Has theoretical knowledge of youth development as well as the ability to

relate to youth as individuals

• Sustains relationships that facilitate youth empowerment including challenging youth in a supportive manner, maintaining appropriate boundaries,

and involving youth actively and continuously in programs that affect them

• Promotes cohesion and collaboration in youth groups

• Plans and implements events consistent with needs of youth in the context

of available resources

• Has skills to be a colleague to staff and host community volunteers

• Can work with community leaders, groups, and citizens on behalf of youth

and collaborate with other community agencies and youth-serving organizations.

Tonga youth project

Volunteers partnered

with the Commonwealth

Youth Programme to

serve as resident village

tutors to youth enrolled

in their distance

education Certificate in

Youth Work course.

In one year 40 young

people completed the

14-week course.
Part Two: Creating Credibility, Addressing Sustainability, and Building Capacity

Peace Corps 33

BASING ACTIVITIES ON SOUND

THEORY AND EXPERIENCE

While there are many theories about specific aspects of human development,

there is wide agreement on general stages of adolescent development. We begin

this section with a brief review of these stages. We then examine a theory that

emphasizes starting from strengths and assets as a highly effective approach to

working with youth. See the box on this page for a brief description of assets in

youth and community development. The Peace Corps’ experience in strengthbased work and its youth development framework are reviewed. We conclude

this section with a review of asset types identified through youth and community research that began in 1989. The underlying theory of this work is simple:

the more assets, the better. We provide examples of relevant activities from

Peace Corps’ work. These theories and experiences are provided to give you a

basis for thoughtful project planning and design.

Assets in Youth and

Community Development

Assets can be considered in two ways: as an approach to development and as a tool for development.

Asset-Based Approaches: Those who adopt one of the asset-based

approaches with youth and communities value the individual, the culture, and the community first. They learn about the dreams, gifts,

strengths, capacities, and relationships of the individuals. Some people

who use an asset approach begin their community entry by learning

about individual and community life as represented in activities in

everyday life. Along with this, they identify the strengths and hopes

of the community. They engage in a participatory development process that builds on these learnings.33

Assets as Tools: Those who work using asset approaches have a

variety of assessment, planning, and design tools. One tool is a master list of assets to use when assessing communities and designing

projects that will promote positive youth development. (See Youth

Development Assets in Your Community in Part Three: Tools, on page

81.) There are also asset-building tools that are systems of recording

and connecting capacities of individuals, associations, and institutions in community development. Appreciative inquiry is the name

for a process of questioning and building on positive experiences

and dreams.34
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

34

STAGES OF ADOLESCENT DEVELOPMENT

A 10-year-old boy at a camp in Togo pretends to be a cold virus trying to attack

before being pushed back by a 12-year-old girl playing the T cell. A 15-yearold out-of-school youth in the Philippines paints “STOP Illegal Logging” on a

mural in his community under the watchful eye of a local painter. An 18-yearold Romanian student spends an afternoon with a child from a local orphanage.

Each individual described here is at a different point on the continuum called

adolescence.

Because adolescence is a stage of life characterized by rapid and dramatic physical, emotional, and social change, being with youth requires careful attention

not only to the needs of the young people in a particular host community but

also to the sex, age, and maturity level of the participants who will be involved.

“Adolescence” begins roughly at the age of 10 and ends in the early 20s, by

which time individuals in most societies have taken on the responsibilities of

adulthood. Of course, in some cultures the transition to adulthood happens

earlier, especially for

girls who become

wives and mothers

while they are still

growing. One’s experience of adolescence

can vary greatly depending on an individual’s sex, gender

roles, ethnicity, ability,

caste/class, and religion. And in every culture individuals progress through this period of life at varying

rates. Making universal statements about how individuals develop through life stages is difficult at

best. At worst, it can be inaccurate and lead us to miss important individual and

cultural considerations.

With these limitations in mind, it can be helpful to understand some of the

developmental changes that occur during this stage of life. Such an understanding

can assist in creating programs and more importantly in building relationships

with young people that take into account the opportunities and challenges that

this age represents. We invite Volunteers to use the information in the table on

page 35 and to keep an open mind and a creative attitude about the growing

competence of young people and the many possibilities for their participation

in community development.
Part Two: Creating Credibility, Addressing Sustainability, and Building Capacity

Peace Corps 35

Stages of Adolescent Development35

Early Adolescence Middle Adolescence Late Adolescence

Physical • Hormonal changes cause • Growth in height continues. • Physical growth is complete.

Development the onset of puberty. • The body fills out. • Additional muscle develop-

• Growth in height and weight. • Maturation of secondary sex ment may occur.

• Reproductive organs develop. characteristics (breasts and

wider hips for girls, facial hair

and deeper voices for boys).

Cognitive • Most have left behind the • Develop the ability to hypo- • Can move easily between

Development “magical” thinking of early thesize and think in abstract concrete and abstract

childhood, mastered the terms. thinking.

logical thinking of late child- • Have a well-developed ability

hood, and begun to think in to reflect on experiences and

abstract terms. apply lessons learned to new

• May take great pride in situations.

mastering new skills; can be

industrious and energetic.

Psychosocial • Hormones can contribute to • In cultures that place a strong • Can manage social situations

Development intensifying of positive and value on individualism, young with well-developed coping

negative moods. people at this stage may feel and social skills.

• Friendships and membership a conflict between the need • In some cultural contexts,

in formal peer groups are to develop their own identity youth may have been particiimportant at this stage. These and their desire to fit in. pating in society as adults for

can include clubs, teams, and • In some cultures, they may a number of years. In other

gangs. be expected to take on adult societies, they may still be

• Most will have developed the roles and responsibilities. focused on exploring what

ability to empathize with Girls may become mothers their own unique contribuothers and a sense of belong- and/or may have consider- tions to society will be.

ing to a larger community. able household responsibilities; boys may also take on

significant adult tasks such as

providing for their families and

being involved in physical

labor.

• This may be a time of formal

initiation into adult roles and

responsibilities.
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

36

Girls in Adolescence

In addition to awareness of cultural differences, anyone working with

young people will need to address the different realities that face young

women and young men in any culture. A Peace Corps staff member

shares the following observations of girls in adolescence based on 18

years of working with young people in West Africa, the Sahel, and

Jamaica:

There is a strong tradition of young people being expected/required to

take care of their younger siblings and help their mothers with household tasks. It is refreshing to

observe this when everyone

is helping without any prodding. However, all too often,

the burden falls on the girls.

In Jamaica, boys may be required to help their fathers on

the weekends, but are often

free to play soccer or study

after school during the week.

Some have suggested that

the discipline imposed on

girls at home actually helps

them in their schoolwork. The

girls know how to organize

things at home and ideas on

paper. At one point, the Jamaican Ministry of Education decided to lower

the passing mark for boys on the national high school entrance exam to

ensure gender parity in secondary schools!

In Africa, although the tradition is similar, the results are very different.

The tasks required of many African girls are much more difficult than

those for most Jamaican girls. They may get up at dawn to walk a mile

or two to fetch water and then put a pot of this water on a charcoal or

wood fire to boil for breakfast. There tend to be many more children to

take care of. Some girls drop out of school on their own because they

cannot cope. Others are forced to drop out by their desperate mothers.

Those who remain in school are often simply too tired to do as well as

they should.

— Subregional Programming and Training Coordinator, West Africa

Be sure to consult “Gender Analysis” (p. 9) for questions to ask to help

you understand the needs, roles, and experiences of boys and girls in

your host culture.
Part Two: Creating Credibility, Addressing Sustainability, and Building Capacity

Peace Corps 37

Becoming an Adult

Cultures use different markers to indicate when a young person has moved

from youth to adulthood. Whether an individual is ready for adult responsibilities or not, he or she may be considered an adult by virtue of having

reached a specific age. Conversely, in some communities, individuals may

have reached a particular age, but may not yet be considered adult because they have not completed certain tasks considered important by the

culture. Markers of adulthood may include:

Reaching a particular age

Menstruating

Completing formal rites of passage

Having more responsibilities within the family

Being married

Having children

Getting a job

Voting

Losing a parent

Leaving home

Having the freedom to make choices/decisions

Completing formal primary, secondary, or tertiary education

Knowing when a person is considered an adult will help you determine

whether an individual is expected to take on adult responsibilities.

Ways to Show Kids

You Care...36

Let them make mistakes

Help them learn something new

Accept them as they are

Become their advocate

Trust them
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

38

APPROACHES TO YOUTH DEVELOPMENT

So, what does it take for young men and women to progress through the stages

of development and grow into competent and caring adults? It is helpful to

remember that basic human needs of food, clean water, clothing, shelter, safety,

and security have to be met. Like so much of development, these things do not

necessarily precede or follow any particular asset but arise out of the complex

interactions of people, families, and communities. Some are deliberately pursued and won and some are dividends of increases in financial, material, and

human resources, education, and self-confidence. We are not addressing basic

human needs. They are important but beyond the scope of Working With Youth.

In this section and in this manual, we focus attention on those assets that are

related to building relationships and increasing individual strengths. These are

the assets that surround those young men and women who reach adulthood

healthy and prepared to become responsible citizens and family members.

Experts in a variety of fields have, in the last 10 to 20 years, been exploring

asset-based (strength-based) ways of doing individual and community development. This approach emphasizes examining strengths and identifying what

works. It has been demonstrated in the lab and field that people often live up to

the expectations of the outsider coming in to assist them. If an outsider looks

for positive aspects, this expectation will be met; if this person looks for negatives, so too will this expectation be met. One group of theorists in this “strengthbased school” stresses that the act of asking questions influences the group and

the outcomes. Therefore, according to this theory, if the goal is to improve a

situation and leave it stronger, one should always start positively. The program

manager of the youth project in Tonga noticed a dramatic increase in receptiveness to the Peace Corps by the local people when staff and Volunteers entered

a community and started by asking what all the “good stuff” was.

Taking an asset- or strength-based approach does not mean ignoring or denying problems. Youth all over the world face a range of problems that may need

to be addressed directly, especially when there is an immediate risk of physical

or mental harm.
Part Two: Creating Credibility, Addressing Sustainability, and Building Capacity

Peace Corps 39

Building on the strengths of individuals, organizations, and communities can

help prevent problems and can help overcome them in combination with specific problem-focused solutions. What does this mean about how we approach

the daily task of youth work? Let’s say that you are concerned that youth in

your host community are becoming involved with drugs. An asset-based way

to address this problem might begin by helping young people recognize the

gifts they have. You might then encourage them to look for ways to use these

gifts, and develop others, in service of their goals and aspirations. You might do

this by organizing a life skills workshop as part of your primary project, or by

engaging youth in your neighborhood in conversations about their future. Removing obstacles such as drug abuse, if they exist, can become part of your

discussions with youth, along with offers of support and referral for those who

may need it. In this case, the problem is dealt with as an obstacle to the higher

goals of being positively engaged in the pursuit of a positive future.

Other international youth-focused organizations, such as the International Youth

Foundation, embrace the focus on asset-based approaches. They have urged

those working with young people to move beyond defining them in terms of

their problems and academic competence. They have given us the “banner”

phrase “Problem free is not fully prepared.” They advocate saturating neighborhoods with services, supports, and opportunities to provide young men and

women with consistent, caring people; safe, structured, and stimulating places;

and a full range of options for training, exploring, and contributing.37 On the

individual level, they stress promoting connectedness, competence, confidence,

character, and contribution in young people.

You can learn more about this strength-based approach during your Peace Corps

service by participating in the Project Design and Management Workshop.

FAMILY LIFE, WORLD OF WORK,

ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP

Peace Corps Volunteers are taught and encouraged to speak in the host country’s

language, learn about and adopt a positive attitude about the local culture, build

relationships, and establish trust. These traits have been part of the Peace Corps’

approach to development since the beginning and are very good examples of a

strength-based approach to development. The language of assets building for

the Peace Corps, used to describe a strength-based technique, was introduced in

the mid-1980s in community development training for Volunteers in Micronesia.

Informed from a wide variety of youth activities undertaken by Volunteers over

the last decade, a simple positive youth development framework evolved from

this purpose statement: To engage and prepare youth for their roles in family

life, the world of work, and active citizenship. Over the years, we have learned

that the following activities are those that Volunteers can do successfully to

make contributions desired by the host country.
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

40

Family Life Activities that involve promoting healthy physical,

emotional, and social growth: Wellness activities

that include hygiene, nutrition, and sports;

training in communication, relationships,

decision making, and goal planning skills;

prevention of violence, HIV/AIDS, and

pregnancies in very young girls

World of Work Activities that focus on building the skills

necessary for participation in the economic life

of the family and community: Literacy, numeracy,

academic education, art, vocational skills,

computer training, self-employment,

employability skills training

Active Citizenship Activities that encourage leadership and

responsible citizenship by involving young

people in their communities: Environmental

action, leadership training, and community

service

FAMILY LIFE

Helping young people develop into healthy adults begins by providing them

with what they need to grow physically, emotionally, and socially. In most

cultures, this is the province of the family, more than likely the extended family. As a Volunteer, you can work with local adults to support and encourage

what families provide or, when necessary, you can provide activities that supplement the family’s efforts.

This youth development area includes promoting basic health and nutrition,

promoting participation in sports and other recreational activities, and supporting young people’s emotional development through education in “life skills.” It

also includes the more complex and sensitive issues related to sexual health.

When behavior change is necessary, it involves influencing attitudes and community norms in addition to sharing knowledge and building skills. Working in

the area of family life education requires talking with youth, Counterparts, and

other local adults to create activities that build on healthy practices in the community and considering advice of other Volunteers and Peace Corps staff who

have worked in this arena:38

Ecuador Volunteers held

‘child’s needs’

workshops that focused

on the child’s right to

live at home without

abuse and the ways that

parents’ behavior and

actions can affect the

self-esteem of the child.

This focus allowed

participants to discuss

and address the difficult

topic of domestic

violence.
Part Two: Creating Credibility, Addressing Sustainability, and Building Capacity

Peace Corps 41

Action Ideas:

Work with those who are already responsible for

teaching youth values and behaviors and for influencing attitudes, particularly those related to

health.

Find out if there is a desire for health behavior

change in your host community. If so, learn

whether local professionals consider the desire

healthy. If there are “early adopters,”—youth who practice a “progressive” healthy activity or habit already—build on this.

Look for ways to infuse physical and emotional health education into

formal structures such as schools, teams, clubs, camps, and cultural and

recreational events.

Learn about the cultural norms and practices you should take into consideration when addressing health issues with boys and with girls. Determine whether there are areas best left for local adults to address.

Education is usually part of the answer to behavior change. Learn what

parents and guardians want children to know about sex. If necessary,

determine who or what can influence parents on this issue to increase

information available to their children.

Find out which community members are likely to be most effective in

delivering messages about delaying sexual activity, preventing early pregnancy, and protecting against HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted

diseases (STDs).

Learn about how young men and women learn to communicate and interact with each other. Find out what the primary influences are in terms

of making life decisions. Look for ways to support those who teach these

skills.

Explore the kinds of recreational opportunities that are already available

for boys and girls. Consider ways you can support those in place or

create new ones.

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

In a Sports for Youth

Project in Belize,

Volunteers worked with

the Ministry of Health

and Sports to promote

amateur sports as an

alternative alcohol/drugfree education program.

Non-competitive/

recreational sports have

been a major focus of the

project, and to this end,

they succeeded in

reaching over 20,000

more Belizeans

participating in sports

programs in one year,

including Special

Olympics. Volunteers did

much to promote Special

Olympics in Belize,

working with the

organization to

encourage participation

by Belizeans of all ages.
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

42

WORLD OF WORK

Preparing young people for the world of work involves helping them develop a

wide range of knowledge, skills, and attitudes. Whether they live and work in a

large city or a small village, youth who develop competencies in the areas

listed below will enhance their contribution to the economic life of their family

and community and to their own personal growth. Youth development activities that are successful in helping young women and men prepare for participation in the world of work address many of the issues listed below.40

Action Ideas:

Develop an activity that will assist boys and girls

in applying formal learning to real-life work issues and situations.

Decide which of the following skills your activity will focus on developing:

• Literacy—including reading, writing,

listening, speaking, and various forms of

artistic expression

• Thinking and problem solving

• Self-esteem, self-management, and integrity

• Career development and decision making

• Interpersonal skills

1

2

In Bolivia, a Volunteer

helped set up a credit

fund for the children of a

vocational training

center. Her workshops

have enabled many

youth to start up and

adequately manage a

microbusiness, in most

cases generating an

income sufficient to

sustain them after

leaving the program at

age 18. This project and

this Volunteer’s efforts

are spreading to other

parts of the country.

Ways to Show Kids

You Care...39

Give them lots of compliments

Give them your undivided attention

Ask for their opinion

Let them tell you how they feel

Tell them what you expect of them
Part Two: Creating Credibility, Addressing Sustainability, and Building Capacity

Peace Corps 43

• Taking directions, working with others toward common

objectives

• Managing resources such as time, money, materials, and staff

• Understanding and analyzing data and information

• Use of technology

• Skills for a particular job or career—relevant to the labor market

Create activities that guide young men and women in making informed

career decisions.

Include follow-up and/or referral opportunities to workshops and classes

to support participants in taking the next step in their career development.

3

4

Girls and the

World of Work

You may want to choose

an activity that provides

specific support to girls

who are often

discouraged directly, or

in more subtle ways,

from pursuing education

that will help them

participate in the world

of work at higher-skilled

levels. Making life

choices based on one’s

interests and abilities can

be a challenge for young

people. Family,

community, and cultural

expectations may result

in tensions between what

a young man or young

woman wants and what

the community demands.

It is always important to

work closely with your

community and with

local Counterparts to

ensure that your

activities are acceptable.

The national government envisioned that the Peace Corps would pilot

a project in which street children and child servants, for example, would

be targeted for placement in a six-month vocational training in five

municipalities. The youth who were selected mostly by the municipalities (semi-urban) were not the street kids but rather youth who

usually had finished eighth or 10th grade. Most of these kids did well

with the vocational training. Our experiences working with children in

rough life situations like the kid living off the streets teach us that life

skills must be initially addressed and relationships with the kid

established before you get the child talking about Ohm’s law and

electric current as a junior electrician. Trust must be built, which takes

time and follow-up. Ensuring success with a youth who has had more

schooling and socialization initially may set the foundation for a

program that can do real outreach and select a few of the really tough

cases later on. Starting with only the most difficult youth does not

ensure success.

— Youth Project Technical Trainer, Nepal

As part of teaching

entrepreneurial skills to youth,

Volunteers in Guatemala

organized field trips to different

museums located in the capital so

as to develop the interaction skills

between children and their

environment.
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

44

ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP

Encouraging young men and women to be involved in the lives of their communities in positive ways serves a number of important purposes. It empowers

them as they experience their importance to the community in which they live.

The energy and idealism youth bring to activities can make possible goals that

had otherwise seemed unattainable for a community. Equally important, it provides other community members a chance to value youth as contributing citizens. The benefits both to young people and to their communities are tremendous. Adults see youth as resources to the community and young men and

women are empowered to be involved in civic projects as they grow older.

Successful citizenship building work takes the ideas below into account to ensure that both youth and the community benefit from the activities.41

Action Ideas:

Ensure that the activity meets an actual need in

the community.

Make certain that it improves the quality of life

for the people served.

Use the activity to help girls and boys develop a

sense of caring for and about others.

Help young men and women collaborate actively and directly with the

adult community members during the course of the activity.

********

A Volunteer in Tonga’s youth project worked with the Tonga National

Youth Congress to conduct the first-ever, and very successful, National

Youth Empowerment Forum. With the Volunteer’s guidance and

support, the planning was done entirely by youth leaders and entailed

inviting speakers, designing workshops and programs, securing

locations, organizing social activities, and coordinating housing and

transportation. The objectives of the event were to provide a forum

where youth leaders could share ideas from their villages, offer

educational workshops that could be duplicated in local villages, and

have speakers address current youth issues.

1

2

3

4

In Latvia, fora were

organized where youth

discussed responsibilities

of living in a civil society,

democracy, the

environment, human

rights, and conflict

resolution. In Bulgaria,

a 10-day environmental

festival included a

number of community

service projects.
Part Two: Creating Credibility, Addressing Sustainability, and Building Capacity

Peace Corps 45

40 ASSETS, EIGHT ASSET TYPES42

An important contribution to our understanding of assets building is being made

by the Search Institute of Minneapolis, Minnesota. From 1989 to 1999, it surveyed over a million youth in the United States. It has identified 40 developmental assets that correlate with positive outcomes for young men and women,

here grouped into eight asset types :

ASSET TYPES

External Internal

1. Support 5. Commitment to Learning

2. Empowerment 6. Positive Values

3. Boundaries & Expectations 7. Social Competencies

4. Constructive Use of Time 8. Positive Identity

Asset types 1-4 are external. The external assets are located in the environment in which a young person grows up. They include the opportunities and

relationships provided to young people by their families, schools, or communities during their childhood and adolescence. Asset types 5-8 are internal. The

four internal asset types are the knowledge, skills, and attitudes that healthy

individuals develop in the course of their childhood and adolescence.

We know that the similarities of youth needs and issues the world over are

much greater than their differences. With appropriate care in its application,

we can look to this research-based framework for important insights into the

work Volunteers do. In the next section, we describe the asset types based on

the research, share some examples of how Volunteers have worked with communities to strengthen and build on the assets available, and offer some suggestions to consider when planning work with young people in your community.

After reading the descriptions of the different asset types, you may wish to use

the “Youth Development Assets in Your Community” tool on page 81 to determine the specific developmental assets that are appropriate to support each

asset type in your host culture. Discuss with your Counterpart and your APCD

how to use the asset-type framework to support the goals and objectives of

your project plan.

EXTERNAL ASSET TYPES

Titles of Volunteer activities are in quotation marks in the text of this section.

For more details on how to run each one, see “Part Four: Promising Activities,”

an alphabetical catalog of information and tips that begins on page 113.
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

46

Type 1: Support

Findings:

Young men and women need to have fulfilling relationships with adults

on whom they can rely as they grow and develop. They need to feel

supported by their families, have positive relationships with adults outside their families, and feel that the institutions in their communities

sustain them. Young people who experience this kind of support are less

likely to engage in a variety of negative behaviors as they grow up.

While support may look different in different cultures, what seems to

matter most is that the young person experiences adults around him or

her as caring and having high expectations.

Experiences:

Increasing urbanization and outside cultural influences are eroding the

strong connections that traditionally exist between young people and

adults in many of the communities served by the Peace Corps. Volunteers have found ways to work with communities to counteract this trend.

They have facilitated mentoring relationships between youth and adults.

Involving parents in the activities organized for children and youth when

this is possible, and including local adults in all phases of the planning

and implementation, have increased the sustainability of the best

activities.

Before involving young people in Ecuador in the “Adolescent Community Baseline Needs Assessment,” the Volunteer started by getting parent approval. The “Future Farmers Club” in Zambia invited local government officials, representatives from NGOs, and veterinarians to speak

with young people about their work. The “Take Our Daughters to Work

Day Conference” in Morocco and the “Take the Students to Work Day”

in Suriname introduced young people to adults in the community in a

variety of professions. Volunteers have encouraged partnerships between

teachers and students to design and implement educational activities in

their communities. In Moldova, they brought together teachers and

students from different schools for “Peer Training Seminars for Reproductive Health Education.” In St. Vincent, a Volunteer organized the

“Comprehensive Language Improvement Plan” and noted the increased

self-esteem of students whose teachers took interest in them in the after

school hours.

• Inform parents of activities you undertake with youth and

involve them when possible. “The first most important step

to getting started is community and parent approval.”

— A Volunteer in Ecuador

SOME

TIPS

AND LESSONS

LEARNED

1

Permission slips and

calendars of events

work well for this
Part Two: Creating Credibility, Addressing Sustainability, and Building Capacity

Peace Corps 47

• Look for ways to build connections between youth and other adults

in the community. One Volunteer reflected on her experience: “If I

had it to do over again, I would have OBSESSED over finding

other interested Romanian adults. It’s the only way to ensure the

continuation of your project locally after you leave.”

— A Volunteer in Romania

• Remember that relationships matter. Take every opportunity to get

to know the youth in your community as individuals and encourage other adults to get to know them also. The young people will

feel valued and everyone will benefit from what they have to offer.

“Have a positive attitude, and have fun!”

— Volunteers in the Slovak Republic

• Ask youth who will be involved in an activity what

kind of support they need or want.

MORE

TIPS

Type 2: Empowerment

Findings:

Empowerment means enabling young people to participate in meaningful ways in their communities by providing them with the opportunities

and skills to do so successfully. It does not mean that young people

operate without guidance or supervision from adults. In fact, adults are

2

Ways to Show Kids

You Care...43

Laugh at their jokes

Listen to their favorite music with them

Catch them doing something right

Tell them how much you like being

with them

Be silly together
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

48

responsible for creating a physically and emotionally safe environment

for young women and men by ensuring that activities are properly supervised, intervening when necessary to ensure that youth learn skills

to solve problems and manage conflict.

Experiences:

In many communities in which Volunteers are working, young men and

women are expected to make significant contributions by working in

the family’s farm or business or by caring for younger children and

performing household tasks. Volunteers have often facilitated opportunities for youth to become involved in their communities in other ways.

These have included brief events such as “Earth Day on the Street,” a

sidewalk art competition in Romania, and the “Water Restoration

Project” in Paraguay in which young people participated in reforestation activities over several years that built on the work of previous Volunteers and community members. As the Volunteer involved in the latter found, “Without the support of the local youth, this project could

never have been accomplished.”

In The Gambia, a Volunteer organized the “Health Newsletter,” composed of articles written by young people about prevention of HIV/

AIDS and sexually transmitted infections; another Volunteer involved

the members of a “Library Club” in Lesotho in repairing books. In Romania, a Volunteer created a “Big Buddies Club” in which secondary

school students spent a few hours a week with younger children living

in an orphanage, played games with them, took them on outings, and

introduced them to the Volunteers’ own families.

Volunteers have empowered young people by allowing them to participate in same-sex activities so that they can feel completely free to express themselves without the constraints that can exist in mixed groups

at this age. Some of these have included the “Girls Empowerment Workshop” in Tanzania, “Camp GLOW” in the Slovak Republic, “Girls Community Basketball Training” in St. Vincent, and the “Men’s Health

Clinic” in Jamaica.

• Ensure that all young people feel physically and emotionally safe in the context of the activities you run. Remember, “the Volunteer is responsible for everyone’s safety. In

a crisis, it’s the job of the Volunteer to be the leader. Establish this early, but in a way that does not discourage the

students’ initiative and leadership development.”

— A Volunteer in the Kyrgyz Republic

SOME

TIPS

AND LESSONS

LEARNED
Part Two: Creating Credibility, Addressing Sustainability, and Building Capacity

Peace Corps 49

• Involve youth in the decision making. As one Volunteer put it, “A

group decision will help the members feel more invested.”

— A Volunteer in Ecuador

• Provide young people with age-appropriate leadership opportunities. One Volunteer found that “in the process of helping the

[younger] children out, the [secondary school students] gained

insight into activism, leadership, and self-empowerment.”

— A Volunteer in Romania

• Empower youth by involving them in decision making at

all stages and levels of youth development activities. Be

sure they are properly trained and informed to do this;

otherwise you may set them up for failure.

• Make sure you have an appropriate adult-to-youth ratio, which can

vary widely depending on the age and needs of the young people:

One adult for every four youth for younger populations and one to

15 for older youth in unstructured environments. The ratio can be

one to 30 youth in somewhat structured settings and much less for

highly structured environments, like sports, where youth leaders

are engaged and everyone knows the rules.

• Provide opportunities for young men and women to join same-sex

groups, such as clubs or camps, where they can feel free to participate fully and express themselves in a safe environment.

• Find ways to include youth in projects that are not specifically

designed for them.

Type 3: Boundaries and Expectations

Findings:

Youth need consistent, age-appropriate boundaries and high expectations in their families, schools, and neighborhoods. They need to be

surrounded by adult role models and peers who support safe and healthy

behavior. They also need guidance and the opportunity to learn to make

responsible decisions as they grow.

MORE

TIPS

3
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

50

Experiences:

Volunteers have found a variety of ways to involve local adults in

activities that send clear messages about safe and healthy behavior. In

Ghana, Volunteers provided training for local teachers in a health education activity called “Healthy Bodies, Healthy Schools.” As part of the

“Reproductive Health Football Camp” in Zambia, young men learned

from their coaches about both football skills and sexual health. In “Take

the Students to Work Day” in Suriname, local adults served as role

models in activities designed to encourage boys and girls to stay in

school, while the “Life Skills Training” activity in Honduras used men

and women in the community to conduct workshops about healthy

decision making for young people.

Discuss appropriate behaviors and expectations with Counterparts and

other adults in your host community. Many Volunteers report learning

the hard way about the need to be clear in setting rules and consequences

for breaking them when working with youth groups. Involving youth in

determining ground rules for activities can be effective in both creating

commitment to them and developing their skills in managing their own

behavior.

• “Set expectations for behavior and consequences when the

rules are broken. Follow through.”

— Volunteers in the Slovak Republic

• Involve young people in developing ground rules for activities.

“On the first day of the group, ask the members to make a poster of

group rules. Tell them you expect them to stick to these rules. Consider developing a point or grade system.”

— A Volunteer in Ecuador

• Look for positive role models among the youth and adults in your

area and involve them in your activities. One Volunteer found that

messages delivered by “role models from the capital increased

awareness of responsible sexual reproduction.”

— A Volunteer in Zambia

• Build decision-making skill development into activities for

youth whenever possible.

SOME

TIPS

AND LESSONS

LEARNED

MORE

TIPS
Part Two: Creating Credibility, Addressing Sustainability, and Building Capacity

Peace Corps 51

Type 4: Constructive Use of Time

Findings:

Young people need an opportunity to participate in a variety of constructive activities during their leisure time. Such activities provide informal opportunities for skill development, stress relief, and contact

with positive social networks. The Convention on the Rights of the Child,

signed by many countries in which the Peace Corps works, asserts the

rights of children to rest and leisure and to engage in play, appropriate

recreational activities, and the cultural and artistic lives of the community. Many young people in communities served by the Peace Corps are

very busy with activities that are essential to their communities, their

families, or their own survival, leaving them little, if any, time to devote

to “leisure” activities. Volunteers have found, however, that many young

people both need and desire participation in recreational clubs, camps,

or events.

Experiences:

Volunteers have created an array of activities to enrich the lives of young

people through sports, arts, and culture. An Ecuador Volunteer worked

with street youth to design and create murals (“Mural Painting with

Youth”). In St. Vincent, a Volunteer organized “Girls Community Basketball Training” while another planned a “Youth Football Tournament”

in his community in Ghana.

In Mongolia, the “English Language Drama Festival” provided a creative outlet for young people studying English, as did an “After School

Theater Group” in Ecuador. The “Holiday Carnival” in Romania brought

a diverse group of children together for a celebration. At “Camp Peace

Corps” in Togo, Volunteers from neighboring communities offered a

half-day of games designed to introduce youth to the projects in which

the Peace Corps was involved in their area.

A Volunteer in Namibia helped students and their teachers plan and

raise funds for a two-week “Bus Tour,” while another Volunteer in the

Dominican Republic helped youth to “Produce and Sell Dolls” as a

fundraiser for an orphanage. And Volunteers in Nicaragua and Suriname

have opened their homes to provide informal literacy and art activities

as well as a safe place to laugh and talk (“Volunteer Open House” and

“Geography Game”).

• Encourage all young people to become involved in recreational or artistic activities, even if only occasionally. A

Volunteer who helped youth organize their own bus tour

noted: “The primary purpose of this activity was to edu4

SOME

TIPS

AND LESSONS

LEARNED
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

52

cate the students...about the cultural and geographical diversity of their country and region. The secondary purpose was pure enjoyment.”

— A Volunteer in Namibia

• Look for ways to build on or support activities that already exist in your host community.

• Keep competition low-key to encourage more participation and fun.

• Be aware of gender roles in your community and consider

their impact on leisure activities. What are appropriate leisure and sports activities for girls? For boys?

INTERNAL ASSET TYPES

The second group of assets involves internal attitudes, skills, and behaviors.

Whether a girl or boy is born with these innate dispositions or they are developed under the caring guidance of adults, the result is a more confident and

competent person.

Type 5: Commitment to Learning

Findings:

A young person who is committed to learning in all its rich and various

forms is well on the way to becoming a resilient adult, able to face the

challenges of a rapidly changing world. Studies have shown, for example,

that when a girl is educated she will have fewer children and her children are more likely to be healthy and well educated. In some communities served by Volunteers, formal schooling is limited and restricted to

a small number of youth. In other communities, educational opportunities may compete for attention with a variety of distractions.

Learning can take place in many contexts. It can occur at home, on a

field trip, at a camp or club, and in the community as well as inside a

classroom. Whether in school or in other contexts, it is important to

emphasize the intrinsic rather than external rewards for learning. Creating support for educational programs can work to provide educational

activities for adults as well. This is especially helpful in communities

where adults have not had many opportunities in the past. If parents and

guardians are also learning, they are more likely to support their children in doing so.

MORE

TIPS

5
Part Two: Creating Credibility, Addressing Sustainability, and Building Capacity

Peace Corps 53

Experiences:

Volunteers have supported the commitment-to-learning asset type by

helping build a school climate that encourages cooperative relationships

among students, teachers, parents, and others in the community. By

designing an after school class based on the “Comprehensive Language

Improvement Program,” a Volunteer in St. Vincent provided support to

young people in improving their writing skills. “Computer Skills Training” taught youth in Belize and Paraguay useful skills for the modern

economy.

Two Volunteers in Suriname created a “Geography Game” that they

played with children on their front porch. A Volunteer in Nicaragua

opened her home to boys and girls in her neighborhood on a regular

basis and provided informal reading and math activities (“Volunteer

Open House”). The “English Language Summer Camp” in Mongolia

allowed interested students an opportunity to improve their English skills

during the school holiday.

A number of Volunteers have created activities that focus on girls. The

very popular “Girls’ Magazine” in Conakry, Guinea, invited young

women and men to write about gender issues. And in Bulgaria, Volunteers organized an annual “Women’s Essay Contest” in which contestants are given the topics in advance and encouraged to discuss them

with others in their community.

• “Start reading or telling stories to kids in the nearby school,

in the library, and in front of your house.”

— A Volunteer in Nicaragua

• Encourage young people to read “by exposing them to the community library...books, encyclopedias, atlases, and reference

books.”

— A Volunteer in Lesotho

• Be a good role model. “Always save time for yourself for reading

and creative art, too!”

— A Volunteer in Honduras

• “Be careful with prizes and gifts...it can take away their intrinsic

desire to read.”

— A Volunteer in Nicaragua

SOME

TIPS

AND LESSONS

LEARNED
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

54

• In some contexts Volunteers have found that experiential learning

works best: “Play lots and talk little. Use practical learning, no

educational lectures.”

— A Volunteer in Honduras

• Consider holding special activities for girls such as girls clubs and

tutoring programs. “Girls empowerment workshops provide an

effective start in inspiring girls to set higher expectations for themselves and to pursue their dreams.”

— A Volunteer in Tanzania

• After a computer training course, a Volunteer recommends, “Invite

parents to visit the classroom toward the end of the course, or to

the certificate ceremony, and let them see where and what their

children have been doing.”

— A Volunteer in Paraguay

Type 6: Positive Values

Findings:

The Search Institute identified six positive or “pro-social” values that it

has found to affect adolescent behavior in positive ways: caring, equality and social justice, integrity, honesty, responsibility, and restraint with

respect to early sexual activity and use of alcohol and drugs. Values are

strongly linked to culture. These values appear to be supported by many

US Americans regardless of age or ethnicity,44 but others may take precedence in your host community. It is important to work closely with

Counterparts and other local adults in designing and implementing

activities that address them.

Holding pro-social values does not always translate into behaving in

accordance with them. Young people may behave in opposition to an

expressed value when they believe their behavior will help them achieve

a different, but important, goal such as a love relationship or peer

approval. However, if young women and men are surrounded by adults

and other young people who promote caring, responsibility, social justice, restraint, and other pro-social values they will come to understand

their importance.

Experiences:

In large and small ways, Volunteers have encouraged children and young

people to develop positive values or reinforced the ones already being

6
Part Two: Creating Credibility, Addressing Sustainability, and Building Capacity

Peace Corps 55

taught by others in the community. This encouragement may come in

the form of seemingly small gestures, such as picking up trash or speaking in a caring tone. It may also be built into educational activities that

help young people examine specific values and practice using them.

“Life Skills Training,” a workshop in Honduras, provided young people

with skills and practice in making responsible life choices and building

caring interpersonal relationships. The “Environmental Camps for Youth

Leadership” in Honduras used experiential learning activities to teach

about the environment and provided opportunities for out-of-school

youth to engage in community service. Another Honduras Volunteer

taught positive values along with practical skills in “Making Wooden

Trash Bins.”

In Zimbabwe, a Volunteer worked with local adults to organize a “First

Aid Workshop” to help secondary school students develop the skills to

help in medical emergencies. Young people learned about healthy relationships and sexuality in “Peer Education Seminars for Reproductive

Health” in Moldova and the “Reproductive Health Football Camp” in

Zambia. The most successful activities are those in which Volunteers

work closely with local adults and recognize that the adults are the best

interpreters and spokespeople for their community’s values and culture.

• Work closely with your Counterpart(s) to determine how

best to promote the community’s positive values. One Volunteer provides this advice to those planning to address

sexuality issues: “Try to gauge a group’s comfort level discussing sexuality before the sessions on this topic. Then

you can tailor your approach to sexuality to reach them

more successfully. Discuss this with your Counterparts and

invite a respected local facilitator for discussions of sensitive topics.”

— A Volunteer in Honduras

• Model positive values in small and large ways and expect young

people you work with to do the same. “We played with the [basketball] teams and assisted in promoting sportsmanship and other

positive behaviors by modeling them ourselves.”

— A Volunteer in St. Vincent

SOME

TIPS

AND LESSONS

LEARNED
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

56

Type 7: Social Competencies

Findings:

Social competencies enable young men and women to navigate relationships with confidence. They include the ability to plan and make

decisions; show empathy, sensitivity, and friendship; be comfortable

with people of different backgrounds; resist negative peer pressure and

resolve conflicts nonviolently. Fortunately, many programs have been

created over the years to help adolescents develop social competencies.

Those that build decision-making skills have been found to be especially effective when they begin in early adolescence, focus on real life

issues, and help young people examine a variety of options, think through

the positive and negative consequences of these options, and make a

plan.

Parents are especially important in helping young people develop strong

interpersonal and conflict resolution skills. Programs that support parents and other important adults in their efforts to teach these skills may

be a very effective way of reaching youth.

7

After receiving training,

Jamaica Volunteers

helped develop behavior

modification programs

and facilitated trainings

in conflict resolution.
Part Two: Creating Credibility, Addressing Sustainability, and Building Capacity

Peace Corps 57

Experiences:

In addition to modeling good people skills, Volunteers have worked

alongside local adults to develop activities that teach younger members

of society. Activities include the “Youth Leadership Conference” in

Ghana, the “Life Skills Training” activity in Honduras, the “Girls

Empowerment Workshop” in Tanzania, “Camp GLOW” in the Slovak

Republic, and the “Peer Education Seminars for Reproductive Health”

in Moldova.

The “Holiday Carnival” in Romania has as its primary goal the promotion of friendship and understanding between HIV-positive and noninfected youth. Other activities, such as the “Volunteer Open House” in

Nicaragua and the “Environmental Camp for Youth Leadership” in

Honduras, have infused the building of social skills into activities whose

primary purpose was to teach about the environment, art, or health.

• A Volunteer who planned peer education seminars for reproductive health advises: “Identify qualified nationals to

volunteer as seminar leaders. We preferred young adults

of college age who recognized the concerns and values of

youth.”

— A Volunteer in Moldova

• “Invite a local role model such as a nurse, doctor, mayor, priest,

teacher, judge, pastor, local political leader, farmer, or homemaker

to participate in the [life skills] workshop where appropriate.”

— A Volunteer in Honduras

• “Local facilitators should be used...to ease communication and

delivery of each session’s topics with an emphasis on practical

activities rather than lectures and classroom type lessons.”

— A Volunteer in Lesotho

• “Provide a safe forum for interaction among children from diverse

social backgrounds...to promote the values of equality, respect,

and understanding.”

— A Volunteer in Romania

• “Encourage healthy cooperating. Teach conflict resolution skills

to help them when there are arguments.”

— A Volunteer in Honduras

SOME

TIPS

AND LESSONS

LEARNED
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

58

• Always model good people skills.

• Find ways to integrate social skill building into your other sector

activities.

• Design training activities in decision-making and resistance skills

that focus on real life situations and provide plenty of opportunities for role playing and other kinds of practice.

Type 8: Positive Identity

Findings:

A central task of adolescence is identity development. This is defined

as developing high self-esteem with purpose in one’s life, a positive

view of the future, and a sense of personal power over what happens.

The last of these components may be more important in cultures that

value individualism over collectivism. Depending on the cultural context, young people may be expected to move more toward self-reliance

and independence or toward determining their role in supporting the

community. In most cultures today young people will need to do both

to varying degrees.

Individualism and Collectivism

Identity development is strongly influenced by whether one grows up in

a culture that tends to be “individualist” or one that tends to be “collectivist.” We share definitions of these terms here to help you understand the

identity development tasks that youth in your culture may be facing:45

Individualist: The individual identifies primarily with self, with the needs

of the individual being satisfied before those of the group. Looking after

and taking care of oneself in a self-sufficient manner guarantees the

well-being of the group. Independence and self-reliance are greatly

stressed and valued.

Collectivist: One’s identity is in large part a function of one’s membership and role in a group, e.g., family or work team. The survival and

success of the group ensure the well-being of the individual, so that by

considering the needs and feelings of others, one protects oneself.

Harmony and the interdependence of family and group members are

stressed and valued.

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Peace Corps 59

Experiences:

To promote positive identity development, Volunteers have developed

mentoring and educational activities that allow young people to learn

about different career options and that provide them with life-planning

education. Some of these activities are aimed at girls, who can be particularly vulnerable as youth. At the “Take Our Daughters to Work Day

Conference” in Morocco, grade school girls from rural villages came to

a mid-size city nearby for several days of activities that included time

with female mentors in their homes and workplaces as well as training

to help them think about options for their future. The “Take the Students

to Work Day” in Suriname created similar opportunities for both boys

and girls.

A Volunteer helped a group of youth in Armenia create a “Youth Credit

Union” to learn about banking and money management and to promote

the idea that financial institutions, if properly managed, can be trusted.

In Ecuador, young people were encouraged to explore their feelings

through “Expressive Art” activities. The “Men’s Health Clinic” in

Jamaica was designed to focus specifically on young men’s health

concerns one day per month. In addition to health services, the clinic

provided counseling, job, and education-related services.

Volunteers have created recreational, cultural, and environmental

activities that provide opportunities for leadership, service, and interactions with supportive adults and peers. They have also taken the time to

build one-on-one relationships with young people outside any formal

activity. Helping youth to feel their inherent self-worth, independent of

performance and achievement, is a crucial task for every member of the

community.

• Build strong, positive one-on-one relationships with youth

and help other adults do the same. For “Take Our Daughters to Work Day” and similar activities a Volunteer recommends: “Assign one student per worker if possible. This

provides individual attention and encourages the development of a mentoring relationship between the career counterpart and the student.”

— A Volunteer in Suriname

• “[Don’t] be too harsh on absenteeism. Those students who are not

interested will simply stop coming. That means you’ll only have

truly committed students by the end of the training program.”

— A Volunteer in Armenia

SOME

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Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

60

PLANNING, IMPLEMENTING,

AND EVALUATING A YOUTH

DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITY

PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTING A YOUTH

DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITY

How you plan and implement activities with youth will depend on a number of

factors. The questions and answers below are designed to help you determine

how to best proceed.

Nearly all Volunteers are assigned to a Peace Corps project in one of the following sectors: Agriculture, Business Development, Education, Environment,

Health, and Youth Development. Each of these projects is based on a project

framework or plan consisting of a common purpose, goals and objectives. The

objectives consist of planned activities and desired changes. This project plan

is designed with numerous project stakeholders, including former Volunteers

and Counterparts, and should fit within host country priorities.

If you are working with youth as part of the Peace Corps project to which you

are assigned, reexamine the project plan, particularly its objectives (both the

activities and desired change) and goals (long-term impact).

In this sample, observe how the youth activities are represented in the project

plan.

This work is too

important to be boring.

— Youth Delegate

UN Environment Conference

Turkey

Ways to Show Kids

You Care...46

Encourage them to help others

Tackle new tasks together

Encourage them to think big

Help them learn from their mistakes

Point out what you like about them
Part Two: Creating Credibility, Addressing Sustainability, and Building Capacity

Peace Corps 61

OBJECTIVE GOAL

Activities Desired Change Long-Term Impact

Train out-of-school youth 250 peer educators will train Goal 1

in waterborne disease 5,000 out-of-school youth in In-and-out-of-school

prevention through camps. disease prevention through youth will protect themdramas and puppet show selves from waterborne

competitions. diseases.

If you were planning this activity with your Counterpart, your focus would be

on identifying the action steps, people, resources, and target dates to achieve

what has been written and agreed to. Project plans outline the key activities.

There may be other associated actions you will need to take prior to doing

those in the project plan. This section stresses youth participation and should

give you information to help you work on the capacity-building component as

you co-plan the activities.

What if your idea of working with youth is not part of the Peace Corps

project plan?

Consult with your Counterparts and supervisors to determine the acceptability

of the idea of working with youth and its role in reaching project goals and

objectives. Once you have their agreement to proceed with their help and the

help of other colleagues and friends, discuss your ideas with some youth. From

those initial discussions, identify those youth who want to participate in the

activity and link the youth and Counterparts in ongoing dialogue and action. It

is useful to document discussions and write the negotiated plan and agreements. The notes and planning documents capture agreements for future reference and guidance, while the process of writing provides opportunities for more

skills transfer.

What if you are asked by a local organization to take on a particular activity

or become involved in an established program for young people?

First, you need to determine whether this program can fit into your primary

project. Consult with your Counterpart, youth, supervisor, and appropriate stakeholders in the project. If the response is positive, hold a meeting with those in

the project and with those who have made the request about the implications of

becoming a part of the larger project. Take steps to integrate the activity or

youth program into the project by submitting written amendments in the style

of the original project plan. If the ultimate decision is not to include it in the

project plan, see the response to the next question for ideas on how to handle

that.

Youth as

Counterparts:

Volunteers in PC/

Paraguay’s youth project

found a big benefit

to having youth

counterparts in addition

to official adult

counterparts from

institutions. As

counterparts, youth

leaders can help

extensively with the

planning and

implementation of

projects.
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

62

Whether or not community support and interest are evident, you and your

Counterpart will want to integrate highly participatory consultative and decisionmaking processes into your work with youth. Therefore, before you agree, consider talking to the stakeholders and assessing whether youth participation will

be acceptable to everyone.

What if an activity emerges from your own interests, the relationships you

have built, or opportunities in the community you have assessed?

In this case, you may have more flexibility and possibly more challenges. Whom

do you work with? Why them? What is the desired change? Who is interested

enough in this activity to help support it and sustain the effort? Examine the

Community Action Cycle in this chapter and also read I Have a Great Idea—

What Do I Do? p. 63, An Ecuador Volunteer Finds Meaning in Hair, p. 72,

and Katie in Costa Rica, p. 72.

If the activity remains outside the project plan, secure APCD approval. Regarding documentation, you have options. Writing is nearly always a necessary

part of the planning and reporting processes. The Peace Corps is always interested in receiving reports of all Volunteer work and accomplishments. The report

helps us tell our host governments what we do. It also helps writers of manuals,

like this one, to share lessons learned with other Volunteers. Keeping in mind

the ways your experience can benefit others, please report on the activity to

your APCD.

Regardless of the activity you choose, keep the concept and practice of youth

participation in the forefront of your work. Don’t forget to laugh and have fun!

WHAT MAKES AN EFFECTIVE YOUTH

DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITY?

Over the years, the Peace Corps has defined and refined characteristics that

lead to successful youth development activities. We urge you, your Counterparts, and the youth involved in planning your activity to use these findings to

formulate goals and to consult them periodically to make adjustments along

the way.

Effective youth development activities:

Are Safe and Fun

• Engage young people safely in the activity in a way that is enjoyable

and appropriate to their age and stage of development.

• Communicate with and encourage the involvement of parents or

guardians.

In Samoa, a Volunteer

gave music training in

choral and vocal

techniques to over 600

youth and adults, and

worked with youth

leaders in developing

concerts and

performances.
Part Two: Creating Credibility, Addressing Sustainability, and Building Capacity

Peace Corps 63

I Have a Great Idea—What Do I Do?

If you come up with an idea that is not part of any project plan, think about it carefully and discuss it

with your Counterpart, your APCD, and other local adults. Remember to apply your growing crosscultural knowledge to the planning process. Growing up is a process of becoming a part of society,

of learning its values and a particular way of life. When we work with youth, we are involved in this

process of growing and learning, whether we are aware of it or not. Working with youth means that

we are involving ourselves with the ways in which a society reproduces and creates itself. For these

reasons, it is critical that we carefully examine our ideas for working with youth. Do they apply to the

culture of the country and society in which we are working? Are the values implied by the assets and

interventions suggested by this book acceptable in the local society in which you now live and work?

Without a clear and acute sense of cross-cultural understanding, your work with youth may be futile

or, worse, counterproductive.47

As Culture Matters,

48 the Peace Corps manual of cross-cultural understanding, points out, it is

important to examine your behavior and values as well as those of your host country and ask, “Is this

universal...cultural...individual?”

Use the following steps to assess whether an asset or activity is applicable in your host culture:49

1. Wait... Observe...

Take your time. Learn as much as you can. Note similarities and differences in the way people

act in your host country and the way you would expect people to act back in the U.S. One value

that most Americans have is a “Let’s get going” attitude. Slow down. An activity started slowly

with a firm understanding of local values and attitudes will be much better than one started too

soon without that understanding.

2. Play it out in your head...

Think it through with “If...then” statements. What is likely to happen if your idea comes to life?

Will community elders think that you are threatening community values? Can this be avoided?

Will parents understand what the young people with whom you are working are doing?

3. Ask...

There are usually “cultural informants” in your community. Certainly, your Peace Corps staff can

help you. Ask them about your plans and about local behaviors you don’t understand. Cultural

informants also may be host-country nationals who have lived or studied overseas. Individuals

with experience in the U.S. and in the host country can often clarify and explain things and help

you avoid mistakes.

Be mindful of how you ask cultural questions. For instance, in societies that put a very high value on

hospitality to guests, the question you ask, such as “Can I wear short pants in the field?” may get a

very different answer than the question “Do women wear shorts in the field?”

As you discuss potential activities with Counterparts, ask them to think about others you can consult.

Ask their advice. Listen to their ideas. Invite them to help you formulate goals and decide how to

meet these goals in the context of your Project Plan, the national development plan, and any

community level plans.
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

64

Facilitate Growth

• Involve young women and men in decision making at every step of

the life of the activity.

• Have clear objectives.

• Teach tangible skills.

• Prepare youth for adult life.

• Encourage youth to reflect on, discuss, and process what they have

learned.

• Recognize young people for their involvement.

Promote Citizenship

• Address a real community need, issue, or problem.

• Encourage local youth and adults to collaborate as partners.

• Promote good communication and encourage youth to apply and share

knowledge learned with the community.

• Train and support youth and Counterparts in leading and replicating

activities. The Volunteer serves primarily as a facilitator.

Are Simple

• Are easy to understand and inexpensive to implement.

• Use locally available materials.

The most effective activities will include each of these characteristics. These

criteria were used in selecting the “Promising Activities” provided later in this

manual. While an individual activity may be stronger in one characteristic than

another, the strongest move toward addressing them all.

YOUTH PARTICIPATION:

WHAT IS IT?50

Youth participation in all phases of the planning, implementation, and evaluation of youth activities is a basic principle of the Peace Corps’ work with young

people. Youth participation means providing opportunities for youth to take on

greater responsibilities and, through these real world experiences, to build competencies and develop into successful adults. Youth learn by doing and being

actively involved in the process. Adults should serve as coaches or mentors,

answering questions and helping identify and develop needed skills.
Part Two: Creating Credibility, Addressing Sustainability, and Building Capacity

Peace Corps 65

Participation means asking young men and women for their opinions and

listening to what they have to say. It meansrespect for the competence of youth,

appreciation for the potential they have for further development, and a belief in

the common dignity and worth of all persons regardless of age or ability.

Participation and partnership mean giving youth challenging, responsible roles,

as well as the training and support they need to succeed in those roles.

Empowerment means giving youth authority to make decisions within the policy

constraints of the organization and activity. It is the staff’s role to ensure that

the constraints are honored. This is the partnership. Adults have an important

role in its harmony.

When given opportunities, generally speaking, young people will not intentionally make decisions to put people or the program at risk. If they make such

decisions, and receive calm and respectful feedback, they will generally examine the concern carefully and make changes if they think the concern is valid.

This is the youth’s side of the partnership agreement. If you treat them as respected partners, they will act as partners, rather than people in need of close

supervision and direction.

I have found that youth

in non-Western cultures

are much more open to

activities and

participating than those

in the U.S. I was a high

school teacher in the

U.S. and the contrast

between youth and their

willingness to participate

is incredible...youth

living in impoverished

circumstances, refugee

camp settings, who are

internally displaced or

who spend...time on the

streets have not had the

opportunity to participate

in such activities and

therefore welcome

anything new.

— Youth Volunteer, Costa Rica51

The partnership relationship is one that you build. This may not happen right

away. Youth may test you for a while to see if you are sincere in your interest in

partnership. If you remain constant in your respect for them and their autonomy

yet do not support work outside of the boundary of your agreements, you will

have a greater chance of earning and keeping their respect.

Remember that youth empowerment is not the goal of all cultures. In many

cultures youth are expected to speak when spoken to, do as they are told, and

ask for and not give answers. The sex of each youth can affect their levels of

participation in group activities. For example, gender roles often assign more
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

66

power to males or define specific arenas within which males and females are

expected to contribute. Yet, even if youth empowerment is not a priority, most

societies seek to promote responsible, productive, constructive behavior in their

young people. A youth participation strategy can be effective in achieving these

objectives.

The Ladder of Participation (see figure on page 67) provides a way to view

youth participation in community projects. The bottom three rungs of the ladder

represent activities and projects in which young women and men are not involved in the decision making. The top five rungs represent degrees of youth

participation.

The bottom rung, manipulation, is a type of deception where youth voices and

images are used in adult-initiated and -run activities in ways that appear as if

youth are participating, but, in actuality, the young people have no understanding of the issues and do not receive feedback on their input.

The second rung, decoration, is where youth are involved in an adult-initiated

activity. The youth have no understanding nor say in organizing. Unlike the

lower rung where a deception is occurring, at this level adults do not pretend

that the activity is youth-initiated.
Part Two: Creating Credibility, Addressing Sustainability, and Building Capacity

Peace Corps 67

THE LADDER OF PARTICIPATION

Adapted from Sherry Arnstein’s work on citizen involvement and Roger Hart’s work on children’s participation.52

8

7

6

1

2

3

4

5

8. Child initiated, shared decisions

with adults

7. Child initiated and directed

6. Adult initiated, shared decisions

with children

5. Consulted and informed

4. Assigned but informed

3. Tokenism

2. Decoration

1. Manipulation

Note:

1-3 = Non-participation

4-8 = Degrees of participation
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

68

The third rung, tokenism, occurs accidentally by well-intentioned adults who

want to give youth a voice, but have failed to think through the participation

carefully and adjust to youth communication styles and needs for preparation.

While they may seem to have a voice, the youth are not given an appropriate

opportunity to choose the subject or form an opinion.

Roger Hart refers to social mobilization as the prime example for the fourth

level, in which youth are assigned roles but they are informed by women

and men. An example would be youth engaged in an environmental campaign

where everyone, youth and adults, is expected to get involved. Youth may be

fully informed and prepared to carry out a genuine task, but the situation is

another example of adults directing youth.53

The fifth level, in which youth are consulted and informed by men and

women, refers to projects that have strong youth input and wherein the youth

remain informed about the project. Like the fourth level, these are adult-run

projects. At the next level, shared decision making begins.

Women and men initiated, shared decisions with youth, describes the sixth

level. Many projects are for the benefit of people of all ages in the community

and at this level youth input is serious and valued. Hart maintains that this is an

important level of involvement whereby the adults can foster a sense of “competence and the confidence to participate” in youth participants. He adds that if

the adults and youth cannot operate at this level, it is unlikely that they can

operate at the higher levels of the ladder.54

The two top rungs represent those projects that are initiated by youth and in

which youth are integral to the decision-making process. The seventh level,

youth initiated and youth directed, refers to youth-for-youth activities. The

noteworthy point here is for adults to recognize the youth activities, allow them

to happen, and not try to control them. In some instances, the adult role may be

to create favorable environments for the activities to occur.

Hart contends that the highest level of participation that youth can attain is

youth initiated, shared decisions among men and women. It is at this level

that the youth are sufficiently “competent and confident in their roles as members

of the community” and that they comfortably collaborate with adults without

forfeiting their voice and control.

We urge you to strive toward activities that are at or moving toward the top of

the ladder, but keep in mind the words of Roger Hart as you do so:55

“While the upper levels of the ladder express increasing degrees

of initiation by children, they are not meant to imply that children should always be attempting to operate at the level of

their competence. The figure is rather meant for adult facilita-
Part Two: Creating Credibility, Addressing Sustainability, and Building Capacity

Peace Corps 69

tors to establish the conditions that enable groups of children

to work at whatever levels they choose. A child may elect to

work at different levels on different projects or during different phases of the same project. Also, some children may not

be initiators but are excellent collaborators. The important principle is to avoid working at the three lowest levels, the rungs

of non-participation.”

THE COMMUNITY ACTION CYCLE56

Planning and implementing a youth activity should follow the typical process

that a community moves through as it identifies its priorities and takes action to

make desired changes. This process is outlined in the diagram below. Communities may be at different stages of this process in various activities when you

arrive. Your activities with youth may fit into any stage of the cycle with new or

existing projects.

THE COMMUNITY ACTION CYCLE

EXPLORING THE

SITUATION &

SETTING PRIORITIES

Where are we now?

Where do we want

to go?

EVALUATING &

CELEBRATING

TOGETHER

How did we do?

What did we learn?

GETTING

ORGANIZED &

IDENTIFYING

RESOURCES

Who are we?

Be sure to include

youth

PLANNING

TOGETHER

Project Design – Overall

Strategy, Resources, Goals &

Objectives, Action Plan,

Budget, M & E Plan

COMMUNITY

ACTIONS

Mobilize Resources,

Implement, Monitor, Report

Go ahead with plan

If you and a group in the community are developing a large activity, forming a

planning committee can be helpful. You may want to consult the “Advisory
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

70

Boards” tool on page 95 for ideas about how to choose people for your committee. Be sure to consider including the following people:

• A diverse group of young people. They bring insights of the aspirations

and needs of youth in different circumstances and they know how to reach

their peers.

• Youth who currently have some leadership role, formal or informal, in

the groups of youth you would like to involve in the activity.

• Community leaders such as business people, community elders, adult board

members of non-governmental and community-based organizations, and

elected officials who are concerned with the issues you want to address.

They are people who can make something happen. They have the power to

“accredit” and support your activity or to stop it, and they can also help you

access resources.

• Community professionals/technical experts in the public and private

sectors and government officers who work with youth and/or have expertise in the issues you are looking at. This will help ensure that the activity is

technically well planned and is eventually institutionalized.

• Concerned adults including parents or guardians who will be able to work

as partners with youth.

The “Planning Tools” and “Managing Group Dynamics” activities on pages 92

and 96 may be useful as you and your committee move forward. Once your

committee has formulated an idea that is supported by youth and adults in your

community and has a sense of how to move forward, it is probably time to do

so. Keeping in mind that midcourse corrections are necessary even in the most

carefully planned activity, take your first steps and see what happens.

Youth Friendly Meetings

That Adults Will Enjoy Too57

Regardless of the kind of activity you choose, you will probably be

holding meetings of some kind. Keep the following in mind when planning even informal gatherings:

• Keep it simple—little or no paperwork, simple talk.

• Keep it informal—hold short meetings with food provided.

• Let them talk; LISTEN and nod; ask simple expanding questions—

don’t interrogate them, don’t ask “WHY?”
Part Two: Creating Credibility, Addressing Sustainability, and Building Capacity

Peace Corps 71

One Volunteer offers some advice.

A Few Tips on Working With Girls58

...that can work for boys too

As Volunteers working, or trying to work, with adolescent girls, we all share some commonalities

regardless of our location or sector. Our behavior is critical to our success.

Here are a few tips that might be helpful to keep in mind:

1. Good impressions are vital. Work within the cultural norms. If parents are to share their

children with you they need to know you respect their moral behavior and codes.

2. Your initial months at site are for you to learn about your community and, in turn, have your

community learn about you. Take advantage of this time and begin this process with no

preconceived notions.

3. Once the girls in your community begin to share their concerns with you, try to reach a

consensus. Formulate a clear and simple goal and then work hard to facilitate its creation.

But remember—it is their activity, not yours.

4. If the girls in your community voice a desire to do something you are not knowledgeable in,

don’t panic. Work to find who can transfer the skill or knowledge they desire and act as a

catalyst. In the meantime, you can be using your In-country Resource Center to familiarize

yourself with the subject.

5. Know that working with girls will require many “extracurricular activities.” These include visits

to parents, addressing parents’ complaints and suspicions, and dealing with the extra sensitive nuances that working with adolescent girls entails in many of the countries in which we

serve. Be delicate and patient, for this alone can make or break an activity.

6. Once the implementation of the activity begins, involve the girls in every step of its execution

and monitoring. In other words, let your group plan its work and identify its own leaders. If

changes need to be made, let your group identify them and make them.

7. If the activity involves a training component, train while working, not through formal training

courses. In addition, if dealing with a high percentage of less-literate girls, devise fun visual

aids and methods to convey the information.

8. Keep the lines of communication open between you, leaders, sponsors, and the girls themselves. Become friends with the participants and listen to their concerns. Give credit where

credit is due. Do not take praise for the activity, but do ask for feedback.

9. If things are not working out, talk about it, find out why, and then try again.

— A former Volunteer in Tunisia
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

72

An Ecuador Volunteer Finds Meaning in Hair59

At the request of a Volunteer working at an orphanage in the capital city of Quito, the AfricanAmerican Volunteer support/awareness group Black Out paid a visit to her place of work. Twenty-five

little girls live in the orphanage, nine of whom are black. Although the children‘s caretakers do a

great job with their limited resources, they simply did not know how to care for the hair and skin of the

black children. Upon arriving at the orphanage, we encountered a room full of wonderfully energetic

girls ranging in age from 5 to 14. After making our introductions, we split into two teams. One group

of Volunteers entertained the non-black children with games so that they would not feel left out of the

activities. The other group taught the black children and their caretakers the art of maintaining black

hair. Judging from the varying states of disarray of the heads before us, we were going to have our

hands full—literally.

We began by talking about self-esteem and sisterhood. Then we gave them a lesson on using

ordinary household goods like eggs, oil, aloe, and bananas to care for their hair and skin. Finally, we

went to work combing, greasing, and braiding. As we practiced the ancient ritual of the laying on of

hands with a comb in one hand, some grease in the other, and a child between our knees, the

conversation centered on geography, life, and the stack of Essence, Ebony, and Emerge magazines

we had brought. That’s when it happened! At some point in the evening, the room transformed itself.

Time, place, language, and nationality fell away and became meaningless. Our kinship and love

were conveyed by the texture of healthy hair, the glow of oiled black skin, the smiles of everyone

enjoying this moment of connection, and the wonder in the eyes of a child discovering her beauty. By

the end of the night, we were all changed and our bond as a people was solidified. We realized that

our strength lay in our diversity. Being “black,” or more correctly “a child of Africa,” does not mean that

we must speak the same language, act the same, have similar beliefs, or live in a certain neighborhood, city, or country.

— A Volunteer in Ecuador

Katie In Costa Rica

In 1997 I had the pleasure of visiting a site where a youth Volunteer, Katie (not her real name), was

just settling in to her community and told me she didn’t know why I was visiting, since she hadn’t

really done anything yet. She really didn’t know how far she had gone. After all, she’d only been incountry for about 10 months, at her site for only seven. How far could she have possibly gone, since

she was only just starting to feel fully comfortable with her community? As a Youth Volunteer, Katie

was hoping to really make a difference—help kids read, teach hygiene education, see some of

them actually go on to high school or even college!—but she knew it would take so much time. She

would have to wait to see changes in the community, but she knew that she had to get the trust of

the community first, before helping them push themselves to improve their lives. So she went about

her daily life as so many Volunteers do—doing some work, meeting a few people, going to the store,

figuring out the best way to wash her clothes, keeping up with her exercise routine.

(continued)
Part Two: Creating Credibility, Addressing Sustainability, and Building Capacity

Peace Corps 73

It was her jogging that she really lived for in those beginning days. At first, Katie didn’t know how the

community would react. Her training taught her that the customs and culture of the area might not

take well to a woman jogging around town in shorts, but she checked with some people she had

grown to trust, and they didn’t seem to mind. Katie was perfectly safe in her town as she jogged

down the beaten path of the river, across the old rail bridge tinged with light coppery rust, and back

down the light dusty road, past her rented house and onto the grounds of the school where the boys

playing soccer would stop, nearly tripping over themselves, to watch her run by as they wondered

exactly who this gringa was.

As she got to know more of the youth in town, some of them would come out to jog with her. It was

the boys at first who, with slight trepidation, asked if they could join her. She enjoyed their company,

but the boys soon realized this jog was a lot of work. At some point, some girls started jogging too.

Short distances and just a handful at first, but they started meeting Katie at her front gate when she

was ready to start her routine. Over the period of a few weeks, she had well over 12 girls jogging with

her full-time—more than the number of boys. Once in a while, a mother or two would even join them.

Katie was sure that it was pure fancy and just the mothers’ way of ensuring that their daughters were

being taken care of, but she enjoyed the extra company anyway.

It wasn’t too long before Katie decided to expand the jogging to include more physical activities—

volleyball, sprints, basketball, and the ever-present soccer. The girls continued with her, the boys

right by her side, and the mothers joining in every once in a while. It still was only 10 months into her

service, but Katie was feeling good about her time so far—she met some neat youth, she got to

meet some of their parents, and she could jog to her heart’s content. Now if only, she thought, she

could get some work done, teach them something, lead them to improving their lives. How could I

tell Katie that she had forever already done this? The boys in the community were now participating

with an adult for the first time on something that BOTH enjoyed doing. The girls had started athletics

—unheard of in her community before then. And the parents—the mothers getting involved in jogging? How could I tell Katie she had so perfectly encouraged her new home to change and she had

done it so successfully...?

— Peace Corps Country Desk Officer

(continued)
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

74

What about Harmful

Cultural Practices?

As you learn more about your community you may encounter practices and

rites of passage that are not considered positive outside the culture in which

they are practiced or a particular subset of that culture. Consider the following advice from a former Volunteer when deciding how to address this:61

Outsiders cannot tell communities that these [practices] are wrong.... [They

can] find groups of individuals in a community who do not advocate for

these rituals and work with them...change is difficult, but when the information is given [about why certain practices] are harmful...a community

can begin to understand and look for alternatives. Volunteers need to be

extremely careful when expressing their opinions on these topics, as they

can become “an enemy” of a community quicker than most realize....

[In one community where unsafe rituals of passage were used many] young

people believed that if they did not participate they could never be leaders

or influence the community.... We offered a Peer Education project where

youth developed leadership skills and opportunities to act as agents of

change within their community. Peer education officers and adult trainers

from the community who went through these rituals and did not want young

people to suffer these things stepped forward to do the training. No outsiders were involved in the direct implementation of training or discussions.

Many times young people are not spoken to about their bodies and its

functions and, once these youth were educated on topics, they were able

to present to the community their opinions on alternative ways to enter into

adulthood.

— A Volunteer in Costa Rica

Ways to Show Kids

You Care...60

Love them, no matter what

Empower them to help themselves

Ask for their opinion

Introduce them to people of excellence
Part Two: Creating Credibility, Addressing Sustainability, and Building Capacity

Peace Corps 75

EVALUATING ALONG THE WAY

We typically think of evaluation as a serious, often scary, accounting that takes

place at the conclusion of an activity to determine whether the goals have been

met. In fact, evaluation works best if it is interesting or even fun for those

involved and part of the entire life of an activity.62 Making evaluation an ongoing part of any activity will allow you to fine-tune your work along the way.

Preparing for evaluation should be part of your planning process. As with all

other stages of an activity, both the design of the evaluation and its administration should involve youth and local adults. Thinking about how you will know

if you have been successful in reaching your goals can help you design a better

activity from the start. Reframe your goals as evaluation questions. For example,

you might ask some general questions:

• Are we informing parents and other significant adults of our activities with

youth? How have we involved these adults in the activities?

• Have youth been involved in the decision making at the planning, implementation, and evaluation stages of this activity? When has this worked

well? What could we do differently next time?

• Are young people learning tangible skills? What are they and how can we

measure them?

• Am I serving primarily as a facilitator? Am I training youth and local adults

to replicate and continue the activity when I leave?

You can gather information in the journal in which you record your own observations, and ideas about how to improve your activity. Reread the notes you

take and jot down your reflections. Conversations with the youth you work

with can also provide useful information. Ask them informally the questions

you are asking yourself about the activities you are engaged in together.

It can sometimes be difficult to get honest feedback about an activity with

which you are closely associated. Participants may not want to be impolite by

being critical. Consider asking a local adult or youth to talk to participants

informally, or conduct more formal interviews, or focus groups, to evaluate

your activity. Be sure to also seek feedback from parents or guardians, your

Counterpart, and other local adults in evaluating your activity.

You can use a variety of other tools in designing your evaluation. Traditional

measures include very specific things such as attendance rate, number of books

read, or performance on a pretest and posttest. If you decide to use tests or

quizzes to collect data, remember that young people may have had negative

experiences with tests in the course of their formal schooling. Be sure to present

them as tools to evaluate the activity, not the participants.
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

76

Evaluation forms or questionnaires can be useful in collecting information.

You can use a simple questionnaire with a numbered scale to ask participants

to rate different aspects of your activity. If participants have good literacy skills,

you can also invite written narrative comments as a part of a feedback form by

asking such questions as: What part of this activity was most helpful? What

part of this activity did you find least helpful? What suggestions do you have

for improvement?

Better yet, be creative and use the resources of your host community in creating evaluation tools that are fun such as:

• Games • Role plays

• Simulations • Art or music activities

What is most important in designing and conducting an evaluation is choosing

methods that draw on the skills of the youth and adults gathering the information and sharing it with each other and others who can benefit from it. Be sure

to consult the sample “Evaluation Tools” on pages 109-110 for some specific

ideas.

Ways to Show Kids

You Care...64

Ask them about themselves

Share their excitement

Ask them to help you

Learn what they have to teach

Be flexible
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Peace Corps 77

Reading Non-Verbal Signals63

As your activity progresses, keep your eyes and ears open for signs that things

are working or that something may need to be adjusted. Non-verbal cues can be

particularly helpful in assessing how you are doing.

1. Attendance. If people don’t come, it may not be meaningful to them. Look

for:

• Too much talk/no action

• Too much confusion/no facilitation

• Too much control by staff or one or two members; no sharing of responsibility.

Low attendance can also mean it is too difficult to get to the meeting. Time

and transportation can limit attendance.

2. Enthusiasm. Look at what gets people excited. When do people pay

attention and generate ideas? What gets people down? Watch for sighs,

side looks, side conversations. Remember that different cultures display

enthusiasm differently.

3. Clarity/confusion. Check people’s understanding. Confused people often

don’t ask questions. They think they are the only ones confused. Watch for

blank looks and long silences. Encourage questioning. Different cultures

have different non-verbal signals for confusion.

4. Complaining. Even if the complaints are unfair, look for the dissatisfaction or frustration behind them. There may be something else going on.

Look for a lot of “but” statements, or disruption or rudeness in meetings.

5. Follow through on plans. Many volunteer groups don’t have good followthrough. Your job includes being a “cheerleader,” encourager, and advisor. If

follow-through is very poor, help the group check its commitment to the

activity/task; group morale; leadership of the group or the task; and whether

the task is too ambitious or too big.

6. Growth in membership. If the group grows, something is going right.

It’s meeting some needs. If it doesn’t grow, that’s a good sign that it’s not

tuned in to the needs of those it’s serving. Look into this. If males start

showing up at a predominantly female group, the needs being met may not

be the ones you had in mind. Likewise, if the refreshments or other perks

are good, youth may come for them and not for the mission.

All these points are subject to interpretation. They are signs that you need to do

some investigating, not that you necessarily need to change anything. Also,

remember that non-verbal signals can vary with youth from different backgrounds

or cultures.
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

78

SAYING GOODBYE

Acknowledging the end of any relationship is important. When adults and youth

are working together, it is particularly important for the adults to be sure that

this is done well. Look for ways to bring closure to your relationship.

I started easing into the goodbyes only a month before I left. Reason: if

you vocalize it earlier, then all of the interactions from that point are

based on your leaving and this can be a painful and drawn-out process.

I started handing over professional responsibilities much sooner. I started

easing out and becoming a sideline player with eight months left in

service.

As my goodbyes, I took my closest friends, young and old (one or just a

few at a time), around and we took pictures, silly ones or fun ones or

work-related photos. Then the last week, I had them all developed and

we all got together and made memory books and talked about what we

wanted to have happen in our futures, and then we wrote them in our

books. On the back of each book, I wrote my address and we talked

about it being their responsibility as much as mine to write. Also, with a

close friend, I left enough money to cover the charges for paper or mailing so that my friends (young and old) all had the opportunity to keep in

touch. This was the last week, and then I slid out of my site as quietly as

I had come in. I had also written a small creative story for the children I

worked with and left a copy for each of them explaining goodbyes and

such.

This way things were casual, we had a project and something to reflect

on, and the goodbyes were with smiles and not tears. Last memories

are lasting ones. Make yours a celebration in your mind.

— A former Volunteer in Guyana
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Peace Corps 79

When you leave...

• Participate in all the farewell dinners and parties.

• Find ways to express your gratitude to young men and women who

have been special friends/colleagues through small gifts, dinners,

lunches, certificates, public recognition...

• Take the youth who have been leaders in your work to meet with key

collaborating partners, agency staff, and business contacts in order

to facilitate their capacity to follow up after you leave.

• Give away materials and resources that were helpful to you such as

contact lists, books, and your laptop.

• Exchange contact information for correspondence.

• When you get home, follow up with letters or e-mail. This can be

difficult to sustain for a long period of time, but can help you and the

youth you worked with early after your departure.

— A former Volunteer in Thailand
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

80
Part Three: Tools, Techniques, and Games

Peace Corps 81

TOOLS, TECHNIQUES,

AND GAMES

The following items make up a helpful collection of reminders and descriptions of

useful tools, techniques, and games. They are referenced in the “Being With Youth”

and “Promising Activities” sections of this manual (p. 7-18 and 113-218, respectively).

They are divided into five categories: Assessment, Planning, Implementation, Evaluation, and Games, Songs, and Other Activities or “60 Things to Do on the Spot.”

ASSESSMENT TOOLS65

FOR VOLUNTEERS...

In addition to these assessment tools, consider adapting the tools for youth that

begin on page 89.

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT ASSETS

IN YOUR COMMUNITY

Growing up is more than a matter of getting older. Childhood and adolescence

are a process of becoming a part of a society. It is the process of learning the

values and mores of a particular way of life. As U.S. Americans, we have grown

up to value such ideas as independence, self-reliance, and personal freedom.

We believe that “all men are created equal” and that “anyone can grow up to be

president.” We learned these and other values from our families and our teachers. We learned—and practiced—them in the clubs and teams of which we are

a part. We learned them consciously and unconsciously. As you certainly know

by now, not all societies put the same emphasis on these values as we do.66

PART
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

82

Adapting the 40 Assets to Your Host Culture

The 40 assets identified by the Search Institute and described in the table on the

next page have been found to be important to youth in the United States. The

eight asset types into which the 40 assets are grouped are described in detail on

pages 45-59. They are:

• Support • Commitment to learning

• Empowerment • Positive values

• Boundaries and expectations • Social competencies

• Constructive use of time • Positive identity

While the eight asset types seem to be widely accepted, the specific developmental assets needed to support each asset type may vary in different cultures.

For example, spending time at home (asset 20) may not be as important in

many cultures as spending time with family and community members who are

engaged in farming, microenterprise, or other economic or social activities

outside the home. Achievement motivation (asset 21) and placing a high value

on promoting equality (asset 27) may not be assets and may even be liabilities

in cultures where status is ascribed. Cultures that value saving face may not

value honesty (asset 29). Planning and decision making (asset 32) may be less

important in cultures that do not share our linear concept of time. Holding a

positive view of the future (asset 40) may not be helpful in cultures that see the

future as in the hands of a higher power or fate. Finally, it is important to note

that the framework focuses heavily on relationships with schools and parents,

either of which may be absent for the youth with whom you work.

For each of the eight asset types consult with your Counterpart, other local

adults, and local Peace Corps staff to answer the following questions as you

plan your activities with youth in your host community:

• Are the developmental assets that support this “asset type” important in

your culture? If not, are there others that might be substituted?

• Do these assets already exist in your community?

• Without spending a lot of money or starting up new programs, how can you

work to provide them or to strengthen those that already exist?

• How do the assets affect boys and girls differently?

ASSET TYPES

Support

Empowerment

Boundaries & Expectations

Constructive Use of Time

Commitment to Learning

Positive Values

Social Competencies

Positive Identity
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Peace Corps 83

40 Developmental Assets

by Search Institute (reprinted with permission)

EXTERNAL ASSETS

ASSET TYPE ASSET NAME DEFINITION

1. Family support • Family life provides high levels of love and

support

2. Positive family • Parent(s) and young person communicate

communication positively and young person is willing to seek

advice and counsel from parent(s)

3. Other adult • Young person receives support from three or

relationships more non-parent adults

4. Caring neighborhood • Young person experiences caring neighbors

5. Caring school climate • School provides a caring, encouraging

environment

6. Parent involvement • Parent(s) are actively involved in helping young

in school person succeed in school

7. Community values • Young person perceives that community adults

youth value youth

8. Youth as resources • Youth are given useful roles in the community

9. Service to others • Young person serves in the community one

hour or more a week

10. Safety • Young person feels safe at home, at school, and

in the neighborhood

11. Family boundaries • Family has clear rules and consequences and

monitors the young person’s whereabouts

12. School boundaries • School provides clear rules and consequences

13. Neighborhood • Neighbors take responsibility for monitoring

boundaries young person’s behavior

14. Adult role models • Parent(s) and other adults model positive,

responsible behavior

15. Positive peer • Young person’s best friends model responsible

influence behavior

16. High expectations • Both parent(s) and teachers encourage the

young person to do well

17. Creative activities • Young person spends three or more hours per

week in lessons or practice in music, theater,

or other arts

18. Youth programs • Young person spends three or more hours per

week in sports, clubs, or organizations at

school and/or in community organizations

19. Religious community • Young person spends one or more hours per

week in activities in a religious institution

20. Time at home • Young person is out with friends “with nothing

special to do” two or fewer nights per week

Boundaries and

Expectations

Empowerment

Support

Constructive

Use of Time
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

84

40 Developmental Assets

(continued)

INTERNAL ASSETS

ASSET TYPE ASSET NAME DEFINITION

21. Achievement • Young person is motivated to do well in school

motivation

22. School engagement • Young person is actively engaged in learning

23. Homework • Young person reports doing at least one or more

hours of homework every school day

24. Bonding to school • Young person cares about her or his school

25. Reading for pleasure • Young person reads for pleasure three or more

hours per week

26. Caring • Young person places high value on helping other

people

27. Equality and social • Young person places high value on promoting

justice equality and reducing hunger and poverty

28. Integrity • Young person acts on convictions and stands up

for her or his beliefs

29. Honesty • Young person “tells the truth even when it is not

easy”

30. Responsibility • Young person accepts and takes personal

responsibility

31. Restraint • Young person believes it is important not to be

sexually active or to use alcohol or other drugs

32. Planning and • Young person knows how to plan ahead and

decision making make choices

33. Interpersonal • Young person has empathy, sensitivity, and

competence friendship skills

34. Cultural competence • Young person has knowledge of and comfort

with people of different cultural/racial/ethnic

backgrounds

35. Resistance skills • Young person can resist negative peer pressure

and dangerous situations

36. Peaceful conflict • Young person seeks to resolve conflict

resolution nonviolently

37. Personal power • Young person feels he or she has control over

“things that happen to me”

38. Self-esteem • Young person reports having high self-esteem

39. Sense of purpose • Young person reports “my life has a purpose”

40. Positive view of • Young person is optimistic about his or her

personal future personal future

Social

Competencies

Positive Values

Commitment

to Learning

Positive

Identity

Copyright © 2000 by Search Institute. All rights reserved. This chart may be reproduced for educational, noncommercial use only (with this

copyright line). No other use is permitted without prior permission from Search Institute, 700 S. Third Street, Suite 210, Minneapolis, MN

55415; 800-888-7828.
Part Three: Tools, Techniques, and Games

Peace Corps 85

OBSERVATION67

Observation means gathering information through all five senses. Our observations are always colored by our culture, upbringing, and personal experience.

Because we put our own interpretations on what we notice, observations can be

used as a reliable source of information only when they are directed at what we

want to know, learn, and understand and when they follow a fixed plan so that

things are observed in a thorough, efficient, and unbiased way. Observation is

a skill that must be learned.

Open or Unstructured Observation

As a Volunteer living in a community, generally you will be doing what is

called “participant observation.” In participant observation, the observer shares

the life and activities of the people in the community. Through participation,

you will get an insider’s view of what is happening. You can consider almost

everything you do with community members as an opportunity to conduct participant observation and to learn about the culture and community in which

you live. You might use participant observation to learn about “coming of age”

rituals, how youth spend their time, what formal and informal educational opportunities exist for boys and girls, or whether participation in certain youth

activities varies with gender, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status.

To make your observations focused and systematic, you need first to decide

what you are going to observe; you then need to record what you have observed for later reference. In fact, the difference between participant observation and casual observation is the recording of what is observed. Don’t trust

your memory! Record your observations daily in a journal; this journal can be

a useful reference for you, as well as other Volunteers who come to your site

after you leave.

There is only one important rule about making observations and taking notes:

Beware of adjectives! For example, instead of writing, “The daughter spent

less time on her studies than the son,” write, “She studied for approximately an

hour after she had cleaned the kitchen. He studied for about an hour before and

an hour after the evening meal.” Be concrete in your descriptions. While you

are writing, ask, “If someone else read this, would they be able to visualize

exactly what I observed?”

Structured Observation

Observations are described as structured when a list that contains a fixed number of points to notice is used and applied in a predetermined number of situations or with a predetermined number of people. Structured observations generally provide quantitative information. Perform structured observations only

after you have done quite a bit of unstructured observation so you can under-
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

86

stand exactly what you want to measure. You can observe performance (e.g.,

tasks like completing math problems or describing healthy behaviors). You can

gather information about duration, such as how long a person spends waiting

for a bus or cooking a meal. Structured observations can measure frequency,

such as how often boys and girls speak at a club meeting. They can also measure products such as the number of chairs, books, or pencils in a school.

ASKING QUESTIONS68

Knowing how to ask questions is one of the most important skills a Volunteer

can learn. What questions you ask and how you ask them will determine what

and how much you are able to learn from and communicate with community

members. Some question forms may be more acceptable than others; some

may be offensive. You will be able to learn and communicate just about anything if you ask the right questions in the right way! If you have set up an

interview with a youth or adult in the community, prepare a list of questions in

advance, but be ready to allow the conversation to take a different turn. If you

are not formally interviewing someone, be careful to ask no more than two

questions in a row. Rapid-fire questions in the context of an informal conversation can feel like an interrogation and shut down communication.

Some types of questions you might ask include:

• Experience/behavior questions help you find out about what a person does

or has done. They help you to obtain descriptions of experiences, behaviors,

actions, and activities that would have been observable if you had been

present. If it were Tuesday after school, what would you be doing?

• Opinion/value questions help you understand people’s goals, intentions,

desires, and values. What would you like to see young people doing more

of? Less of? What would you like to see the community doing for young

people? What would you like to see young people doing for the community?
Part Three: Tools, Techniques, and Games

Peace Corps 87

• Feeling questions help you understand emotional responses to a person’s

experiences and thoughts. How do you feel about your experience at the

health clinic?

• Knowledge questions help you find out what factual information the person

knows. How many children or young people in your family attend school?

Where do young men and women get together with their friends?

• Background/demographic questions help you understand the person with

whom you are speaking in relation to other people. They might include

questions about a person’s age, education, occupation, place of birth, and

relatives in the community.

• Ask closed-ended questions that can be answered with a “yes” or “no” or

another one-word answer such as: What school do you go to? Who is your

favorite singer? How many of you walked to this meeting today?

• Ask open-ended questions that encourage people to talk about what they

think, do, and feel such as: Would you tell me about what kind of work girls

do? Can you explain why you think participating in sports is a good idea?

Could you describe your typical day? Can you say more about why you look

up to her?

• Remember never to ask a leading question or one that suggests a specific

answer if your goal is to encourage young people to discuss an issue and

make their own decisions. Some examples of leading questions: Don’t you

think it’s bad for young people to drink alcohol? Isn’t it true that having a

party is the best way to get everyone involved?

• Use probing techniques, including being silent, repeating a sentence or part

of it, nodding your head, and maintaining culturally appropriate eye contact

and body position, such as avoiding crossing your arms or legs.

INFORMAL INTERVIEWS

One of the best ways to get to know the youth’s world on their terms and from

their perspective is to spend time with youth where they spend their day. Go to

a school or youth program and talk with the young people there. Youth may not

be open to a stranger coming in and interviewing them at first. It will take some

time to get to know the youth and become acquainted with them. Don’t intrude;

try to stay in the background and observe. Go to listen and learn, not to teach or

advise. This cannot be done in one visit. Eventually you will be able to ask

them about their needs, interests, hopes, aspirations, and everyday life. Listen

with an open mind. Try to really understand (not necessarily agree with) what

their views are and what their life is like.
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

88

Once you have gotten acquainted with the youth, one good discussion strategy

is to ask them how they spend their day. This will give you a good feel for what

their life is like. (Make sure they are telling you what they really do, not what

they think you want to hear.)

This exercise is especially useful with youth you begin to work with. After

talking with them, write down their answers and note the date the discussion

took place. Repeat this discussion several months later and compare notes. In

this way, you can judge what kind of impact you are having on the youth you

work with. If you see a change over time from aimless, destructive, or unproductive use of time to time spent in working toward a goal (job, education,

constructive activities, etc.), you can conclude there has been some positive

change for the youth. (Be sure you look at this through the values of the local

culture and not through American values concerning goal-directed behavior.)

Think about a specific youth (or youths) you know and write a brief description

covering the following points:

• Youth’s role in the community: youth’s perception and adult community’s

perception

• Expectations adults have of this young person

• What his or her family/home life is like

• Who the authority figures are and how he or she relates to them

• Strengths and challenges as a potential employee and/or student

• Lifestyle: how this young person spends the day and who he or she spends

time with

• Music, dress, or language that is unique

• Needs of this young person: as he/she sees them and as the community/

family sees them

• Hopes or goals for this youth for the future: youth’s perspective and family/

community perspective
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Peace Corps 89

FOR YOUTH...

(From “Adolescent Community Baseline Needs Assessment,” page 117)

THE COMMUNITY MAP

Community mapping can be used to orient a group of youth with regard to their

surroundings. They know their community very well but may never have tried

to describe it, let alone draw it. Divide the group into pairs and send them out to

draw certain sections of their community. Ask them to include as much detail

as possible, such as houses, streets, landscape, parks, where youth live, where

community leaders live, where clubs or social groups gather, and major buildings. Then ask them to come together and draw one large community map on

construction paper. Or try this in single sex groups first, then bring them together to discuss the two maps. Try the same with groups of youth and groups

of adults. Ask them to indicate places that are good for young people and places

that are not. Discuss the similarities and differences between the maps. Use

this visual representation of the community to determine what kinds of health

(or other) services are needed and where they should be located.

NOTE: You can use community mapping to orient yourself to your host community. Plan a walking tour early in your stay. Take a child or other community member with you. Ask your companion to point out where leaders live,

where important community centers are located, and any other places he or

she thinks you should know about. Try this a few times with men and women

and with boys and girls of different ages or backgrounds.

THE VENN DIAGRAM

Use this activity to orient the youth group. Have them draw a symbol for the

community’s youth in the center of a piece of construction paper, then draw

symbols for each community organization, social group, or institution, and locate

the symbol depending on how involved that particular organization/group/

institution is in the lives of the youth in the community. The symbols that are

placed close to the center of the construction paper are more involved than

those placed away from the center. The youth group can do this same exercise

with other topics also. This activity helps the young people see possible sources

of support for future activities. The diagram may also help them see where they

might want to focus some attention in order to improve communication between

youth and certain organizations of the community.
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

90

BRAINSTORM

This activity provides the meat of the needs assessment. The youth group brainstorms about what types of questions are appropriate for the needs assessment.

They also make a list of the questions they will ask the community’s youth

during their interviews. First, allow them to suggest any questions that come to

mind related to the topic (this is the brainstorming part). After they have made

a list, ask them to identify the questions that are relevant to the objectives of the

needs assessment. They should be questions about how the youth feel, what

they know, and how they think the problem can be addressed.

GROUP INTERVIEWS WITH

COMMUNITY YOUTH

These interviews are a lot of fun because they bring many opinions out into the

open. It is important that the youth group understands and explains to the 12-15

community youth that this is a session to record opinions and thoughts and not

to judge or discuss the topics. This is a survey type interview, not a dialogue.

The whole youth group should be involved in this activity. One person is in

charge of talking and asking the larger group of youth questions. This person is

also responsible for the tape recorder. Recording the sessions is important so

that the information can be reviewed in case something is missed. It is important that the interview be recorded anonymously. The rest of the youth group is

in charge of writing down what the participants say to the questions without

intervening in the interview. Each person should be in charge of writing the

responses of three to four participants. Before the interview, the youth group

should decide who will record which participants.

IN-DEPTH INTERVIEWS WITH YOUTH

These interviews are run with two to four individual youth from the community. The purpose of in-depth interviews is to delve into the topic. These interviews are also recorded and are anonymous. Only one or two youth group

members should be involved in the interview to ensure a comfortable environment for the person being interviewed. (See “Asking Questions” and “Informal

Interviewing,” pages 86-87, for more on this topic.)
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COMPILING INFORMATION

This is where a lot of the work comes in. The youth now divide up the information and compile the results. Each question should be presented and the individual responses written out, along with the statistics of how many females or

males responded a certain way to each question. This requires a lot of writing,

so it helps to find a computer.

PRESENTING THE INFORMATION

This forum with the community should be fun and festive. It should be a chance

for the youth group to impress the community with the information they have

collected and analyzed. The Volunteer can decide with the group how they

want to organize this presentation.
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92

PLANNING TOOLS

(From “Planning, Implementing, and Evaluating a Youth Development

Activity” pages 60-74.)

SOLUTION TREE69

The purpose of this exercise is to help people involved in planning to formulate

connections between their resources and their goals, discuss the concept of

“winnable victories,” and describe what incremental steps they will use to

achieve their goals.

Begin this exercise by selecting a local plant and drawing a picture of its seed

under the ground. Explain that this seed symbolizes the participants’ hidden

skills and knowledge. Draw a stem breaking through the ground and putting

forth leaves—representing the means of achieving their goals, and their goals/

dreams/hopes, respectively. Then draw roots leading from the seed down into

the ground. Explain that these help to nourish the seed and allow the plant to

develop. The roots symbolize resources within the community. Ask the participants what might be some of the resources necessary to support activities in

their community. Examples might be verbal encouragement, community recognition, human resources, material resources.

Finally, draw the plant giving off new seeds. This symbolizes empowering others or giving something of value back to the community; providing an example

of success encourages others. Discuss the fact that all parts are necessary, even

the seeds the plant gives off, if it is to regenerate itself. Make an analogy between the plant and a community—that both need to be nourished and grow in

order to flourish. Now, introduce Saul Alinsky’s concept of “winnable victories,” or the idea that in order for people to gain self-confidence, it’s necessary

to start small and “win” with small achievements or “victories.” If people try to

tackle something too big, they may not be able to see the progress they’re

making and become discouraged, thereby damaging their self-esteem. Ask the

group: “What are some goals that you’ve been able to achieve in the past?”

“What were some of the incremental steps, the ‘winnable victories,’ that inspired you along the way?” List these on large paper.

Have each group draw a large tree on paper or a chalkboard. Have them write

in a number of their skills and knowledge to represent their “seed” and their

selected hopes and dreams as the leaves. It’s okay if it’s a very large seed! Have

them also list what stems (the means) are necessary to go from skills to dreams,

and what roots (the resources) may be needed to support their activity. Just as a

plant has leaves at different heights, the groups should consider what “winnable victories” they will go for before reaching out for the upper heights of

their hopes and dreams.
Part Three: Tools, Techniques, and Games

Peace Corps 93

Have each group share its drawings with the large group and explain the different parts.

CHOOSING A “WINNABLE VICTORY”70

For some groups the one “winnable victory” may be obvious. For others, a

choice may need to be made among a number of options. When the group is

large or there seem to be a number of “winnable victories” on the table, consider the process below to help the group make its decision.

Write these criteria for effective youth activities on large paper or a chalkboard. Invite the group to consider the list and ask if anyone has criteria to add.

• Can include youth in the planning, implementation, and evaluation of the

activity

• Can have an immediate and visible impact on youth

• Is easy to do

• Is not costly in terms of money, time, energy, or status

• Is compatible with cultural beliefs about youth

• Is already a priority of other individuals, agencies, and organizations in the

community involved in youth work

• Other

Ask participants to propose “winnable victories.” List a maximum of five on a

large sheet of paper and number them. Invite participants to discuss them in

light of the criteria you have selected. Invite them to use the criteria to evaluate

each of the suggestions. Ask participants to write yes or no under each action

for each criterion. Add up the number of yes answers for each suggestion. This

will provide you with the “winnable victory” that this group feels best meets

the criteria.

NOTE: If two solutions are tied or very close, you have some options for how

to proceed. Consider doing both of them if you have the resources and skills;

if that is not an option, discuss them again. If there is more energy or enthusiasm for one than the other, choose that one—it is more likely to get done!
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

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FORCE FIELD ANALYSIS:71

ASSETS AND OBSTACLES

This exercise is designed to help participants identify both driving and restraining forces that might have an impact upon achieving a particular solution.

Begin by acknowledging that even achievable solutions or “winnable victories” will encounter many forces that contribute to their success or failure. Say

that one of the ways of analyzing potential activities is looking at all of the

forces that come into play.

Diagram and explain the force field analysis concept:

GOAL, OBJECTIVE, OR PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED

Driving Forces —> | <—- Restraining Forces

|

—> | <—-

|

—> | <—-

|

—> | <—-

(Forces favoring | (Forces resisting

 the change.) | the change.)

|

Have the group consider and record a list of driving forces and restraining

forces that can contribute to the success or failure of the activity.

Questions to consider:

• What strengths within the community will help the community or the activity to go forward?

• What key barriers exist that need to be addressed?

Have them break into small groups with each group selecting one of the

restraining forces mentioned. With the goal of “How can we overcome the

problem of _____?” have them do a second analysis on their own particular

restraining force. Groups will then report their findings back to the large groups.
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TASK ANALYSIS

This activity is designed to determine who might be best suited to fulfill a

particular task so as to fully utilize the available skills within a group.

Have the group brainstorm different tasks that would be necessary to achieve

the overall goal they have chosen. With the tasks listed on large paper, have the

participants pair up with each other and ask, “What skills would you need to

complete task #1?” Have the pairs work through the entire list and come up

with a related list of required skills, which they will report to the others. List

the skills on a separate sheet of large paper and have the teams match them

with the individual(s) most likely to be able to provide those necessary skills.

Consider also pairing people who want to learn a new skill with those who

already have it.

ADVISORY BOARDS

Advisory boards are helpful assets to outside groups who are interested in promoting development activities within a particular community. They can also be

assets for a community group, within an activity setting, that wishes to broaden

its base of support for or understanding of developmental activities.

Discuss what characteristics might be helpful in selecting individuals to serve

on the advisory board. For example, you might want people who are good

liaisons between the community and outside groups, people who have a good

idea of the inner workings of the community while at the same time are knowledgeable about how NGOs/government ministries operate. Have each person

write down as many characteristics as he or she feels are important. Ask a few

volunteers to share their lists with the large group and then have the group

select their top 10 components. Taking the top 10 list, have each person write

down individuals within their communities whom they feel possess these characteristics.

Ask a few participants to share the names and occupations of the top five people

on their lists, requesting that the group listen for any patterns that might exist

(e.g., schoolteachers, mothers, religious leaders, etc.).

Make a list of people the group agrees would be good to have on the advisory

board and decide how you will invite them to do so.
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IMPLEMENTATION TOOLS

MANAGING GROUP DYNAMICS

FACILITATING GROUP DISCUSSIONS

As a Volunteer, you may be in the position to facilitate meetings and discussions. Learning group facilitation skills will be useful for you, your Counterparts, and the youth you work with. Here are some tips for successful meetings.

Getting Started

Create a comfortable environment. Choose a location that is free of distractions. Set up chairs and/or tables in a circle or semicircle. Provide refreshments

if possible. Greet people as they come into the room. Wait a culturally appropriate amount of time for the participants to arrive, and then open with an

explanation of the purpose of the meeting, how long it will last, and the agenda.

Consider using an icebreaker to motivate or involve young people in the discussion.

Setting Ground Rules

All groups benefit from establishing ground rules for how they will work together. Agreeing on ground rules at the beginning of a group’s work together

can help the group manage conflict later. Ask the young people to work in pairs

or small groups to come up with answers to the question “What can we do to

help this group work well together?” (Then make a common list.) Some useful

ground rules might include:

• Avoid interrupting • Participate

• Be respectful • Listen openly

• Encourage others • Speak for yourself

• If you have a problem with • Have fun (but not at the

someone, speak directly to expense of another)

that person

1

2
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Managing the Discussion

Your role as facilitator is to ask questions that help the group talk about the

topic they have come together to discuss (see “Asking Questions” on page 86

for more on this), to encourage everyone to be involved in the discussion, if

necessary, and to remind participants of the ground rules.

If you are facilitating a youth group or a group that includes youth and adults,

it is particularly important to make sure everyone feels free to speak. In every

group, there will be quiet members and those who are eager to speak up. Your

job as facilitator is to make sure that everyone who wants to contribute has the

opportunity to do so. Following are some “typical” kinds of participants and

tips on how to manage their participation.

• Dominant participants—Avoid eye contact, turn away slightly, call

on others, and politely explain to the talkative participant that you’d also

like to hear from other people.

• Shy participants—Use eye contact to encourage their participation,

observe them closely for signs that they want to speak, ask them easy questions.

• Leader participants—Be aware if one member seems to be an informal leader that others look to before they make decisions. Draw out other

participants, but be sure not to insult the leader. He or she can be helpful in

moving the group forward.

Be sure to consider any cultural issues that might be affecting participation and

work with your Counterparts or other adults to determine how to address them.

If it is inappropriate for males and females to discuss certain topics together,

for example, you may want to break the group in two.

Don’t worry too much if the discussion moves into areas that were not on the

original agenda. Part of creating a supportive environment involves allowing

young people to talk to each other freely. A group may need to do this in order

to feel comfortable together, particularly in the early stages of its development.

Toward the end of the meeting time, gently pull the group toward a discussion

of agreements or next steps. Groups can be very efficient if they have been

given the time and freedom to get to know one another and develop trust.

Closing the Meeting

Be sure to close the meeting. Ask participants to summarize their decisions and

what they will do next. Choose a date and time for the next meeting or activity

and thank everyone for participating.

4

3
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SOME ICEBREAKERS

Human Knot

Tell the participants to form a big circle facing inward and to stretch out and

cross their arms in front of themselves. Then ask them to close their eyes,

slowly advance toward the middle of the circle, and grasp one other participant’s

hand with each of their own hands. Be sure that three hands do not join and that

participants are holding hands, not wrists. Tell participants to untangle the knot

without letting go. They may end up in two or more circles.

All Aboard

Choose a tree stump or another item that is heavy and stable. Explain to participants that it is their job to get everyone onto the tree stump and stay there for 10

seconds, or fewer if you have a big group and a small stump.

Spider Web or Cobweb

Have participants form a circle. Give one a ball of string, yarn, or cord and ask

this participant to say his or her name and share one other piece of information,

such as a hobby or favorite food, then toss the ball to someone else. When

everyone is connected, you can disentangle the web in reverse order. This time,

before returning the ball of string to the one who passed it to him/her, have

each person try to repeat the information that was presented by that person.

You can structure this activity to fit the objectives of the workshop by asking

participants to share an expectation or a question about the topic at the beginning, for example, or an action that will take place after the workshop is over.

Processing Icebreakers or

Group Dynamics Exercise72

Use the questions below to help participants examine how they work together

and what might be getting in their way. The following questions can help your

group process the experience:

• Did everyone contribute some suggestions toward the solution? Why or why

not?

• Did anyone take on the role of group leader? What did that person do to

cause you to identify him or her as the leader?

• What were some examples of helpful leadership?

• Did conflicts arise in the group? How were they handled?

• In what ways did working as a team make you more successful? In what

ways did it hinder success?

1

2

3

4
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MANAGING CONFLICT

Whenever people come together there is a potential for conflict. The fact that

conflict exists is not bad in and of itself, for we can learn to communicate and

work with people even when we disagree. Properly managed, conflict can provide opportunities for growth and learning. Young men and women will bring

many experiences with conflict to their work with you; helping them to understand conflict and use it productively will provide them with a valuable life

skill. Be sure to keep in mind that different cultures handle conflict differently.

In the United States, we tend to value an open approach to handling disagreements. However, even in the United States, individuals vary enormously in

their approaches to conflict. Keep this in mind and work with your Counterparts to understand your host community’s typical conflict management style.

If you are in the position of mediating a conflict, consider using the following

model:

Steps to Resolving a Conflict73

1. Establish Ground Rules

Make sure that both parties agree to:

• Resolve the conflict using compromise or win-win strategies, not

aggression or passivity

• Treat each other with respect

• Confidentiality—decide what will and will not be shared with others

2. Define the Problem

Begin by allowing each person to objectively state the problem or tell

his or her side of the story. The mediator can ask, “What happened?” or

“What is the problem?” or “What was the incident that brought you

here?” Concentrate on facts, leaving out blame and shame. Separate the

problem from the people who caused it. As the mediator, repeat back all

stories for clarification and agreement before moving on.

3. Express Feelings and Needs

Allow each person time to express feelings and unmet needs that relate

to the problem. The mediator can ask, “How did you feel about what

happened?” and “What did you need at the time of the conflict that contributed to the problem?” Encourage both parties to use “I” messages

rather than blaming the other. Explore what might be at the root of the

person’s anger, such as past conflicts, fear, and hurt feelings. As the

mediator, repeat back all that was said for clarification and agreement

before moving on to the next step.
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4. Create Options

Explore what can be done to resolve conflict. Invite the disputing parties

to suggest solutions without evaluating them. Ask “What would you like

to see happen?” or “What needs to happen in order to resolve this problem?” You can lighten the mood and encourage creativity by inviting

silly, unrealistic solutions at first.

5. Bargain Toward Agreement

Allow disputing parties to bargain toward an agreement. Step in only if

the ground rules are being broken. Remember that the solutions must

come from the people involved or they won’t stick. Once they have

reached an agreement, repeat it back to them to clarify. If they cannot

concur after a reasonable period, acknowledge this and set up another

meeting time to try again.

6. Set Goals

Help draw up a plan composed of very small steps toward the solution.

These should be specific and not too demanding. When they are followed through in sequence, the goals will gradually dispel mistrust, create a feeling of success, and bring about a degree of cooperation. Set a

timetable and meeting time to evaluate progress.
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COMPUTER ACTIVITIES

(From “Computer Skills Training” on page 135)

THE INCREDIBLE FLYING DINOSAUR!

Provide students with a handout featuring a short story of an amazing archaeological find: a feathered dinosaur. Ask them to type the story in Microsoft Word

using a specific font and size. After they finish writing, discuss what the dinosaur looked like. As a group, brainstorm ideas. Then assign each to draw what

they envision using Paint. Then, by using “copy and paste,” have the students

create an illustration for the story.

NOTE: Story ideas can come from the news, periodicals, or folk tales.

ON THE ROAD...IN ___________

Distribute a handout with handwritten notes with the following information

about the country you have chosen:

• Major towns • Population

• Area codes • Sites to see

• Distance from the capital city
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Make sure that everything is jumbled!

Introduce the activity by saying:

A family from a faraway place is planning to visit your

country for a vacation. Everyone in the family is very

excited. The children quickly write down the places they

want to visit. Unfortunately, it is all mixed up.

Use Microsoft Excel to create a chart and organize the data so that the family

will have a great trip.

NOTE: This is a great way to review local geography.

COOKIES!

Why not create an activity where students type up a recipe for a tasty treat?

Print up your favorite cookie recipe as a handout or write it on newsprint. Have

students copy and organize. It’s a great way to practice Microsoft Word features such as word art, bullets, numbering, font adjusting. It’s also a chance to

practice and use measurements. Of course, it’s even better if the cookies can be

prepared for eating after the class.
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ECOLOGY LEADERSHIP

TRAINING ACTIVITIES

(From “Environmental Camps for Youth Leadership” on page 146)

SENSORY WALK

Participants are asked to isolate the use of senses to experience their surroundings.

SNAPSHOT

Divide participants into pairs. Blindfold one of the two and have his/her partner lead him/her to an object or scene. Tell those wearing blindfolds to act as a

camera by taking a mental picture of what he or she sees when the blindfold is

taken off. Switch roles and repeat the activity. Have participants draw what

they saw as a camera and present it to the group.

GREEN UMBRELLAS

Have participants place soil in their palms. Pour water over it, demonstrating

the effect of rain on the forest floor when deforestation has eliminated the

canopy cover and root system. Then ask participants to hold their empty hand

over the hand containing the soil to simulate the effectiveness of the canopy

cover and root system. Pour water again and show participants that the soil has

remained intact. Follow this exercise with a discussion on soil erosion and

deforestation.

HABITAT LAP SIT

Participants stand in a circle. Identify an ecosystem. Ask participants to brainstorm living things in that ecosystem. They can name the flora and fauna that

they encountered during a hike or other experience. Compress the circle so that

everyone’s shoulders are touching. Ask everyone to turn to the left (or the right)

so that everyone is facing another person’s back. Ask participants to sit simultaneously so each person is sitting in another person’s lap. Explain the concept

of interdependence. Each forest creature relies on another to live. Each creature

is threatened when any one creature in the habitat is eliminated. Introduce an

event into the circle, such as deforestation or poaching, that causes the elimination of a creature. Ask that person to leave the circle. This will cause the collapse
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of the circle or habitat. Discuss habitats, niches, and interdependence. Ask the

participants to consider local issues that could lead to the extinction or threatening of life.

SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT

Have participants clean an area nearby. Demonstrate that some pieces of waste,

such as cans and sticks, can be used as instruments or to create a sculpture.

Have participants turn the waste into instruments and create a song about trash,

or a sculpture. Share these at the closing ceremony.

FISHING DILEMMA

This activity introduces a discussion on overfishing. Participants are divided

into teams that represent fisher folk in a village. Tell them that they can sell

their fish and receive points, but, with each round of the game, only a percentage of the fish sold will be returned. Play three rounds. The team with the most

points wins. Follow this with a discussion of overfishing and environmental

degradation, discussing ways to prevent this. Introduce the concept of advocacy and raising public awareness on the issues that affect their lives.

COASTAL TREASURE HUNT/SNORKELING

If you are near the water and can do so safely, take the participants snorkeling.

Use life vests and make sure that you have a facilitator per two participants.

Ask them to choose two or three creatures they see on the reefs and to identify

their surroundings, actions, and physical descriptions. Discuss water safety,

rules, and the use of the mask and snorkel with the participants.

REFORESTATION GAME

(From “Camp Peace Corps” on page 130)

The objective of this game is to show children how trees disappear from their

community and how they can prevent deforestation by replanting. You will

need to set up the area by placing about 30-40 small trees in a model forest near

your teaching area. One method involves taking small wooden brochette sticks

and attaching a heavy piece of green plastic to the top.
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Sit the students in a circle. Discuss the types of trees they have in their area.

Pass around a drawing pad and ask each student to draw something that his or

her family uses trees for. Responses will include things like furniture, food,

cooking, medicine, and shade. Ask them to tell you where they get all of this

wood. They will say a forest. Using the cooking example, tell them that is good

because you are rather hungry and you want to cook. Show them one of your

model trees and then show them the forest. Now indicate that they will be

allowed to take wood from your forest only one tree at a time and bring it back

to your cooking area. Send them out to get as much wood as they can.

In about a minute they should have cleared the forest. Sit them down and ask

them what they are going to do for wood now that the forest is gone. Point out

that there is no more shade, and ask them if they notice in their own village

how far the women go to look for wood. In some villages, they even have to

buy wood from other villages.

Pick someone from the group and point out that this person has seen the problem and has decided to do a reforestation activity. Tell the player to take the

trees one at a time and place them back in the forest. Give her a few seconds to

get about 10 trees planted and then announce that you need more wood for the

village and send out all of the other kids to bring back one at a time. The lesson

is obvious. One person can’t plant for the whole village. Discuss the work it

takes to create a tree nursery and how it is better done by the community than

individuals.

In the third and final round, make your message clear. Have every person but

one plant trees in your village and then make the last person try to cut down the

whole forest while five others are planting. It won’t be possible. Tie up the

lesson by showing the young people seeds from their local trees and suggesting

how they might create a tree nursery themselves.
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GIRLS’ EMPOWERMENT ACTIVITIES

(From “Girls’ Empowerment Workshop” on page 162)

GIRLS CAN DO ANYTHING! BANNER

This activity is designed to get girls to think about all the possible careers open

to them and to create a banner as a memento of the workshop. This is a brainstorming activity and an art activity combined into one. First, the girls are divided into groups and challenged to come up with at least 100 different careers

or jobs that a woman can have. When a group completes the list, each of its

members is invited to dip her hand in paint and put her handprint on a banner

that says Girls Can Do Anything! Below her handprint she writes any one of

the 100 careers from the list and signs her name below it. Ask the participants:

What do you want to do when you finish school? How did you decide? Who

are your role models?

PARTICIPANT-LED DISCUSSIONS

This activity is designed to encourage participants to explore a variety of

women’s issues so as to expose the girls to different viewpoints concerning

these issues. Before breaking up into small groups, everyone brainstorms to

come up with a list of topics to discuss. Some popular topics are: Succeeding in

School, The Woman’s Body, Student-Teacher Relations, Girls in Science, Household Chores vs. Studies, Career Opportunities, Boyfriends/Sexual Pressure,

Sexual Harassment, Girls’ vs. Boys’ Education, Women’s Role in Society, Bride

Price, Female Circumcision, Birth Control, Teenage Pregnancy, Effective Study

Skills, Sexual Health/Sexuality, Peer Pressure, Marriage, HIV/AIDS, and

Women’s Place in Society.

Each topic is assigned a specific meeting space and students are asked to volunteer to facilitate. The girls then go to whichever discussions interest them.

The discussion groups can be small or large. Students are free to move on to a

different discussion group at any time. We refer to this as the two-foot rule. It

means they are free to use their two feet to walk. After the allotted time, the

students are given an additional half-hour to prepare presentations on the content of their discussions. They can compose songs, draw pictures, prepare skits,

make magazine collages, or use any other method to convey their ideas to everyone else.
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DEBATE

This activity provides a forum for discussing controversial issues and encourages the girls to speak out and express their opinions. A debate provides a wellstructured opportunity for girls to formulate arguments and express their views.

The session is introduced the night before so that the students have time to set

some motions, organize teams, and prepare points. Examples of motions include:

• A schoolgirl who becomes pregnant should not be allowed to continue with

her education.

• It is more important to educate a girl than it is to educate a boy.

• Bride price is a practice that should be abolished.

• Female circumcision is an important rite of passage and should therefore be

preserved.

• Single-sex schools are better than co-educational schools for the education

of girls.

• It is a woman’s duty to keep house for her husband.

• Women have the sole responsibility for family planning/birth control.

The students are divided into teams of approximately six and decide on which

motions to debate. A chairperson is chosen to call on speakers and act as moderator/timekeeper. After discussing the rules and guidelines, the first two teams

begin, with the side proposing the motion speaking first. The first speaker on

each team is allowed five minutes to make her team’s points. Each subsequent

speaker is allowed three minutes and the debate continues back and forth with

the remaining speakers on each team elaborating and/or rebutting. The final

speakers make the teams’ concluding remarks after a brief discussion with their

teammates. At the completion of the debate, the floor can be opened up for

further discussion and debate from the audience. Informal voting by a show of

hands can determine the winner based on the strength of each team’s arguments. The teams then switch places with the audience and the new teams

debate the next motion.

PANEL OF DISTINGUISHED WOMEN

The panel is designed to introduce the girls to successful and prominent women

in the community, to motivate the girls to continue to work hard in their studies,
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to encourage them to struggle through difficulties, and to answer any questions

they may have concerning education and careers. A panel of five to 10 women

from various fields of work is invited to come and spend a few minutes talking

to the girls about themselves. Possible guests might include government official, police officer, NGO worker, business owner, doctor, accountant, postal

clerk, engineer, banker, nurse, computer specialist, secretary, and homemaker.

Following the introductions, an informal question and answer session allows

the girls to ask general questions addressing the entire panel or to direct specific questions to individual women. Early preparations are crucial in order to

have a successful panel. Make the initial contacts several months in advance

and follow up later to ensure their attendance. It is important to be clear with

the guests about what the financial arrangements will be for transportation costs,

meals, and other expenses.

CLOSING CEREMONY

To allow the girls to recognize what they have accomplished and to add formality and a sense of closure to the entire event, you can hold a closing ceremony.

Ask the head of the host school or another guest to make a closing speech to

end the festivities. To make things a little livelier, consider these creative ways

to wrap up the event and celebrate the accomplishments of the weekend:

• Prepare and present certificates of completion of the conference to all participants.

• Tell each girl to tape a piece of paper on her back. Allow the girls to walk

around and write positive things about each person on her back. At the end,

have them take their papers off and read what others have written about

them. This activity also gives the girls a chance to exchange addresses.

• Have each school present an original song about women’s issues.

• Have a candle-lighting ceremony. Give each girl a candle, turn off the lights,

and pass the flame from the first girl on to everyone else until the room is

bright with candlelight. This signifies unity and cooperation among the

members, and demonstrates that a candle has nothing to lose by lighting

another candle.

• Organize a disco party with sodas and unwind after all the sessions.

• Videotape the entire event and watch the highlights over supper.
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EVALUATION TOOLS

DAILY EVALUATION OF A WORKSHOP

The principal idea is to involve the participants, not the planners, in evaluating

a workshop. Ask a few youth to interview different people in the group. To

ensure diversity of feedback, organize the participants to be interviewed in

different categories such as staff, local youth, youth from other areas, host

country Counterparts, and presenters. Interviewers can use questions such as

the ones below to conduct short interviews on a daily basis with members in

each category. The notes from these interviews can be summarized and reported each morning to the entire group. The coordinator of the evaluations can

also take some of the concerns to the planners for immediate adjustments.

Sample Questions:

• What skills have you learned or adapted that you will take back with you?

• What will you do differently?

• How are your expectations of the conference being met or not met?

• Any suggestions or recommendations?

• What has had the most impact on you?

MUSICAL QUESTIONS

Write a number of evaluation questions on sheets of 8x11 paper and spread

them on the floor randomly. Play some music and instruct people to walk or

dance around as music is being played. When the music stops invite people to

go to the sheet nearest them and discuss the question with the other people

there. Ask each group to report to the large group.

Sample Questions:

• What do the initials A-I-D-S mean?

• What are the activities you like the most so far?

• What have you learned?

• Do you like the food?

• Do you think we should be doing anything differently?

Options: Write the questions on small pieces of paper and fold them like

fortunes in a fortune cookie. Have people select, read, and answer one question
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each. You can use a hat or a basket to hold the questions and pass them while

music is playing or until someone claps. The playful quality raises people’s

spirits and helps them relax while soliciting important feedback on the activity.

It can be helpful to have an observer take notes on the responses.

EVALUATION POSTERS

Give out large sheets of poster board, markers, and a number of questions you

wish to have addressed. Have small groups make posters representing what

they have learned so far (content) and how they have learned it (process). After

they are finished, ask them to describe the posters and, at the same time, give

you important evaluative information.

LIKERT SCALE QUESTIONNAIRE

Write a series of positive statements about skills that have been taught or goals

for the workshop. Ask participants to choose the response that fits their beliefs

and experience in relation to the statement. The statements can be written on a

questionnaire or read aloud while the youth write down their responses. They

can also be instructed to stand in specially marked places around the room that

represent the different answers. If answers are written down anonymously, you

can add up everyone’s response to summarize important information. If they

stand at the place they agree with, you can facilitate conversations about the

responses.

Example:

I feel I can make a very good five-minute speech to other youth about

the need to write down goals as part of planning.

1 23 4 5

strongly agree agree disagree strongly disagree no opinion
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GAMES, SONGS, AND

OTHER ACTIVITIES

Looking for some quick ideas for things to do with young people? Here’s a list

to get you started.

60 THINGS TO DO ON THE SPOT

Indoor Games/

Activities Songs Other Activities

1. Go Fish

2. Memory

3. Twenty-one

4. Speed

5. Spoons

6. Liar

7. Telephone

8. Charades

9. I Spy

10. Shagai

11. Twister

12. Twenty Questions

13. Pictionary

14. Memory with pictures

and words

15. Scavenger hunt with

magazines

16. Spelling bee

17. Origami

18. Cat’s Cradle

19. Dominoes

20. Dice

21. Musical Chairs

22. Freeze Dance

23. Limbo

24. Simon Says

25. Mother May I?

26. Follow the Leader

27. 60-Second Alphabet

28. I’m going on a trip

and I’m taking...

29. The Alphabet Song

30. Good Morning to You

31. If You’re Happy and

 You Know It Clap

Your Hands...

32. The Hokey Pokey

33. Head, Shoulders,

Knees, and Toes

34. The Happy Birthday

Song

35. This is the way (we

wash our hands...)

36. Brother John

37. London Bridges

38. Old MacDonald

39. Poems

40. Jokes

41. Riddles

42. Soccer

43. Basketball

44. Ultimate Frisbee

45. Scavenger hunts

46. Walks

47. Jump rope

48. Elastic jump rope

49. Hopscotch

50. Pin the Tail on the

Donkey (or other

animal...)

51. Red Light, Green

Light

52. Tag

53. Hide-and-Seek

54. Freeze Tag

55. Elbow Tag

56. Red Rover

57. Blind Trust Walk

58. Trust Falls

59. Blind Square

60. Capture the Flag
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Part Four: Promising Activities

Peace Corps 113

PROMISING

ACTIVITIES

ACTIVITIES

SOME THOUGHTS ON

HOW TO READ THIS SECTION

In these pages of Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers, we share

with you activities created by Volunteers in various sectors and countries. We

hope that you will find in them inspiration to create an activity of your own

with young people in your community.

This part of the manual is designed to provide some concrete ideas and some

lessons learned to help you start thinking about what is possible. It is not intended as a cookbook with recipes that guarantee delicious dishes as long as

you measure the ingredients precisely and follow the instructions exactly. Anyone who has tried to follow favorite recipes in a kitchen far from home knows

that this can yield good results, but can also be disastrous. Ingredients aren’t

the same, if they can be found at all, utensils may be unavailable, and tastes

differ. Each “chef” will need to adapt the activities to the local market and

taste...and provide his or her personal touch.

The activities highlighted here include those that may affect only a Volunteer

and the kids next door as well as more complex ideas involving many youth

and adults in multiple communities. The bigger projects can be the result of

years of Peace Corps presence in one location. The goals of your Peace Corps

Project Plan may include building on the familiarity and trust developed in part

by other Volunteers to implement activities that quickly reach many young

men and women. These pages include ideas for Volunteers whose primary

responsibilities make it unrealistic to be involved in a large activity for young

people. Some activities touch a small number of youth in significant ways;

others plant a few seeds for activities that will be tended and nourished by

others as they grow and flourish. What’s important in each example is the effort

PART
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

114

Promising Activities Reference Table

Ages Content Preparation Length of

Time Activity

Single

Event

X=Day

or Less

XX=

Many

Days

Adolescent Community

Baseline Needs Assessment 117 X X X X X XX Yes

After School Theater Group 119 X X X X X X Yes

Big Buddies Club 122 X X X X X X Yes

Bus Tour 125 X X X XX

Camp GLOW:

Girls Leading Our World 127 X X X X X XX Yes

Camp Peace Corps 130 X X X X X Yes

Comprehensive Language

Improvement Plan (CLIP) 132 X X X X Yes

Computer Skills Training 135 X X X X X

Earth Day on the Street 138 X X X X Yes

English Language Drama

Festival 141 X X X X XX

English Language Summer

Camp 143 X X X X XX

Environmental Camps for

Youth Leadership 146 X X X X X XX Yes

Expressive Art:

Communicating and Connecting 151 X X X X X X Yes

First Aid Workshop 153 X X X X X Yes

Future Farmers Club 155 X X X X X Yes

Geography Game 157 X X X X X X Yes

Girls’ Community Basketball

Training 160 X X X X X X Yes

Girls’ Empowerment Workshop 162 X X X X XX Yes

Girls’ Magazine 165 X X X X X X Yes

Healthy Bodies, Healthy Schools 167 X X X X X X

Health Newsletter 168 X X X X X X Yes

Holiday Carnival 170 X X X Yes

Library Club 172 X X X X X Yes

Life Skills Training 173 X X X X X XX Yes

Making Wooden Trash Bins 175 X X X X XX Yes

Men’s Health Clinic 177 X X X X X Yes

Mural Painting With Youth 180 X X X X X X XX Yes

Peer Training Seminars for

Reproductive Health Education 183 X X X X X XX Yes Life Skills Health Literacy Employability Environment Leadership

Page 10

to

14

15

to

19

One

week

Weeks

or

months

Daily

or

weekly

Good

for

outofschool

youth?

Activity
Part Four: Promising Activities

Peace Corps 115

Promising Activities Reference Table (continued)

Ages Content Preparation Length of

Time Activity

Single

Event

X=Day

or Less

XX=

Many

Days

Produce and Sell Dolls 188 X X X X XX Yes

Reproductive Health Football

Camp 190 X X X X. XX Yes

Take Our Daughters to

Work Day Conference 192 X X X X XX

Take the Students to Work Day 195 X X X X X X Yes

Volunteer Open House 198 X X X X X Yes

Water Restoration Project 203 X X X X X XX Yes

Women’s Essay Contest 206 X X X X X

Youth Credit Union 208 X X X X X X Yes

Youth Football Tournament 212 X X X X X X Yes

Youth Leadership Conference 214 X X X X X X XX Yes

Youth Mountain Club 216 X X X X X X XX Yes Life Skills Health Literacy Employability Environment Leadership

Page 10

to

14

15

to

19

One

week

Weeks

or

months

Daily

or

weekly

Good

for

outofschool

youth?

Activity
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

116

made to use one’s own talents and skills to create formative experiences, to

nurture, and to think and plan for leaving something behind. Your example and

your spirit, more than anything else, will educate and move people to adopt

new techniques, systems, and behaviors.

We invite you to browse through this section of the manual, read between the

lines, approach the “recipes” with an open mind, and then use them as yeast to

expand your imagination.

Structure of the Activity Write-ups

Volunteers provided detailed descriptions of how they planned for

and implemented the activities in this section. We (the authors) edited

the information and organized it into a standard format. We added a

small table to each write-up to give you an easy way to determine

which of the asset types the activity supports (see pages 45-59 for

more detailed descriptions of these assets). We have also provided

information about the youth development area (Family Life, World of

Work, and Active Citizenship) into which each activity fits best (for

more information on these categories see pages 39-44). At the end of

many submissions, we also offer some options for adapting the activity.

For a quick reference, be sure to consult the matrix on the next page.
Part Four: Promising Activities

Peace Corps 117

ADOLESCENT COMMUNITY

BASELINE NEEDS ASSESSMENT

IDEA/CONCEPT

Young men and women conduct a needs assessment on health issues in their

community. The assessment is the beginning of a larger youth-to-youth health

program. Everyone can see clearly certain strengths and weaknesses of the

community. Writing it all down gives the Volunteer a chance to learn about

personal attitudes and practices of the community and evaluate how to manage

follow-up action.

GOALS

To train at-risk rural adolescents in the process of doing a community baseline

needs assessment on sex education, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), and

drug prevention, to facilitate open communication between youth and adults

about these topics, and to inform the design of a youth-to-youth health program.

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AREA

Active Citizenship

TARGET YOUTH

Twelve-to-18-year-olds. It is important to have at least one community adult

volunteer or educator who can help monitor and guide.

TIME

Up to a few months to prepare and several days to conduct the assessment

PLANNING IT

The first and most important step to getting started is getting community and

parent approval. This requires that the Volunteer be well known in the community and recognized as a responsible and professional person. Typically, community meetings are ideal forums for the Volunteer to present the idea and get

immediate feedback, though this depends on the culture. One may also do house

visits in order to create a more comfortable atmosphere in which parents can

tell the Volunteer how they feel.

Gather materials: Tape recorder, cassette tapes, pens, paper, large sheets of

construction paper, markers, rulers.

ADOLESCENT

COMMUNITY

BASELINE NEEDS

ASSET TYPES

Support

Empowerment

Boundaries & Expectations

Constructive Use of Time

Commitment to Learning

Positive Values

Social Competencies

Positive Identity
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

118

Organize an orientation meeting with the youth group so that everyone is clear

about the activity.

DOING IT

(See “Assessment Tools” on p. 81 for detailed descriptions of these activities)

1. Identify a group of approximately five young men and women who are

willing to participate actively and learn.

2. Have the group draw a community/neighborhood map that identifies

houses, especially those where youth live, major buildings and centers,

streets, and gathering places to demonstrate where there are concentrations of youth and to see where one might focus attention when carrying

out a health program.

3. Have them draw a Venn diagram of their community using intersecting

circles with each circle representing a different group. This will demonstrate which community organizations and clubs are involved actively in

the lives of the youth and their families.

4. Have the group brainstorm and write up a list of important questions that

are relevant to sex education or drug prevention and that will be used

during general interviews with large groups of youth in their communities/neighborhoods and in-depth interviews with select youth volunteers.

5. Have the group organize a one-hour session with 12-15 youth in their

community/neighborhood to do a general survey/interview using the questions they developed previously. Alternatively, they may do two sessions,

one for young women and the other for young men.

6. Have a male and a female volunteer from the group organize two hourlong in-depth interviews with a male youth and female youth from their

community/neighborhood using the questions that the group developed

previously.

7. Have the group analyze the information from their surveys/interviews

and write out the results on large sheets of construction paper.

8. Have the group organize a community meeting to present the results of

the needs assessment and discuss plans for future action.

In any activity that

involves youth and

sensitive topics, the first

and most important step

is getting community and

parent approval. This

requires that the

Volunteer be well known

in the community and

recognized as a

responsible and

professional person.
Part Four: Promising Activities

Peace Corps 119

• Forming the youth group that will do the needs assessment is sometimes difficult because the group

should be small and dedicated. I took advantage of

my local high school and used student leaders who

volunteered to participate. This ensured that I got a

group of youth who knew how to write and were less

afraid to speak in public.

• If there are other youth who wish to participate, the

Volunteer can always explain to them that they can

participate in the interview/survey.

— A Health Volunteer in Ecuador

OPTIONS

• To facilitate open communication between youth and adults about these

topics, they can be invited to participate in short small-group discussions

after the presentation of results.

• Some gender considerations:74

– When mapping the community, be sure that young people consider that

young men and young women may typically spend time in different

locations. Have participants go into the community in same-sex pairs

and come back to make maps in larger same-sex groups.

– Consider same-sex group interviews.

– For the in-depth interviews, be sure that you have young men and women

as interviewers and interviewees.

AFTER SCHOOL

THEATER GROUP

GOALS

To provide cultural experiences and a space to help children and adolescents

build their self-esteem, communication, and self-control skills in a fun creative

atmosphere.

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AREA

World of Work

SOME

TIPS

AND LESSONS

LEARNED

Forming the youth group

that will do the needs

assessment is sometimes

difficult because the

group should be small

and dedicated. I took

advantage of my local

high school and used

student leaders who

volunteered to

participate. This ensured

that I got a group of

youth who knew how to

write and were less

afraid to speak in public.

If there are other youth

who wish to participate,

the Volunteer can always

explain to them that they

can participate in the

interview/survey.
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

120

TARGET YOUTH

Eight-to-12-year-olds or 13-18-year-olds in an orphanage/school. It is important to separate groups according to their reading, memorization, and maturity

levels. Put no more than 15 members in one group.

TIME

One to three months. Meet at least once a week—twice is better.

PLANNING IT

1. Collect materials:

• Scripts in the language of your country, or books that you or your

group can turn into scripts. Any children’s story or story that tells a

message you would like to teach can be presented with a narrator(s)

and the rest of the members acting out the story.

• Depending on the play and on your budget, set and costumes will

vary. Many wonderful costumes and sets have been made out of cardboard boxes, paper, glue, and paint.

• Ask your group members before you start a play if they have some

set, prop, or costume materials in their homes. This will help save

money.

• If you would like to give rewards for positive behavior, this will be a

small additional cost. Sample rewards are copies of coloring books

and colorful pencils.

2. Find a space big enough for all members of your group to move around

at one time for warm-up activities. If you have a school space, great! If

not, try to find a principal who will let you have a school space so you

will have continuity of space for group meetings.

3. Try to get an interested adult to be your permanent helper. Ask him/her

to help control behaviors. This will also help to keep the drama group

going when you are done with service. If you have a teenage group, one

member can be a captain and can help keep the group going when you

leave your post.

4. Ask for a group meeting with the teachers to get a list of possible group

members. Then ask for a meeting with the prospective group members.

Sell the group as really fun, but challenging. When you have members

who want to commit, ask them to sign their names on a list, and set a date

and time to begin.

5. Contact parents and urge them to participate.

THEATER GROUP

ASSET TYPES

Support

Empowerment

Boundaries & Expectations

Constructive Use of Time

Commitment to Learning

Positive Values

Social Competencies

Positive Identity

A fun way to develop

literacy skills!
Part Four: Promising Activities

Peace Corps 121

DOING IT

1. On the first day of the group, ask the members to make a poster of group

rules. Tell them you expect them to stick to these rules. Consider developing a point or grade system.

2. Do a warm-up. Teach your group members that warm-ups are used to get

ready for rehearsal times and before they do their shows in order to clear

their minds of outside stimuli, warm up their voices so the audience can

hear them, and unite them in a group that is ready to work. Explain that

the warm-ups will be like games or activities that people play all the

time: “Simon Says,” “Follow the Leader,” say name with a movement, or

say name with an animal; any activity that includes movement and voice

can be used.

3. If you have a script, you can read it during the first group meeting. If not,

ask the group to bring stories to the next meeting, or you can take a trip to

the library. Then the group can choose which show they will do. A group

decision will help the members feel more invested in the show. You will

probably have to do some work outside of the group to cut the script and

make it work for the number of people you have in your group.

4. Work on sections of the play until the lines are memorized, then practice

the whole play, and present the show.

• Make notes of positive and negative behaviors for

consistency. Your group members will take your group

more seriously if you are consistent about behavior

management.

• Ten-to-12-year-olds need about two months to memorize a short half-hour show. Remember to cut your

script down if you are working with younger children.

This will relieve everyone’s stress level immensely!

• Have the members read the rules at least once a week.

• Mark down positive and negative behaviors at every group.

• Do a warm-up activity every group, and before shows.

• Consider charging a small fee so that you have some funds for your next

show, or a party to celebrate!

• Start off small, do not expect a Broadway performance right away, and

BREAK A LEG!

— A Youth Development Volunteer in Ecuador

SOME

TIPS

AND LESSONS

LEARNED
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

122

OPTIONS

• Try processing positive and negative behaviors with the group.

• Look for ways to involve other adults in managing the group with you.

BIG BUDDIES CLUB

IDEA/CONCEPT

High school student volunteers are organized into a service club of about 30

members. The students, Big Buddies, team up with one or two children from

an orphanage in the community.

GOALS

To give area high school students the chance to broaden their leadership skills

and develop a sense of responsibility; to offer the boys and girls at the local

orphanage positive role models and valuable one-on-one attention; to deliver

fun, structured activities and friendship; and to build bridges across the gap

that isolates orphaned children from the outside community, thereby raising

community consciousness.

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AREA

Active Citizenship

TARGET YOUTH

Orphaned youth (ages seven-14) and secondary school students in the community

TIME

Two hours per week during the school year

PLANNING IT

The club was modeled on the idea of the Big Brother/Big Sister75 organization,

whose purpose was grounded on the philosophy of heliotropism. Just as flowers grow toward a single constant ray of light despite the darkness that surrounds them (heliotropism), so do children grow in a healthy manner toward a

constant positive role model, even when immersed in much negativity.

BIG BUDDIES CLUB

ASSET TYPES

Support

Empowerment

Boundaries & Expectations

Constructive Use of Time

Commitment to Learning

Positive Values

Social Competencies

Positive Identity
Part Four: Promising Activities

Peace Corps 123

DOING IT

Students were expected to devote at least two hours per week to playing games,

going on walks throughout the town, taking the children to their own homes for

dinner, or helping them with their studies. Part of the goal was simply to get the

children out into the community in order to raise local awareness of the problem. In the process of helping the children out, the students gained insight into

activism, leadership, and self-empowerment.

Despite its short life, a lot of good seemed to come out

of “Big Buddies.” The high school students were so

interested many of them spent more than the required

two hours per week. Many went almost every day. In

a couple of cases, students’ parents became involved

once they got to see what these kids were really like.

The project branched out into other activities. The students took initiative in

organizing a Christmas toy drive. They also invited the children to participate

in an Earth Day cleanup. The local radio broadcast the news of the cleanup and

the spirited participation of the children. Some articles were written in local

newspapers, and one story was published in a national paper.

○○○○○○○○○

— A TEFL/Education Volunteer in Romania

Don’t be afraid to make a bigger budget than you think you’ll need.

Taking care of 30 high school kids for a week in tents without

refrigeration, electricity, or a weatherproof meeting place was more

of a challenge than we needed. We should have raised enough

money for a cottage with a kitchen.

I came up with only one Romanian adult who was willing to chaperone. The

other three adults were Volunteers. I tried hard to find other interested local

adults, but failed. If I had it to do again, I would have obsessed over finding

other interested Romanian adults. It’s the only way to ensure the continuation

of your activity locally after you leave.

SOME

TIPS

AND LESSONS

LEARNED

MORE

TIPS

The high school students

were so interested many

of them spent more than

the required two hours

per week [with children

from the orphanage].

Many went almost every

day. In a couple of cases,

students’ parents became

involved once they got to

see what these kids were

really like.
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

124

Important Lessons Learned From

Big Buddies Summer Camp

One of the activities that grew out of the club was a summer camp.

During the summer months, 60 orphaned children are sent to a summer residence in a village near a lake. There they are looked after by a

handful of untrained caretakers. Except for the daily meals, there is

no structured activity for the children. During two summers, our club

brought 30 high school students to the lake for five days. The Big

Buddies Camp was designed to provide orphaned children with positive role models, one-on-one attention, fun structured activities, and

friendship. It also gave high school students a chance to broaden

their leadership skills.

Students sought funding from local businesses. The local police department donated transportation to and from the lake. Despite the

difficulty in securing local funding, I think it was necessary to truly

make this a community project. We stayed in tents. Ideally, we would

have liked to rent a cottage, but funds didn’t allow for it. We arranged

with the orphanage director to share meals with the children.

From early morning to late afternoon, we

divided the children into smaller age

groups, each led by students and at

least one adult staff member. This

high child-to-mentor ratio was imperative because of our goals

and necessary for behavioral purposes. Not being

accustomed to structure,

the children required

constant one-on-one

attention. The activities we

planned included art, sports, games, nature walks, and English lessons. All were geared toward developing a sense of togetherness and

self-esteem. The evenings were spent with the students doing some

confidence-building activities of their own and campfire talks to give

students a chance to voice their reaction to daily events and plan the

details of the next day.

OPTIONS

This kind of activity can be adapted for other groups of disadvantaged young

people: out-of-school youth, boys and girls with disabilities, and street children. See page 29 for more information on mentoring.

Heliotropism—just as

flowers grow toward a

single constant ray of

light despite the darkness

that surrounds them

(heliotropism), so do

children grow toward a

constant positive role

model, even when

immersed in much

negativity.
Part Four: Promising Activities

Peace Corps 125

BUS TOUR

IDEA/CONCEPT

Educational bus tour

GOALS

The primary purpose of this activity was to educate grade 12 students about the

cultural and geographical diversity of their country and region. The secondary

purpose of this activity was pure enjoyment.

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AREA

Family Life

TARGET YOUTH

Secondary school students

TIME

Planning it: one year; doing it: 10-14 days

PLANNING IT

Our students selected the most distant destination that we could reasonably get

to. Of course, we needed to figure out if this trip was possible based on the

finances available. It was up to the teachers to plan an interesting route with

reasonable distances each day. It was important to have each evening’s accommodation planned even though not all worked as expected.

The grade 12 students started raising funds for this tour while they were in

grade 11. They opened up a snack shop at the school, selling soda, chips, and

candy. It was very successful and helped to raise a big portion of the money

needed. Several of the teachers spent a lot of time writing letters and visiting

companies in the area seeking sponsorship of the tour. The school is lucky to

have sizable fish and diamond industries willing to sponsor us. Local shops

donated food and many other supplies.

DOING IT

Hop on the bus and enjoy the scenery! On a trip such as this, the travelers are

constantly and painlessly learning about their surroundings. What a great way

BUS TOUR

ASSET TYPES

Support

Empowerment

Boundaries & Expectations

Constructive Use of Time

Commitment to Learning

Positive Values

Social Competencies

Positive Identity

Good fundraising ideas
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

126

Impacts and Results:

Many Lessons Learned

Twenty of the grade 12 students of the Luderitz Secondary School traveled through the majority of

Namibia to see its natural and cultural wonders. The tour also included visits to Zambia, Botswana,

and our farthest destination, Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe. Participants gained an appreciation for the

wildlife, cultural groups, and distances within these countries and also learned lessons in everyday

life: budgeting, preparing meals, socializing, planning a travel itinerary, exchanging money, and

mechanical maintenance, just to name a few. In all, we traveled about 3,400 miles. We visited the

capital of our country, Windhoek, which many saw for the first time.

In Swakoppmund, we saw a different ocean town. Here, we also spent a lot of time getting passports and visas for the students, all of which was a learning experience.

We visited the Etosha National Park and saw a number of animals, classic African wildlife such as

elephants, giraffes, and kudus. Here we also lost the brakes on the bus and, after a hair-raising

crash through the front gate of the park, learned about auto maintenance.

Near Grootfontien we saw a meteorite, and I gave a short lesson on the

science of the meteorite. We crossed

into Zambia for a few hours and the

students explored the world of changing money in a country whose economic state was worse than that of

Namibia. In contrast, crossing into

Botswana gave the kids a view of a

country with a slightly better economic state than Namibia.

When we went into Zimbabwe, we

got another lesson in mechanical repair when a broken throttle cable

forced us to improvise with a piece

of rope. Viewing Victoria Falls was

pure fun, but seeing such wonders

is also educational in a way no lesson in class could equal.

Returning to Luderitz after so many miles on the road was a relief and gave us all a new sense of

home.

to learn about your own country and your neighboring countries. (See box for

details.)
Part Four: Promising Activities

Peace Corps 127

A tour such as this is no small undertaking and takes a lot

of preparation. To say that this was my project would be

false. It took the dedicated time of three other teachers as

well as every student in grade 12.

— An Education Volunteer in Namibia

OPTION

Students could be involved in the planning of the travel itinerary too.

CAMP GLOW:

GIRLS LEADING OUR WORLD76

(See Camp GLOW Handbook [ICE No. M0056] for more

information.)

IDEA/CONCEPT

A weeklong summer camp for English-speaking female secondary school

students, run by Volunteers and English-speaking Counterparts

GOALS

To empower young women to learn about themselves, to provide a safe environment where young women build self-confidence, gain leadership skills, and

practice their English skills during the summer, and to have fun!

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AREA

Family Life, Active Citizenship

TARGET YOUTH

Female secondary school English students, ages 14 to 18

TIME

Several months to plan it, one week to do it

SOME

TIPS

AND LESSONS

LEARNED

CAMP GLOW

ASSET TYPES

Support

Empowerment

Boundaries & Expectations

Constructive Use of Time

Commitment to Learning

Positive Values

Social Competencies

Positive Identity
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

128

PLANNING IT

You will need:

• Dormitory, cabin, or some other location with room and board and a large

room for sessions and appropriate outdoor spaces for games

• Programming materials for sessions

• Flip charts, markers, name tags, colored pencils, workbooks for staff and

students, journals

How to Get Started

1. Identify a Counterpart who is dedicated to the idea and will help you. It

will make a big difference when you arrange the logistics.

2. Identify the geographic area you want to cover with one camp. For

Slovakia, we did the whole country with one and then two camps.

3. Develop a budget. The biggest portion of the budget will be room and

board. Many of the supplies, such as paper, pens, envelopes, and copying, can be donated by local businesses. This is especially true if you

work through a school, because schools are often used to requesting donations of such supplies. There will be postage and copying costs to send

materials to schools, to solicit participants, and to further communicate

with participants. We also charged students a fee. We paid transportation

for staff and guests, but not for students.

4. Identify the facility where the camp will take place and make appropriate arrangements.

5. Open a bank account.

6. Secure funding.

7. Prepare informational/registration materials and send them to the schools

in your target area.

8. Identify the staff.

9. Prepare program materials for the week and gather other needed supplies.

10. Go to camp!

Divide them up into

small groups, and plan

on being in the large

group about half the

time, and in small groups

about half the time. This

provides a smaller forum

where girls can get to

know each other better,

and where the quieter

ones feel more

comfortable speaking up.
Part Four: Promising Activities

Peace Corps 129

DOING IT

You can present many sessions for young women. What you specifically choose

will depend on the needs and interests of the community. Some possibilities:

attitudes, values, goal setting, decision making, assertiveness, family planning,

skills and career planning, health, and self-esteem. You can choose from a variety

of creative activities and outdoor team-building games. You can have a panel

session with working women to talk to the girls about education or work or

families. You can give out journals and have a question of the day for personal

reflection. You can have a talent and/or awards show and give prizes to each

camper.

• A good Counterpart makes a world of difference.

• If you charge registration fees, get the money from the

students as soon as possible; otherwise you run the risk

that students you thought were coming do not.

• Do not include boys. It will distract the girls, and discourage quiet ones

from speaking up. That is not the goal of Camp GLOW. A male staff member

or two can be included to provide a different perspective.

• Keep the students active. No one likes to sit in lectures all day.

• Divide them up into small groups; plan on being in the large group about

half the time and in small groups about half the time. This provides a smaller

forum where girls can get to know each other better, and where the quieter

ones feel more comfortable speaking up.

• Skits are a great way to keep students moving, have fun, and reinforce the

session’s message.

• Do not forget to plan some free time too.

• Set expectations for behavior and consequences when the rules are broken.

Follow through.

• Be aware of the time when families take vacations in the summer in your

host country; try to plan GLOW around that time so girls will still come.

• Have a positive attitude, and have fun!

— Education Volunteers in the Slovak Republic

SOME

TIPS

AND LESSONS

LEARNED
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

130

Why “Girls Only”?

“Camp GLOW” and the “Girls’ Empowerment Workshop” (pages 127

and 162) are designed exclusively for girls to give them an opportunity to develop their skills and confidence away from the immediate

pressures of the coeducational world. Volunteers have generally felt

strongly that including boys defeats this purpose. “Girls Only” workshops make it easier to maintain a safe, nonjudgmental environment

in which girls can speak freely about issues related to their own empowerment. The presence of boys can easily make the girls feel shy

or threatened and discourage them from speaking up because in mixed

environments, boys often take over. Some camps have included men

as counselors and guest speakers. As long as the environment is safe

for the girls, men can provide positive male role models.

Because it is also important for young men and young women to learn

to communicate with each other, you may want to consider doing a

similar camp for boys. Boys and girls can then be brought together to

practice skills that they have strengthened in single-sex environments.

This can be an effective way of promoting gender awareness issues;

however, it requires careful facilitation so that the dialogue remains

open and everybody feels comfortable.

CAMP PEACE CORPS

IDEA/CONCEPT

Half-day education camp that exposes schoolchildren to the various projects in

Peace Corps/Togo through the use of educational games

GOALS

To increase children’s confidence in learning, promote the ability to think independently, encourage collaboration between Volunteers, and create inroads for

teaching new subjects in the host Volunteer’s village.

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AREA

Active Citizenship
Part Four: Promising Activities

Peace Corps 131

TARGET YOUTH

Secondary school children ages 10-18

TIME

Three hours including set-up time

PLANNING IT

• Have a regional meeting and discuss the idea with other Volunteers. You

need to collaborate to pull this off. Have Volunteers in health and environment create one or two games for their projects.

• One example of a game we use is the “Reforestation Game” on page 104.

To develop your own, come up with a hands-on activity or game that simplifies a message in your project. Once you have about eight games or so

you can create a menu of the games in the local language. This will be used

later to sign up area schools for the camp.

• Hold a two-day training in the regional capital for Volunteers who want to

participate. Determine the number of camps you want to do as a group and

hand out the menu and sign-up sheets to Volunteers who want to host a

camp.

• You will need to train as many Volunteers as possible to be able to lead the

games. Once trained any Volunteer can sign up for as many or as few camps

as he or she likes.

DOING IT

1. We run a camp with five Volunteers in the village of another Volunteer who

hosts the group and handles logistics. The program is decided with the

school director and the host Volunteer. They choose the date and the games

they want taught. Once they have chosen the games they send their requests to me and I schedule five available Volunteers for the camp.

2. Our games are about 30 minutes long and are run in a round robin training

session with groups of five to seven children. The whole camp takes about

three hours with set-up. The best location is usually a soccer field or large

open area that can be divided into five sections.

CAMP PEACE CORPS

ASSET TYPES

Support

Empowerment

Boundaries & Expectations

Constructive Use of Time

Commitment to Learning

Positive Values

Social Competencies

Positive Identity
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

132

• Use locally available materials such as bottle caps or plastic pieces cut from PVC pipe.

• Try the games in small groups and work out any bugs before doing training.

• Make sure that your target age and group size will be able to participate

and enjoy the games.

• It is important to get confirmation from the other Volunteers in your region

that they want to participate. These games are springboards for the hosting

Volunteers and allow them to gauge the interest level of students in their

communities.

• This activity can be carried on by each new group of Volunteers that comes

into your country.

— A Volunteer in Togo

OPTIONS

• Training Counterparts and older students in the planning and implementation of the activities can increase sustainability and build leadership skills.

• Be sure to include out-of-school youth in Camp Peace Corps.

• In a similar activity in Armenia, a Volunteer organized a “Hike for Health

and Environmental Awareness.” Six Volunteers hiked 220 miles across eastern Armenia, making stopovers in eight communities, where they conducted

interactive seminars for children on topics such as deforestation, air/water

pollution, recycling, and composting. Local Volunteers, their Counterparts,

and youth conducted a survey in each community before the hike began to

determine the topic to be covered in the seminars. They also planned followup activities.

COMPREHENSIVE LANGUAGE

IMPROVEMENT PLAN (CLIP)

IDEA/CONCEPT

After school reading/writing classes

SOME

TIPS

AND LESSONS

LEARNED
Part Four: Promising Activities

Peace Corps 133

GOALS

To improve secondary school students’ literacy skills

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AREA

World of Work

TARGET YOUTH

Secondary school students who have poor literacy skills but can answer contentrelated questions and have basic handwriting and grammar skills

TIME

Once or twice a week after school

PLANNING IT

Ask teachers to identify students for the class.

Gather materials: books of interest to teenagers, excerpts from self-help, motivational, or spiritual books, different colored pens for students to use to edit, a

notebook and pen for each student.

DOING IT

Format for a CLIP class:

Read to the students from a book that fits their age and interests for 20-25

minutes.

1. Dictate a paragraph from a motivational source for the students to copy

down in their books.

2. First, read the whole excerpt while the students listen.

3. Next, break down the paragraph and read it slowly while the students

copy it down. Try not to repeat the small phrases. The students should be

doing their best to listen, and will have time at the end to fill in any

missing words.

4. The third time, read the whole excerpt for the students to hear where

punctuation should be added.

COMPREHENSIVE

LANGUAGE

IMPROVEMENT PLAN

ASSET TYPES

Support

Empowerment

Boundaries & Expectations

Constructive Use of Time

Commitment to Learning

Positive Values

Social Competencies

Positive Identity

Clear description of a

useful literary technique
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

134

5. Go though the entire excerpt letter by letter, and punctuation by punctuation, for students to correct their work. Ask students to put a dot under

each letter, space, and punctuation to show that they have checked it. If

they have spelled a word wrong, have them circle the word and write the

correct spelling above it. You can come up with your own editing marks

that all the students use when correcting their work.

6. Reread the entire excerpt a final time for the students to fill in any added

information.

7. Have students rewrite the excerpt using their best handwriting.

Once students have gotten used to the dictation concept, there will be time left

at the end of the class for “free-writing space.” Decide on a topic and have

students write about it. This provides a good opportunity for them to use the

skills they just developed.

• There will be fewer distractions if the class takes place

after school.

• Outcomes for this activity included improvements in handwriting, listening skills, punctuation, spelling, and grammar. Students gained a sense of self-importance as they

realized that teachers were interested in them and that they

got to stay after school for lessons. It was also an excellent

classroom bonding experience.

— An Education Volunteer in St. Vincent

OPTIONS

• Co-teach the class with a local teacher.

• Find ways to share the students’ work with the school and community. Post

their work on a bulletin board, collect it in a book, or have participants visit

other classes and read their favorite passages.

SOME

TIPS

AND LESSONS

LEARNED

Students gained a sense

of self-importance as

they realized teachers

were interested in them

and that they got to stay

after school for lessons.
Part Four: Promising Activities

Peace Corps 135

COMPUTER SKILLS TRAINING

IDEA/CONCEPT

Out-of-school youth attend computer-training classes at a community center

GOALS

To introduce basic computing skills to youth who have little or no access to

computers

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AREA

World of Work

TARGET YOUTH

Youth ages 13 to 18 who work in the streets and live around the bus station

TIME

We held classes on Monday through Thursday, with two classes per day, one

from 8 to 10 and one from 10:30 to 12:30. I taught on Mondays and Wednesdays and my Counterpart taught on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The actual course

ran for about 16 hours (one month), after which all participants who successfully completed the course received a certificate of completion.

PLANNING IT

The infrastructure for the computer classroom was already in place when I

arrived. The local government supplied the room, tables, chairs, and maintenance for the computers. USAID provided the hardware and basic software. I

worked with the outreach commission at the community center located in a bus

station. With their help, we planned and scheduled the use of the room in the

mornings for these classes.

The course content that I used is a compilation of various materials I found in

Spanish. The majority of the guide that I developed is based on a tutorial titled

“Lo Basico de Windows.” I created the specific exercises using files and folders

that I made for the students.

COMPUTER SKILLS

TRAINING

ASSET TYPES

Support

Empowerment

Boundaries & Expectations

Constructive Use of Time

Commitment to Learning

Positive Values

Social Competencies

Positive Identity
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

136

DOING IT

I tested the students to get a better sense of their knowledge base. I continued to

quiz them throughout the course to measure their progress. At the end of the

course, I gave them an exam, a simple exercise to see how much they learned.

For younger students, I created flash cards and a concentration game to help

them remember the parts of the computer hardware. When I could, I would

also bring in parts of a computer to show them what it looked on the inside and

to further explain how the computer works.

I usually did not follow the guide precisely. I would change the order, or move

more quickly through the material, depending on the ability and interest of the

class. When there was free time at the end of the course, I would use a typing

tutorial that was available to help them with typing.

Sometimes it is difficult to test the youth’s knowledge before

the first day of class. I would use those who were more computer literate to help me explain to students with less computer

experience.

One thing I would suggest would be to invite parents to visit the classroom

toward the end of the course, or to the certificate ceremony, and let them see

where and what their children have been doing. This was always difficult to do

because most, if not all, of the parents of these children worked very long

hours.

— A Youth Development Volunteer in Paraguay

OPTIONS

An Education Volunteer in Belize offers these tips for running computer classes:

Do...

(See “Computer Activities” on page 101.)

• Have fun!

• Create a manageable course outline designed to meet the needs of your

audience.

• Publicize about a month in advance through schools, community organizations, radio, newspapers, TV, fliers in shop windows, and the marketplace.

Hold an “Open House.”

SOME

TIPS

AND LESSONS

LEARNED

Evaluating along

the way
Part Four: Promising Activities

Peace Corps 137

• Prepare all teaching materials in advance, including posters, game pieces,

and handouts.

• Recognize your audience. Try to put yourself in their position and find

things that are relevant to their interests.

• Gauge your audience’s attention span. Engage youth with practice and activity rather than lectures. If you sense mounting frustration, change tactics

or move on to practice time.

• Let them move around rather than staying at a computer station. Have them

gather around a computer for a demonstration or get up and stretch periodically.

• Use subject matter that interests them (sports, fads, music, TV) but try to

find topics that are not specific to one gender, ethnicity, or other group.

• Remember that many young people have been in school all day—keep it

interesting and active.

• Keep in mind that playtime is productive. Give students time for activities

of their own choice like game playing, painting, or Web surfing. Many use

unstructured time as an opportunity for review or exploration.

• Build their confidence so that they feel comfortable enough to use these

skills in their daily lives. Make them aware of the potential.
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

138

• Walk around the room while students practice. Use the opportunity to coach

them one-on-one.

• Remember that the older the student, the more capable he or she is at learning multiple steps at once. Younger students might need to practice new

skills or concepts one at a time before moving on.

• Mix instructional methods. Use lectures, handouts, white board or flip chart,

small-group activities, individual activities, etc.

• Recommend or introduce websites that are geared toward the audience and

their interests.

• Make sure that everyone gets equal attention.

• Talk to them about non-“IT”-related topics. Get to know them and learn

about their interests and concerns. Casual conversation is a great icebreaker.

• Provide honest positive feedback. Serve as a cheerleader. Praise successes,

both large and small—encourage them to greatness!

Don’t...

• Lock yourself into a schedule or timetable. Completion of an activity or

mastering skills may take more or less time than you planned.

• Overload them with information. Know when to stop for the day.

• Lead activities that you wouldn’t do.

EARTH DAY ON THE STREET

IDEA/CONCEPT

An Earth Day sidewalk chalk competition for children

GOALS

To involve the community in an Earth Day activity that raises awareness of

environmental issues
Part Four: Promising Activities

Peace Corps 139

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AREA

Active Citizenship

TARGET YOUTH

Fourth-grade students

TIME

One-and-a-half hours of drawing time

PLANNING IT

• The activity was simple, inexpensive, and fun. We began by searching for

sponsors. We knew that we had to find a small token of appreciation to give

each child for his or her participation, prizes for the winners, and, of course,

sidewalk chalk.

• We went to a branch of a soft drink company and explained that there was

a soda-drinking American living in the city who would like to request a

small donation for a good cause. We offered to display an advertisement

for the company while the competition was underway in exchange for some

sodas for participants. The company donated a half-liter bottle of soda for

every child participating in the competition.

• A local resource center for NGOs donated environmental books to give as

prizes to the winner, and a local bookstore donated all of the sidewalk

chalk.

• We invited the fourth-grade children from three schools to participate.

DOING IT

1. We held the competition on the promenade along the river. We got permission first from the City Hall and requested this area because of its high

level of visibility.

2. The children were given an hour and a half to create their masterpieces. We

also contacted the local newspapers and television to come and join in on

the fun.

3. The children’s drawings were creative, lively, and environmentally correct. Some of the children even wrote poems.

EARTH DAY

ASSET TYPES

Support

Empowerment

Boundaries & Expectations

Constructive Use of Time

Commitment to Learning

Positive Values

Social Competencies

Positive Identity

Low cost,

high visibility
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

140

4. As the children created, four of the teachers from the schools judged entries.

When the time was up, they selected 20 honorable mentions and the three

top winners.

5. The pictures remained almost untouched for four or five days after the

competition for everyone walking by to see and enjoy.

The activity is perfect for an organization that does not have a

large bank account or a lot of experience, but wants to do something special for Earth Day. The children were extremely proud

of their work and are already asking who will be participating

in “Earth Day on the Street” for next year.

— An Environment/NGO Volunteer in Romania

OPTIONS

Older students, such as participants from the previous year, can be invited to

help by contacting sponsors, doing publicity, and judging the drawings.

SOME

TIPS

AND LESSONS

LEARNED

The pictures remained

almost untouched for

four or five days after the

competition for everyone

walking by to see

and enjoy.
Part Four: Promising Activities

Peace Corps 141

ENGLISH LANGUAGE DRAMA

FESTIVAL

IDEA/CONCEPT

Drama, in school or after school

GOALS

To provide children with a fun way to practice and improve English, teamwork, youth leadership, and public-speaking skills

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AREA

World of Work

TARGET YOUTH

13-to-17-year-olds

TIME

Two times a week after school for two or three months

PLANNING IT

1. Introduce the idea to local English teachers. They must be willing to

support the activities of the children because Volunteers are not allowed

to help the children with translation of the plays.

2. Once Counterpart support has been gained, approach local businesses to

donate funds for participant travel, if needed, and prizes. Ask the director of one of the local schools or cultural centers to donate the space for

costume rehearsals and performance night.

3. Collect local folk plays that can be performed in 15-20 minutes or ones

that can be condensed as well as any materials necessary to make performances believable.

DOING IT

1. Announce the competition to your students. If several towns will compete, announce the competition via other English-speaking Volunteers

ENGLISH LANGUAGE

DRAMA FESTIVAL

ASSET TYPES

Support

Empowerment

Boundaries & Expectations

Constructive Use of Time

Commitment to Learning

Positive Values

Social Competencies

Positive Identity

Good

Counterpart

involvement
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

142

from the U.S., England, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Let the

participants know they:

• Will compete in ability-specific categories.

• Must select and translate a folk play that can be performed in 15-20

minutes or shortened to 15-20 minutes.

• Are allowed to ask their teachers specific grammar questions but must

do the bulk of the work as a student team.

• Will be judged on four criteria: presentation (pronunciation, delivery—

35 pts); technical (story line, flow, time—25 pts); acting (believability—20 pts); stage creativity (props, costumes—20 pts).

2. Have a formal meeting with the other English teachers to determine the

ability categories and which students should be assigned to them.

3. Ask the students how much time they will need to practice and prepare.

Set a permanent deadline and a schedule for practice times as a group.

4. Select a panel of judges.

5. Advertise the event, and give parents special invitations.

6. Select a group of students and teachers to sell tickets for the competition.

The money raised can be used to cover expenses.

7. Make up an evaluation form for the activities.

8. Hold the event, hand out awards, and celebrate all participants’ accomplishments.

9. After the event, bring the kids together and ask them what they learned

while working on the play to determine if your goals have been achieved.

• Depending on your curriculum flexibility, this activity can

be incorporated into regular classes or used as a part of an

English club or voluntary after-school activity. The main

role of the Volunteer is as organizer/supervisor/guidance

counselor. Participants must do the real work.

• Start small, and get as many people involved as possible.

• Depending upon the size of your town, this activity can be done as a competition between schools or as a drama performance in your school. Our

drama festival was organized as a competition among several schools in

Mongolia.

SOME

TIPS

AND LESSONS

LEARNED

Use non-English

students to sell tickets,

and help drama teams

make props and

costumes. You can even

have narration in the

host country language to

make the activity more

accessible to your

audience.
Part Four: Promising Activities

Peace Corps 143

• Use non-English students to sell tickets, and help drama teams make props

and costumes. You can even have narration in the host country language to

make the activity more accessible to your audience.

• Share copies of the plays your kids translate with your World Wise Schools

partner.

• Consider teaching a song in English or doing another simple English language activity during the 10-minute intermission. This was helpful because

most of our audience members were children.

— An Education Volunteer in Mongolia

ENGLISH LANGUAGE SUMMER

CAMP

IDEA/CONCEPT

Secondary school students study English and learn other skills in a camp setting

GOALS

To provide students with an opportunity to study English, learn about American culture, learn group work skills, take a week’s vacation from their usual

household responsibilities, meet friends (especially important for students who

live in the countryside), and have fun in a safe environment

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AREA

World of Work

TARGET YOUTH

Secondary school English students

TIME

One week for fifth through ninth graders who have not studied English before

(Camp 1); 10 days for sixth through eighth graders who have studied English

for one year (Camp 2)

ENGLISH LANGUAGE

SUMMER CAMP

ASSET TYPES

Support

Empowerment

Boundaries & Expectations

Constructive Use of Time

Commitment to Learning

Positive Values

Social Competencies

Positive Identity
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

144

PLANNING IT

1. Talk to your director and others you think may be willing to help. My

director was excited about the plan and approved it.

2. Decide on the number of students, the dates of the camp, location, and

tuition. We had 23-24 students and held our camp in June. The tuition fee

was waived for any student who had a strong desire to study at the camp

but could not pay for it.

3. Determine staffing needs. I hired a 10th-grade student who excelled in

my level 2 community English language class as an assistant director/

instructor; this student used acquired language, communication, and

organization skills to help out as a teaching assistant, a cook, and an

assistant cook. For Camp 1, a Volunteer helped teach, and for Camp 2, an

English language teacher taught at the camp.

4. Advertise the camp (i.e., posters in the school).

5. Plan camp activities.

6. Calculate the budget for food, staff salaries, rent of the English classroom, dormitory, and gym, copies to make books for the campers, notebooks, pens, tape, party supplies and prizes, and money for unforeseen

expenses. This flexibility proved helpful because we needed to handle an

onslaught of bedbugs.

7. Estimate revenue you need to cover the expenditures. Income was generated from tuition and donations.

8. Write funding letters to potential donors.

9. Determine roles and responsibilities of staff members.

10. Meet with the assistant director and teaching assistant to set camp rules

and class curriculum, to generate ideas for afternoon and morning activities, and to finalize planning.

DOING IT

1. Hold the camp.

2. Hold a ceremony, party, and dance at the end of camp. In addition to

presentation of certificates of completion, we had a spelling bee, played

games, sang songs, had refreshments, and danced.
Part Four: Promising Activities

Peace Corps 145

3. Acknowledge the people who helped make the camp a success.

4. Evaluate the camp (the assistant director and I did this).

What went well:

• The students came away from the camp with much better

English communication skills than they had before the

camp.

• The assistant director and teaching assistant were able to increase their

level of English by leading, assisting, and preparing activities.

• Because the camp was overnight, students were always using or thinking

about English. They may have even become a little more independent being away from their parents for a week to 10 days.

• Classes were small, so all the students had books and the student to teacher

ratio was about eight to one.

What we would change if we directed another English

language camp:

• Write the letters to donors three to four months in advance to ensure that

the funding arrives on time.

• Make each camp 10 to 14 days because the students may not want the

camp to end.

• Incorporate evaluations of the camp by the students and camp staff into the

evaluation procedures.

• Try to have the sign-up and tuition deadline close to the time when the

main community institutions issue salaries. Then more parents can afford

to send their children to camp.

• Think more about how this activity could be sustained throughout the years.

The people of my community would need to be very excited about the

camp. The funding would need to come from local resources.

 — An Education Volunteer in Mongolia

SOME

TIPS

AND LESSONS

LEARNED
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

146

English Camp Curriculum

(See “60 Things to Do on the Spot” on page 111 for additional ideas.)

Topics for Camp 1 (beginners)

• alphabet • adjectives to describe people

• greetings • nationalities

• classroom commands • colors

• classroom objects • body vocabulary

• names • dates (days of week, months, seasons)

• family vocabulary • birthdays

• numbers • hobbies

• age • food and drinks

Topics for Camp 2 (one year of English)

• Side By Side 177– pages 8-57

• Community content-based activities, which culminated in a community

mapping activity (see “Community Mapping” in “Tools, Techniques, and

Games,” page 89)

• Introduction of American pen pals

• Role plays that reviewed all the material covered in class

ENVIRONMENTAL CAMPS FOR

YOUTH LEADERSHIP

IDEA/CONCEPT

Youth and adults are invited to participate in camp sessions at one of eight sites

nationwide, where they learn about self-esteem, leadership, teamwork, and

environmental education. Each of the sites represents one of the natural beauties that the country offers and is equipped with a local team of trained adult

and youth leaders who facilitate camp sessions.

GOALS

To provide a motivating environment in which to address local environmental

problems.
Part Four: Promising Activities

Peace Corps 147

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AREA

Active Citizenship

TARGET YOUTH

All youth can benefit from this activity

TIME

Three-day camp sessions

PLANNING IT

This is actually a two-part activity. The first step is to train local adults to become volunteer camp leaders. The second is to invite youth and community

leaders from surrounding areas to participate in the camps. It is a big activity,

on the national scale, involving a large amount of time and funding from an

American foundation, U.S. and Canadian government agencies, and NGOs.

The sites should plan to build permanent structures and own the land.

Camp Session Logistics

1. Find transport from the nearest urban area to the camp site or plan to hike

in.

2. Find a cook, or the kids can take turns cooking.

3. Gather materials such as flashlights, tents, pens and paper, prepared

activities, drinking water, bathing water, medical kit, buckets and pails

for bathing and dishwashing, wood-burning stove in site, and toilet paper.

4. Ask the kids to bring their own blankets.

5. Plan a menu based on youth nutrition.

Cost

In Honduras it costs the equivalent of $25/camper for three days, including

health insurance, food, and transportation. Look for funding through NGOs incountry, Small Project Assistance (SPA), or other resources. We have been able

to buy tents, sleeping pads, kitchenware, games, lanterns, and other necessary

camp supplies as well as provide scholarships through the funds received.

DOING IT

Begin with activities that build self-esteem and work through future planning.78

(See “Ecology Leadership Training Activities” on page 103 for detailed activity descriptions.)

ENVIRONMENTAL

CAMPS FOR YOUTH

LEADERSHIP

ASSET TYPES

Support

Empowerment

Boundaries & Expectations

Constructive Use of Time

Commitment to Learning

Positive Values

Social Competencies

Positive Identity
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

148

Sample Schedule

Day 1

4:00 p.m. Arrival, welcome, introduction, and rules

4:30 p.m. Set up tents

5:00 p.m. Name game and icebreaker

6:00 p.m. Dinner

7:00 p.m. Form groups and either create a name and song with the

group or spend time getting to know their environment

Day 2

6:00 a.m Shower and cleanup

7:00 a.m. Meditation depending on religion, or meditation on

simple awareness of surroundings

7:10 a.m. Exercise—anything from yoga to bird walks

7:30 a..m Breakfast

8:30 a.m. Manual labor. We’ve done trail building/maintenance,

sign painting, and construction of camp facilities

10:00 a.m. Snack break

10:30 a.m. Group dynamics games

12:00 p.m. Lunch

1:00 p.m. Activities to develop self-esteem and leadership

2:00 p.m. Activities based on environmental education

4:30 p.m. Free hour for sports, art, or other activities

6:00 p.m. Dinner

7:00 p.m. Campfire skits or night hike

9:00 p.m. To bed

Day 3

6:00 a.m. Shower and cleanup

7:00 a.m. Meditation

7:10 a.m. Exercise

7:30 a.m. Breakfast

8:30 a.m. Environmental art

10:00 a.m. Snack break

10:30 a.m. Nature hike

12:00 p.m. Lunch

1:00 p.m. Action plans. How will they apply what they learned?

2:00 p.m. Closing ceremony and evaluation

Every camp is based on the needs of the specific group.

Do not do this alone!

Always work with a

community leader who

has credibility and whom

parents trust. Teachers

are great.
Part Four: Promising Activities

Peace Corps 149

• Do not do this alone! Always work with a community leader

who has credibility and whom parents trust. Teachers are

great.

• Look for funding or get the kids to fundraise and then

organize your group to find out what they’re interested in

learning.

• This would be a great activity to end the year, both as a gift to the kids and

because you will have more trust within the community.

• Play a lot and talk little! Use the idea of practical learning; no educational

lectures!

• Take into consideration things like the full moon, lunar eclipses, solstices,

or other natural holidays when setting a camp date. It can make all the

difference!

— An Environment/Community Volunteer in Honduras

SOME

TIPS

AND LESSONS

LEARNED

Mural Painting

A local artist facilitated a workshop on mural painting. He gave a 45-minute

overview of drawing techniques, paint mixing, and color combinations. The

participants were then broken into three groups and, within these groups,

brainstormed slogans and images that would project the environmental message they felt most strongly about. One mural had the message “STOP Illegal

Logging” with a painting of two worlds, one where there was no illegal logging and the other with illegal logging. The painting demonstrated the effects

of illegal logging on erosion, water resources, and on marine life.

MORE

TIPS

Play a lot and talk little!

Use the idea of practical

learning; no educational

lectures.
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

150

Some tips on mural painting:

• Having a local artist help the participants visualize and express their ideas

in a painting was essential.

• During the mural painting, passing commuters stopped to observe. The

mural is a positive contribution to the environmental awareness of the community and serves as a reminder to the participants to protect the environment.

• With the first group, the participants first painted a mini-mural on illustration board (24" x 36") and came back the following day to paint on the wall

using the mini-mural as a reference. Some participants were natural artists

and took charge during the painting. Painting on the illustration board

allowed only one to three people to paint. This caused anxiety among the

other participants and excluded the shyer participants. We decided to have

the second group paint directly on the wall, which allowed more participants to be involved. This also allowed them to finish the mural before the

closing ceremonies.

• Strict supervision was necessary to ensure that no graffiti were put on the

walls. Messages should strictly be limited to environmental slogans.

— Environment Volunteers in the Philippines

OPTIONS

TEFL Volunteers in Armenia used the following environmental activities as

part of an English Language Camp for seven-to-15-year-olds.79

• Cleanup of the local park and river. Tree and flower planting and beautification of the local children’s park.

• T-shirts made by all the children. Children decorated their own simple,

white T-shirts with sponges cut into designs of animals, trees, and flowers

and dipped in paint.

• Environmental treasure hunt. To teach the children new nature vocabulary,

they were sent on a treasure hunt for the items.

• Environmental hikes and explorations.

• “Make your own paper” out of recycled paper.

• Songs and music focusing on environmental and health issues.
Part Four: Promising Activities

Peace Corps 151

• A show put on by the camp children at the end of the two-week session

highlighting what they had learned. The show was then put on for the local

mayor, TV station, and parents.

They noted:

“One of our greatest triumphs came from the park cleanup

when people standing on the streets watching the children

actually joined our efforts and worked with us.”

EXPRESSIVE ART:

COMMUNICATING AND

CONNECTING

IDEA/CONCEPT

Art projects utilize a natural medium and provide a comfortable means of expression for children, who often love to draw and paint. Art provides the child

an opportunity to use his or her creativity. Art produced and discussed with

caring adults gives children the opportunity to process their feelings in a safe

and accepting place.

GOALS

To build a relationship with children and increase their self-awareness, communication skills, creativity, and self-esteem

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AREA

Family Life

TARGET YOUTH

Youth ages five and older

TIME

Weekly until it “plays out” and there is nothing more to say or until there are

indicators of positive connections with other children

PLANNING IT

Collect materials: paper, markers, pencils, erasers, paper bags for puppets, and

a variety of art supplies

EXPRESSIVE ART

ASSET TYPES

Support

Empowerment

Boundaries & Expectations

Constructive Use of Time

Commitment to Learning

Positive Values

Social Competencies

Positive Identity
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

152

DOING IT

The following are suggestions for specific drawing activities as well as followup questions to utilize in your work with children:

Self-Portrait

Follow-up questions:

• What kind of person are you? (Refers to personality and physical characteristics.)

• What do you like about yourself?

• How would your mom, dad, brother, or teacher describe you?

• What would you like to change about yourself?

Family Portrait

It is sometimes better to ask for “a” family instead of “your” family to make it

less personal and threatening.

Follow-up questions:

• What does this family do together?

• How do the people in this family show love?

• What are the good things about this family?

• What is your job in the family?

This work can be done individually or in groups, depending

on your comfort level and the constraints of your work situations. In groups, it is important to give all the children a chance

to talk if they wish but also to allow them to pass if they are

uncomfortable.

Some additional art activities are:

• Family puppets from paper bags. The child can act out scenes from

family life.

• My Ideal Family

• Things I Can Do

• Things I Like/Dislike

• Things I Like About Me

• Me in Five Years, 10 Years

• The Five Most Important Things in My Life

• My House

— A Youth Development Volunteer in Ecuador

SOME

TIPS

AND LESSONS

LEARNED
Part Four: Promising Activities

Peace Corps 153

OPTIONS

• You can use these activities in workshops and classes. Help young people

look for their strengths and allow participants to pass if they do not wish to

participate or share.

• These activities are based on art therapy. Unless you are a therapist, be

prepared to help by listening and referring to local professionals.

FIRST-AID WORKSHOP

IDEA/CONCEPT

Participants learn basic first-aid skills at a workshop in a local school.

GOALS

To help participants acquire knowledge and information about first aid and the

confidence to take action in case of an emergency; to raise awareness about the

importance of first aid and encourage youth to act as catalysts for similar workshops in their own school communities.

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AREA

Family Life

TARGET YOUTH

Secondary school youth

TIME

The workshop takes place over two half-days or one full day, depending on the

resources and the location of the schools involved.

PLANNING IT

The major cost involves transportation, so it is smart to choose a centrally located site. Participating schools usually agree to prepare the meals if the maize

is donated by the surrounding schools and/or covered by a budget. The budget

should also include extra cash for supplies such as first-aid handouts on topics

such as Artificial Respiration and How to Treat a Choking Victim, a test to be

administered at the end, and a Certificate of Successful Completion.

FIRST-AID

WORKSHOP

ASSET TYPES

Support

Empowerment

Boundaries & Expectations

Constructive Use of Time

Commitment to Learning

Positive Values

Social Competencies

Positive Identity
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

154

In Zimbabwe, most of our workshops are held at the cluster level. Each cluster

consists of 30-40 schools. One or two youths represent each school. The workshop includes a discussion about how they can implement these programs when

they return.

DOING IT

Topics for discussion or presentation included:

• Action at the emergency • Bites and stings

• Deciding to act (personal safety) • Fractures

• Assessing the situation • Sports injuries

• Getting others to help • Burns

• Multiple casualties/injuries • Heat-related illnesses

• Diagnosis • Transmissible diseases

• Rescue breathing • Poisoning

• Circulatory disorder • Sample first-aid kit

• Community-specific health concerns • Wounds and bleeding

The Peace Corps medical officer was a key participant with the Volunteers and

provided training on specific first-aid topics.

We gave participants a comprehensive test on the important topics covered

during the workshop. After a brief break during which we graded the tests, we

distributed certificates to those who successfully passed.

Sometimes we held a more formal closing ceremony to recognize participants

for what they had learned and accomplished and to stress the importance of the

information.

• Dummies are helpful. We made dummies out of clothes,

stuffed to the size of an adult or an infant with heads made

from balloons. Counterparts are particularly helpful in demonstrating how to treat an infant who is choking or in need

of artificial respiration. We sometimes used an actual volunteer as a “victim.”

• Ask participants to bring writing material with them so they can brainstorm ideas from the workshop to take back to their schools.

• Visual aids are helpful. They hold the attention of the participants and give

them something from which to copy down valuable information.

SOME

TIPS

AND LESSONS

LEARNED

One or two youths

represent each school.

The workshop includes a

discussion about how

they can implement these

programs when they

return.
Part Four: Promising Activities

Peace Corps 155

• Counterpart participation is key to the success of each session. They provide valuable perspectives on cultural matters in first aid that Volunteers

may not be aware of. They may also want to plan similar activities in the

future without relying on Peace Corps involvement.

• It is very important to discuss the financial arrangements with the Counterpart teachers beforehand so that there are no misunderstandings. Generally, they are reimbursed for travel.

• The workshops can include schools at which there are no Volunteers, provided there is adequate support from the staff.

— A Health Volunteer in Zimbabwe

OPTIONS

• Instead of a Peace Corps medical officer, a credentialed, knowledgeable,

and respected government or NGO health professional can provide the training.

• In addition to written tests, it may be a good opportunity for trainees to

have a demonstration/lecture time where they display their knowledge and

skills.

• Provide students with tips for how to present the information to others at

their schools.

FUTURE FARMERS’ CLUB

IDEA/CONCEPT

Establish an after-school agricultural club

GOALS

To link agriculture and education in a relaxed atmosphere, to provide practical

experiences to students on agricultural topics, and to discuss alternative agricultural practices that are not a part of traditional school curriculum

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AREA

World of Work

Club members learned

skills that are crucial for

them to know to be

successful in their likely

future professions.
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

156

TARGET YOUTH

This works best with sixth to ninth graders. During the first two school terms,

the club had an average attendance of 42 students per meeting. The ratio was

60 percent girls and 40 percent boys.

TIME

Weekly for 10 weeks

PLANNING IT

Involve and invite local government officers from the departments of agriculture, health, and economic development, for example, as well as representatives from local NGOs, and professionals such as veterinarians.

Good Counterparts are crucial. Choose Counterpart(s) who have both the available time and the motivation to help the club.

Funding:

Secure funding through income-generating activities like club dues and working for farmers during harvest. These activities garner small pockets of money

but also help ensure dedication to the club. Also, write a proposal for funding.

A local foundation, the ministries of agriculture and education, and a local

NGO helped us.

Ten meetings, a club party, and two school scholarships cost about $40.

School supplies (chalk, flip charts, markers...) Minimal cost

Candy/prizes for meetings Minimal cost

Two scholarships $ 16

Party supplies including drinks, buns, candy, and batteries $ 20

DOING IT

Club Meetings and Activities:

Week 1: Introduction, elections, and choosing club topics

Week 2: Compost lesson, relay races with prizes

Week 3: Composting activity; constructing a compost pile at the

school

Week 4: Discussion of gardening, nutrition, and “Design Your Future

Garden;” relay races

FUTURE FARMERS’

CLUB

ASSET TYPES

Support

Empowerment

Boundaries & Expectations

Constructive Use of Time

Commitment to Learning

Positive Values

Social Competencies

Positive Identity
Part Four: Promising Activities

Peace Corps 157

Week 5: Field trip to fish pond

Week 6: Veterinary officer speaks about rabies, raising animals, meat

inspection

Week 7: Tree planting lesson and activity to plant trees for the school

Week 8: Agricultural officer speaks about soil conservation, environmental stewardship, and marketing agricultural products

Week 9: Agriculture and income generation discussion

Week 10: Planning a club party and the future of the club

• Keep the meetings fun and informal.

• Plan practical activities that the club can monitor such as

tree planting and gardening.

• Encourage the club members to talk about things they have learned when

they go home to their families.

• When conducting a lesson or meeting, use PRA (Participatory Rural

Appraisal)80 techniques such as asking the group questions and letting them

teach you.

• Let the club choose the topics to be discussed.

• Invite guest speakers and take the club on field trips. Don’t make the club’s

success rely on your attendance. It is not sustainable. The club members

learned to express themselves outside of the traditional classroom setting.

They also gained leadership skills and learned to manage the club’s limited

resources. The members worked in small groups, a practice that is not common in classrooms in my area. Club members learned skills that are crucial

for them to know to be successful in their likely future professions.

— An Environmental Education Volunteer in Zambia

GEOGRAPHY GAME

IDEA/CONCEPT

We created this game after lots of questions followed the posting of a world

map on our porch.

SOME

TIPS

AND LESSONS

LEARNED

During the first two

school terms, the club

had an average

attendance of 42 students

per meeting. The ratio

was 60 percent girls and

40 percent boys.
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

158

GOALS

To encourage learning outside the classroom; to increase knowledge of

geography, specifically within the Volunteer’s region of service; to have fun.

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AREA

World of Work

TARGET YOUTH

We primarily have children from six to 12 years old playing, but some younger

children have been able to grasp the game. We also had a few adults join us. We

incorporated current events and newsmagazine articles into the adults’ game

for a greater challenge.

TIME

Two to three afternoons per week

PLANNING IT

Gather materials:

• A map of the world, and one of the region or country in which you are

serving

• Something to track the children’s progress, like a poster board chart

• An inflatable globe, which is easy to have mailed from the U.S.

Develop questions around different geography-related themes.

DOING IT

We developed a series of 15-20 questions for each game with a common theme.

In the first game, the children learned the South American countries and capitals. Each day after school, the children learned one country and its capital. The

following day, they were required to show us on the map the location of the

country and tell us what the capital is. If they knew the answer, they would

move to the next level.

We marked their progress with stickers on a chart with their names. Everyone

received a piece of bubble gum for their efforts, although this may not be necessary or appropriate in all situations.

GEOGRAPHY GAME

ASSET TYPES

Support

Empowerment

Boundaries & Expectations

Constructive Use of Time

Commitment to Learning

Positive Values

Social Competencies

Positive Identity Volunteers did this one

on their front porch
Part Four: Promising Activities

Peace Corps 159

After completing all of the levels of questions, the children were required to

remember all the countries and their capitals. The ones who accomplished this

received a small prize.

We moved through the Caribbean with the second game and are currently teaching them the flags of South America to reinforce the first game. Before close of

service, we will finish with a game focusing on the United States.

We found that if we reviewed a little each day, the children

were more likely to retain the information for this final test.

 — Education Volunteer in Suriname

OPTIONS

• Children can also make a globe with papier-mâché if an inflatable one is

not available.

• Games like this can be developed for other topic areas such as environmental themes (local plants and animals), history, arithmetic, and vocabulary.

• For older children and a more ambitious activity, paint a world map on a

school wall or other building. Complete directions can be found in the

World Map Project.

81

• You can do an experiential activity by having the young people map their

neighborhood, town, or community and ask them to identify all the resources available to them. This may lead to a discussion of desires or

activities like cleaning up the creek bed. (See “The Community Map” in

“Tools, Techniques, and Games” on page 89.)

Papier-Mâché

Recipe

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

2 cups cold water

2 cups boiling water

3 tablespoons sugar

Combine the flour and cold

water in a bowl. Add this

mixture to the saucepan of

boiling water and bring it to

a boil again. Remove from

the heat and stir in sugar.

Let it cool; it will thicken as it

cools. Once it does, it’s

ready to use.

Tear newspaper into oneby-five-inch strips. Dip into

paste solution. First run two

fingers alongside both sides

of strips to get rid of excess

solution and then apply strip

to object. You can use a

balloon or any other round

object as a mold for your

globe.

SOME

TIPS

AND LESSONS

LEARNED
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

160

GIRLS’ COMMUNITY

BASKETBALL TRAINING

IDEA/CONCEPT

Sports development and skills training for girls

GOALS

To increase sports opportunities for young women, to share American culture

and sports expectations, and to widen the scope of possibilities for 4-H activities.

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AREA

Family Life

TARGET YOUTH

Twelve-to-15-year-olds or older

TIME

Two practices per week (one during summer break)

PLANNING IT

Resources needed:

• A venue—at least a semi-functional basketball hoop and court

• Basketball(s)—preferably more than one or two, but you would be

amazed how much basketball skill can be learned in a group setting

with few resources

• Enthusiasm and patience

DOING IT

1. Assess the level of interest in the sporting opportunity and advertise the

activity.

2. We started with discussions of the differences between netball (a traditional “girls’ sport”) and basketball. The beginning involved a lot of teaching and quizzing about the fundamentals of the game and of sportsmanship.

GIRLS COMMUNITY

BASKETBALL TRAINING

ASSET TYPES

Support

Empowerment

Boundaries & Expectations

Constructive Use of Time

Commitment to Learning

Positive Values

Social Competencies

Positive Identity
Part Four: Promising Activities

Peace Corps 161

In addition to organizing basketball training for girls and helping to organize one of the first Women’s National Basketball

Tournaments, a number of Peace Corps Volunteers joined different basketball teams. We played with the teams and assisted

in promoting sportsmanship and other positive behaviors by

modeling them ourselves. Most of us had significant basketball training in the past and were able to help our coaches with

drills we had done on other teams.

Through participation in these teams, we were able to gain unique perspective

on youth in St. Vincent, and, in particular, the issues that face young women in

this country. We not only learned about the athleticism of some of these women

but also made lasting friendships.

If you decide to join a team, be sure to:

• Compete and stay committed to your team throughout the tournament.

[Note: That proved to be a substantial commitment considering one tournament lasted for more than four months.]

3. We stressed the importance of punctuality, attendance, and commitment.

Each day began with stretching and a general workout to get everyone’s

heart rate up, then moved on to the basketball skills training.

4. We worked up to two practices per week (except for summer break when

we met once a week).

5. We are in the process of finding a suitable coach from the community to

lead this young women’s group after my departure.

SOME

TIPS

AND LESSONS

LEARNED

Through participation in

these teams, we were

able to gain unique

perspective on youth

and, in particular, the

issues that face young

women in this country.

We not only learned

about the athleticism of

some of these women but

also made lasting

friendships.

Good community

entry activity
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

162

• Assist the team with fundraising, such as obtaining support from local and

international sports funding sources.

 — A Youth Development Volunteer in St. Vincent and the Grenadines

OPTIONS

• Identify an adult or older youth from the start who can coach alongside you

and continue on her own when you leave.

• Encourage the adult teams to support the youth teams.

• You can be involved as a coach or participant in other kinds of sports clubs

as well.

GIRLS’ EMPOWERMENT

WORKSHOP

IDEA/CONCEPT

Middle school girls from different schools participate in one- or two-day workshops on issues of concern to women.

GOALS

To help participants acquire valuable knowledge and the self-confidence necessary to succeed in school and beyond; to encourage participants to promote

similar activities in their own school communities.

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AREA

Family Life, Active Citizenship

TARGET YOUTH

Middle school girls

TIME

One or two days

GIRLS’

EMPOWERMENT

WORKSHOP

ASSET TYPES

Support

Empowerment

Boundaries & Expectations

Constructive Use of Time

Commitment to Learning

Positive Values

Social Competencies

Positive Identity

Good way to promote

empowerment
Part Four: Promising Activities

Peace Corps 163

PLANNING IT

In most cases, the major cost is transportation, so it is smart to choose a centrally located site. In our case, the host school is a boarding school that can

provide accommodation for all participating students; Counterpart teachers stay

at a nearby hostel. Making arrangements early can increase chances of receiving discounts. Peace Corps teachers can stay at the host Volunteer’s house.

Participating boarding schools are asked to contribute rice or flour equivalent

to what their students would have consumed over the weekend and the students

then cook the meals. A few day schools are able to make monetary contributions. The budget should also include extra funds for other supplies such as

markers and flip chart paper.

It is very important to discuss the financial arrangements with the Counterpart

teachers beforehand so that there are no misunderstandings. Generally, they

are reimbursed for travel and lodging only. Clarify this in advance to avoid

confusion and discord.

DOING IT

The workshops range in length from a daylong event to a full weekend, depending on the resources and the geographic situations of the schools involved.

They include team-building exercises, participant-led discussions, sports, field

trips to businesses and other community organizations that employ women with

secondary school educations, and a celebration of song and dance. (See “Girls

Empowerment Activities,” page 106 in “Tools, Techniques, and Games,” for

detailed session designs.)

Some workshops focus on one major topic, such as health, while others explore multiple concerns. Prominent women from the community are invited to

share their success stories and offer words of wisdom.

• It is important to select participants who will be capable

of acting as peer leaders in their own schools.

• Most of our workshops are conducted entirely in the local

language. Counterpart participation is key to the success

of each session. Counterparts provide valuable perspective on cultural matters that Volunteers may overlook. Once

equipped with the proper skills and experience, they will

be able to plan similar activities in the future without relying on Peace Corps involvement.

• The overriding goal of these workshops is to set the stage in many communities for peer education activities and life skills development sensitive to

SOME

TIPS

AND LESSONS

LEARNED
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

164

gender issues. Each participant walks away with knowledge and enthusiasm that enables her to act as a catalyst for promoting gender awareness at

her own school. Some students organize their own workshops to share with

classmates what they have learned. Others start Girls’ Clubs to create support systems for female students. Other possibilities include Career Days,

Peer Tutoring, and Girls’ Sports Clubs. The options are limitless and, with

the encouragement and support of Counterparts and Volunteers, the workshops provide an effective start in inspiring girls to set higher expectations

for themselves and to pursue their dreams.

— An Education Volunteer in Tanzania

OPTIONS

Volunteers in Bulgaria ran a 10-day hike for teen girls. The goal was to boost

their confidence at a time in their lives when they are likely to become preoccupied with what other people think and how they look. TEFL and Environment

Volunteers teamed up with Counterparts to organize this “mobile camp.” They

built the following activities into the free time in the afternoons and evenings

once the group had reached its destination for the day:

• “Getting-to-know” activities, if participants do not know one another

• Campfires, songs (in rounds, on hikes, in different languages), storytelling,

charades, jokes

• Short nature hikes and making dream catchers with items collected

• Games: Blind Trust Walk, Trust Fall, All Aboard, Blind Square, Human

Knot, Spider Web, Freeze Tag, Red Rover, Capture the Flag

• Scavenger hunts

• Journal writing: Keeping a daily log of trip/experiences

• Board games: Yahtzee and Scrabble were a hit as nighttime entertainment!

Before undertaking this kind of event, find out about local laws regarding taking students on overnight trips. Do you need a certified guide? Do you need a

registered nurse? How many chaperones are needed? Is written permission required?

— TEFL/Environment Volunteers in Bulgaria
Part Four: Promising Activities

Peace Corps 165

GIRLS’ MAGAZINE

IDEA/CONCEPT

To publish a girls’ magazine consisting primarily of submissions written by

adolescent girls in a variety of forms: articles, poems, cartoons, dialogues, or

stories on any topic that relates to women’s issues.

GOALS

To give literate, adolescent girls a venue to express their concerns and desires

and to provide an informal educational tool that can be used to discuss women’s

issues.

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AREA

World of Work

TARGET YOUTH

Adolescents girls and some boys ages 12 to 24 years old

TIME

To date Aïcha: Les Filles Parlent Aux Filles (Girls Speaking to Girls) has been

published four times in the last three years. It can take over six months to

gather articles, edit, and lay out the magazine, depending on staff and resources.

PLANNING IT

Seek funding from local and U.S. Government grants and NGOs, presenting

the activity as one that furthers important gender and development dialogue.

It cost about $2,000 to publish (an edition averaging 2,500 copies of 28 pages).

DOING IT

The magazine is distributed mostly through Volunteers and through various

Guinean government agencies, NGOs, and the companies that purchase advertising space. The magazine is free. Demand is high. Therefore, Volunteers generally ask people to write articles for the magazine before they are given a

copy. Requiring students to write articles to receive copies encourages participation and discussion of gender issues. It also increases the quantity of submissions from which to choose and helps avoid giving copies to uninterested people.

GIRLS’ MAGAZINE

ASSET TYPES

Support

Empowerment

Boundaries & Expectations

Constructive Use of Time

Commitment to Learning

Positive Values

Social Competencies

Positive Identity

Great idea for

magazine distribution
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

166

• Financing of the magazine is moving away from the public sector to the private sector by selling advertisement

space in the magazine. To date we have moved from 100

percent public sector to 85 percent private sector support.

• Encourage collaboration between Volunteers and school faculty.

• Try not to lock yourself too firmly into publication schedules. Unforeseen

hindrances may come up.

• Encourage boys to participate.

• Inspect for plagiarism before an article is printed.

This activity has increased awareness of and confidence in discussing gender

issues among participants. Many Volunteers have noted the significant role that

the magazine has played in helping them address gender issues in schools and

other venues. Participants have written about topics such as Excision, Girls’

Schooling, Gender Discrimination, Peer Pressure, Adolescent Reproductive

Health, Family/Social Roles of Women, Polygamy, Depigmentation, Role Models, Music, and General Opinion. It has also increased private sector collaboration in gender and development activities and has introduced young people

involved to participatory mass media.

— An Education/TEFL Volunteer in Guinea

OPTIONS

Young people can build a variety of skills through activities

like this one:

• Decision-making skills by

becoming involved in the

selection process;

• Business skills by soliciting

advertising and marketing

the magazine; and

• Leadership and literacy

skills by serving as “guest

editors.”

SOME

TIPS

AND LESSONS

LEARNED

To date we have moved

from 100 percent public

sector to 85 percent

private sector support.
Part Four: Promising Activities

Peace Corps 167

HEALTHY BODIES,

HEALTHY SCHOOLS

IDEA/CONCEPT

District school health education activity and contest

GOALS

To expose students to information about health; to promote healthy behaviors;

to involve teachers, health professionals, and education officials in teaching

health; to make health an important topic to be treated in schools.

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AREA

Family Life/Health and Nutrition

TARGET YOUTH

Youth in schools

TIME

One year

PLANNING IT

Using a curriculum designed by the national government, we created a simple

personal and environmental hygiene curriculum. Later, with the help of the

ministry of health, the national education service, and the community water

and sanitation department, we expanded our curriculum to include water storage and transport, nutrition, puberty, drugs and alcohol, and reproductive/sexual

health. We asked for permission from the education service to begin a pilot

health activity in 10 schools.

DOING IT

We trained one teacher and headmaster from each school in teaching methods,

the importance of health education, and simple health messages. Participants

were given a copy of the curriculum and a timetable for the term.

Teachers taught while Volunteers and district officials monitored by doing personal hygiene and school compound inspections. Those schools found to be

the healthiest were awarded a prize.

HEALTHY BODIES,

HEALTHY SCHOOLS

ASSET TYPES

Support

Empowerment

Boundaries & Expectations

Constructive Use of Time

Commitment to Learning

Positive Values

Social Competencies

Positive Identity

Good use of

local materials
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

168

After a term of teaching health, we held final events wherein groups of students competed in performing original songs, drama, rhymes, and artwork about

health. Winners were given prizes.

• Getting permission from education officials was important to teachers; official support was invaluable. Keeping

them informed and involved helped build support for the

activity, enabling us to expand and sustain it.

• Teachers presented the information very thoroughly but often did not use

participatory methods.

• Having a timetable and checkups ensured that the program was followed.

• Behaviors did change in small ways, but more facilities were needed in

schools, such as toilets and hand-washing facilities, so that healthy behaviors

could be encouraged.

An activity like this can be costly; however, it doesn’t have to be. The smaller

the activity, the less expensive it is, yet still effective for the students involved.

Keeping training sites nearby can eliminate travel costs. The main cost is printing the curriculum. If the government agencies are involved, money can be

requested from them. Corporations were very willing to give donations of soap,

toothbrushes, and toothpaste. Children can pass the information and habits on

to brothers and sisters they care for, parents, and other family members, creating

healthier communities.

— Health/Education Volunteers in Ghana

HEALTH NEWSLETTER

IDEA/CONCEPT

A monthly grass-roots HIV/AIDS education newsletter

GOALS

To increase awareness of HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs)

among youth and to encourage the young people in the community to take

ownership of these important issues.

SOME

TIPS

AND LESSONS

LEARNED

Getting permission from

education officials was

important to teachers;

official support

...enabled us to expand

and sustain the program.
Part Four: Promising Activities

Peace Corps 169

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AREA

Family Life/Sexual Health

TARGET YOUTH

Ages 10-20 and up

TIME

Monthly publication

PLANNING IT

Materials needed:

• A computer with word processing, preferably with a newsletter template.

Windows 98 has a good one.

• A photocopier

• Paper and a stapler

Funding:

You’ll need to cover the cost of paper and photocopying services. I got funding

from an international development organization through the AIDS control

program of the Department of State for Health. Once I showed that the money

was well spent, it approved more funding. I started with 100 copies of each

monthly issue and funding for six months.

DOING IT

Do this only if there are a good number of literate people in your area who can

read the newsletter and spread the information to others who cannot read.

1. Invite people to write about HIV/AIDS or STDs. Tell them to be specific

and use their own personal experiences and opinions. It might be hard to

get submissions at first, but it will catch on.

2. Use various formats: interviews, questions and answers, editorials, and

fact sheets. I included the same fact sheet on the last page of every issue.

It was easy for someone picking up the newsletter for the first time to

understand.

3. Come up with a catchy name. I used Dandugol, which means “Prevention” in Pulaar.

HEALTH NEWSLETTER

ASSET TYPES

Support

Empowerment

Boundaries & Expectations

Constructive Use of Time

Commitment to Learning

Positive Values

Social Competencies

Positive Identity
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

170

4. Each issue can have a different theme: condoms, counseling and testing,

opportunistic infections, or STDs.

5. Make it easy to understand for the lay reader.

6. Edit.

7. Distribute to appropriate places: teachers, schools, peer educators, condom distributors, health workers, policemen, military men, young taxi/

bush taxi drivers, Red Cross centers, family planning centers.

• It’s important that the writing does not “talk down” to the

target audience. Make sure you’re speaking to them as

adults and showing them respect.

• Get youth directly involved to give them ownership of the

solution.

• It takes a lot of energy and perseverance, but it’s worth every bit.

— A Health Volunteer in The Gambia

OPTION

Use cartoons and artwork to increase accessibility to a low-literacy audience.

HOLIDAY CARNIVAL

IDEA/CONCEPT

By participating in the games, contests, and other team-building activities of a

Holiday Carnival, 60 children (20 orphans, 10 HIV-positive children, and 30

nonorphaned, noninfected boys and girls) and their parents learned that social

differences are often merely superficial. The controlled environment of the indoor carnival allowed for safe, supervised interaction and integration.

GOALS

To provide a safe forum for interaction among children from diverse social

backgrounds so as to promote the values of equality, respect, and understanding, and to have fun.

SOME

TIPS

AND LESSONS

LEARNED

Get youth directly

involved to give them

ownership of the

solution.
Part Four: Promising Activities

Peace Corps 171

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AREA

Family Life/Life Skills

TARGET YOUTH

Orphaned and nonorphaned, HIV-positive, and noninfected boys and girls, ages

six-13; in addition, eight older youth served as activity leaders.

TIME

Several weeks of planning time for carnival day

PLANNING IT

By meeting with representatives of the local orphanage, an association of parents

of HIV-positive children, and a local youth club, we were able to assemble a

group of 60 children ages six-13. We got donations of chocolates, oranges, and

chewing gum from City Hall and a local grocery store. We set up a Christmas

tree in a room donated by the Cultural Center.

Materials needed for a Christmas carnival:

• Craft supplies to make ornaments for the tree

• Fun masks for the children to wear

• A Christmas tree

• Music for carols

• A Santa suit

DOING IT

For a Christmas holiday carnival, we did the following:

• Masks—It is a carnival! • Games

• Carol singing • Visit from Santa Claus

• Tree decorating—The children made ornaments with craft supplies.

• Skits, involving the children, performed by a local youth drama club.

The hardest part is getting the children to branch out from their

respective peer groups. Be creative and lead by example, showing that you are not afraid of new and different people. With

time and a little help from the carnival facilitators, children

were laughing and playing together as if unaware of their

differences.

— An Environmental/NGO Development Volunteer in Romania

HOLIDAY CARNIVAL

ASSET TYPES

Support

Empowerment

Boundaries & Expectations

Constructive Use of Time

Commitment to Learning

Positive Values

Social Competencies

Positive Identity

SOME

TIPS

AND LESSONS

LEARNED

Using a youth club utilizes an

already intact group. This can

shorten planning time and

brings in additional adults.
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

172

OPTIONS

• All countries have holidays. Culturally appropriate carnivals and festivals

can be good bridges across differences.

• Be sure to include your Counterparts in the planning and implementation

to increase sustainability and help ensure appropriateness.

• You may have to hold an informational meeting to educate parents and

other adults about HIV transmission.

LIBRARY CLUB

IDEA/CONCEPT

Meet regularly at the library to promote leisure reading and to support the

library by repairing books.

GOALS

To encourage youth to read by exposing them to the community library and the

use of books, encyclopedias, atlases, and reference books, and to provide an

opportunity for youth to engage in community service.

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AREA

World of Work/Literacy

TARGET YOUTH

15-to-18-year-olds

TIME

After school, weekends, or biweekly meetings

PLANNING IT

Ask a local teacher to be a sponsor for the library club. The teacher can be

present at meetings to discuss activities, ideas, and needs of the club.

Gather “repair supplies”: tape, markers, pencils, and materials for making

cushions.

LIBRARY CLUB

ASSET TYPES

Support

Empowerment

Boundaries & Expectations

Constructive Use of Time

Commitment to Learning

Positive Values

Social Competencies

Positive Identity
Part Four: Promising Activities

Peace Corps 173

DOING IT

1. Encourage book reports to inspire others to read.

2. Organize outings to other libraries.

3. Have library club members provide service to the library: stamping, repairing and shelving books, and making cushions for chairs.

Consider collecting a small fee to buy a special book or fund

entertainment for members.

— An Education Volunteer in Lesotho

OPTIONS

• Encourage participants to reach out to other youth to involve them in the

library club.

• Collecting a fee may limit participation. In some communities, it may be

necessary to look for funds to subsidize participants’ transportation to the

library.

• Seek local sponsors for funds and display their names.

• See “Not Just Books” in the “Volunteer Open House” activity (p. 201) for

an inspiring story on the impact of an opportunity on a girl’s life.

LIFE SKILLS TRAINING

IDEA/CONCEPT

By engaging in a life planning process, young people will learn to make healthy

choices during adolescence.

GOALS

To encourage students to reflect upon themselves and their future, to build selfesteem by examining family and personal values, gender stereotypes, sexuality, and HIV/AIDS, and to learn effective communication, goal setting, and

decision-making skills.

SOME

TIPS

AND LESSONS

LEARNED
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

174

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AREA

Family Life/Life Skills

TARGET YOUTH

Youth ages 12-18

TIME

One week, one month, or longer during or after school. This depends on the

age of participants, the size of the youth group, and the atmosphere you want to

create.

PLANNING IT

1. Plan the workshop with the curriculum as your base. Be sure to include

your Counterpart in the planning.

2. Read the Como Planear Mi Vida82 or Life Planning Education83 curriculum. For a strong AIDS focus, consult the Life Skills Manual,

84 which

outlines a myriad of activities for each theme. You can choose to augment

and adapt the activities for your youth group.

3. Talk to the principal, a teacher, or another community member who may

be interested in the workshop. Negotiate themes, dates, times, roles, and

responsibilities of all involved, including students.

4. Write a Small Project Assistance proposal or look for other sources of

funding for the workshop or series of workshops you want to give.

5. Network with local NGOs that work with similar themes to see if they

could donate related materials and videos or assist directly with workshops.

6. Choose a group of students. Some Volunteers ask the school staff to choose

a group of students, others ask students to sign up, and others give the

workshop to entire classes of students during the school day.

7. Send out a letter to all parents or invite them to a meeting to inform them

of the proposed workshop and encourage their participation and support.

8. Develop an evaluation tool for the workshop such as a pretest and posttest

of the themes included.

LIFE SKILLS

TRAINING

ASSET TYPES

Support

Empowerment

Boundaries & Expectations

Constructive Use of Time

Commitment to Learning

Positive Values

Social Competencies

Positive Identity
Part Four: Promising Activities

Peace Corps 175

DOING IT

All activities are outlined in the curriculum.

• The more time devoted to Life Skills Training, the more

trust will develop between you and the students and among

the students. Trust is the key to generating worthwhile conversations during the workshop.

• Try to gauge a group’s comfort level discussing sexuality before the sessions on this topic; then, you can tailor your approach to sexuality to reach

them more successfully. Discuss this with your Counterparts and invite a

respected local facilitator for discussions of sensitive topics.

• Invite local role models such as a nurse, doctor, mayor, priest, teacher,

judge, pastor, local political leader, farmer, and homemaker to participate

in the workshop where appropriate.

• Give out diplomas for those who attend at least 80 percent of the workshop. Invite students’ parents to the closing ceremony.

— An Education Volunteer in Honduras

OPTION

Train students and/or parents to help plan and deliver sessions.

MAKING WOODEN TRASH BINS

IDEA/CONCEPT

By building wooden trash bins the students will learn how they can help maintain a clean environment around their school and in their community.

GOALS

To teach students the importance of keeping the environment clean and to provide hands-on training using tools.

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AREA

Community Life/Environment and Agriculture

SOME

TIPS

AND LESSONS

LEARNED

Send out a letter to all

parents or invite them to

a meeting to inform them

of the proposed

workshop and encourage

their participation and

support.

Good point!
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

176

TARGET YOUTH

Eight-to-15-year-olds

TIME

A few days to collect wood and materials. Up to five days to do the activity.

PLANNING IT

Materials needed:

• Wood: depends on where you live, but for my activity I was able to

obtain some old wood boards free. Ask around your community if anyone has some old wood that you could use.

• Hammer

• Saw

• Paintbrushes: one narrow, one wide

• Quart of green paint: you can paint about 10 trash bins if you mix the

paint with unleaded gas so that it will last longer

• 1 tin of white paint

• Nails: use 1 1⁄2-inch nails; one pound of nails will last about seven trash

bins

DOING IT

1. Cut wood to desired lengths. I usually used pieces that were 30 inches

long, about eight inches wide, and an inch or less thick. It depends how

big you want to make the trash bins.

2. Cut eight pieces of wood (3x5 inches works) to connect the boards.

3. Lay two of the 30-inch pieces flat side by side lengthwise. Lay two of the

3x5 inch pieces across the two pieces about six inches from the top and

bottom and nail them into the longer boards. Use a minimum of two nails

per board. Be sure to bend the nails if they come through the other side.

You should now have one solid board that is 30 inches long and 16 inches

wide. Make three more of these in the same manner, for a total of four

equal-size pieces.

4. Connect the four sides together by nailing the boards at the four ends.

Make sure the little pieces of wood that you nailed to connect the boards

together are on the inside of your garbage can.

MAKING WOODEN

TRASH BINS

ASSET TYPES

Support

Empowerment

Boundaries & Expectations

Constructive Use of Time

Commitment to Learning

Positive Values

Social Competencies

Positive Identity

Clear building

instructions
Part Four: Promising Activities

Peace Corps 177

5. When connecting wood, make sure you put enough nails on each side so

that the trash bins stay together.

6. Turn your garbage can upside down and create the bottom.

7. Cut a board of old tin that will fit the shape of the garbage can and nail it

on.

8. Paint your garbage can green with the wide brush.

9. The next day come back and have the children paint “Garbage” on the

side, the year in which they made the garbage can, and the grade that

made it.

10. Use the white paint and the narrow paintbrush for the lettering.

This is a great activity to do with the children in any primary

school. It is also an inexpensive activity. Have fun!

— A Natural Resources Volunteer in Honduras

OPTION

You can also make trash bins by painting 55-gallon metal barrels. This makes it

more of a painting activity.

MEN’S HEALTH CLINIC

IDEA/CONCEPT

The Men’s Health Clinic, held on a monthly basis, gives young men a chance

to discuss issues of concern in a comfortable environment. It provides a forum

to transfer information about prevention techniques for STDs and AIDS. Men

walk away from the clinic with a better understanding of their health and how

it affects the lives of others, and the desire to pass on the knowledge they have

gained. Clinic attendees become comfortable coming to the clinic when they

feel sick and understand the importance of living a healthy lifestyle.

SOME

TIPS

AND LESSONS

LEARNED

Men are provided a

separate registration and

clinic area with a doctor,

nurse, health educator,

and Volunteer focused

solely on men’s health

for the day.

Novel idea!
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

178

GOALS

To provide health services to young men and to raise awareness of men’s health

issues such as sexually transmitted diseases and testicular and prostate cancers.

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AREA

Family Life

TARGET GROUP

Young men between the ages of 13 and 35

TIME

One day per month

PLANNING IT

During the planning stages of the Men’s Health Clinic, informal research focused on reasons why males were not taking advantage of clinic services and

the various health issues men found most important. It became apparent that

clinic services were mainly targeted at women, providing pre- and postnatal

services on a regular basis. Men interviewed indicated that STD/AIDS testing,

reproductive health, general medical checkups, and health education were the

most practical services the clinic could provide for them.

These factors provided the overall framework for the design of the Men’s Clinic.

It was designed to offer a holistic approach to encourage healthy lifestyle choices

among young men.

DOING IT

The Men’s Health Clinic offers the following services one day per month:

• Full medical exam by a doctor or nurse

• HIV/AIDS blood test

• STD testing and exam

• HIV/AIDS/STD education session

• Reproductive health—condom demonstration and distribution

• Prostate and testicular cancer education session

• Private counseling

• Job and skills training referrals to local schools, literacy programs, and

technical institutions.

MEN’S HEALTH CLINIC

ASSET TYPES

Support

Empowerment

Boundaries & Expectations

Constructive Use of Time

Commitment to Learning

Positive Values

Social Competencies

Positive Identity
Part Four: Promising Activities

Peace Corps 179

These services are offered in a male-friendly atmosphere, ensuring that men

feel comfortable in the health clinic setting. Specifically, men are provided a

separate registration and clinic area with a doctor, nurse, health educator, and

Volunteer, focused solely on men’s health for the day. They pay a nominal

registration fee determined by the Health Department. While waiting to see the

nurse or doctor, health educators and Volunteers make presentations and facilitate discussions on STDs/AIDS and reproductive health. The patients are then

encouraged to give blood for an HIV and syphilis test after a general pretest

counseling session. Private counseling and skills and educational referrals are

available to patients waiting to give blood.

• You need to convince health officials and workers about

the importance and relevance of a Men’s Health Clinic.

You cannot do this on your own!

• Talk to health officials in your district or community about

the overall health condition of young men in your area.

• Visit area health clinics to understand and communicate the idea to nurses

and doctors.

• Present a Men’s Health Clinic proposal to the relevant officials and health

workers. Ask for volunteers to join a Men’s Health Team to implement the

clinic. Set a date. Nothing motivates people more than a deadline.

• Find a doctor and/or a nurse to volunteer one day per month to work at the

men’s clinic. Finding a lab technician to take blood for the various tests can

also be a great help and take some of the pressure off the doctor or nurse.

Find health educators or work with a local partner to prepare presentations

on STDs, AIDS, condom use, and cancer.

• Contact schools, training institutions, and literacy programs to let them

know what you are doing and ask if you can refer patients to their institution.

• Make posters to decorate the clinic area and provide information.

• Advertise! Advertise! Advertise! In many cases, men have no knowledge

of local health clinics or the services they offer. Make posters and fliers to

distribute in places where young men congregate, such as bars, betting

shops, sports fields, bus parks, and community centers. Get the help of

local media to publicize your cause.

SOME

TIPS

AND LESSONS

LEARNED

Attendance may be slow

at first and it may be

tough to motivate health

officials and workers in

your area, but eventually

attendance will increase

as health officials see the

impact the clinic has and

your support will

strengthen. Above all

else, have patience!
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

180

• Attendance may be slow at first and it may be tough to motivate health

officials and workers in your area, but eventually attendance will increase

as health officials see the impact the clinic has and your support will

strengthen.

• Above all else have patience!

— A Health Volunteer in Jamaica

OPTIONS

It is important to create safe environments for both men and women to receive

health care. However, health issues, especially reproductive health and HIV/

AIDS, do not occur in isolation but affect and involve relationships at both the

family and community levels. It is critical that men understand women’s health

needs and issues and that women understand men’s. Consider including education components about women’s health issues in the men’s clinic. These might

include information on use of condoms and HIV/AIDS as well as some basic

reproductive topics such as stages of pregnancy, embryonic development, and

breast cancer. Women’s health clinics can also provide information about men’s

health issues such as testicular and prostate cancer and HIV/AIDS issues for

men. Increasing men’s and women’s knowledge about each other’s sexual health

will facilitate dialogue when necessary for behavior change.

MURAL PAINTING WITH YOUTH

IDEA/CONCEPT

To use art as a tool to help young men make the transition from life in a detention center to life outside. It is also an attempt to gather the voices of an underrepresented population, help them define their issues, and have their voices

heard in public debate and the creation of policy.

GOALS

To weave a variety of learning experiences into the creation of a mural. To use

the public nature of the activity to help the boys link up with the community

with which they find themselves at odds.

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AREA

World of Work

MURAL PAINTING

ASSET TYPES

Support

Empowerment

Boundaries & Expectations

Constructive Use of Time

Commitment to Learning

Positive Values

Social Competencies

Positive Identity

Good tip!
Part Four: Promising Activities

Peace Corps 181

Impacts and Results:

A Real-Life Story

Mural painting turned one young man’s life around.

Pablo, a bright 16-year-old boy, had been living on the streets for eight years when I

met him. He had completed only the fifth grade. Though he had attempted to live in

homes set up for youth like him, he preferred to live on the street. He slept during the

day and stayed up at night to keep himself warm and alive. He started hanging around

the Foundation and told me that he was interested in drawing. When someone says

this to me, I know that I have someone to work with. So he started painting murals

with us from the beginning of the project. I secured permission from the Catholic

fathers who run the Rehabilitation Center for Pablo to live there while we worked on

the project. It was during the rainy season, and it may have been the first time that the

boy had been warm in months. He certainly started to look better within the first few

days. Pablo had been looking for something for a long time. He didn’t have proper

identity papers, diplomas, or connections except those of the street. There was no

way for him to reconnect himself to society.

The small monthly salary

that we were able to pay

him (about $30) went toward rent for a small

room. With this small

room, he was able to establish an address, a

place to go to, and a place

where he could keep his

things. This gave him a

feeling of security that

led him to begin night

classes to continue his

education. The connection to our activities gave

him a base and references from which he

could reach out and find

other, more permanent

employment.

Mural making allowed Pablo to actively participate in an activity from beginning to

end and at every level. Inherent in the activity are mechanisms for building self-esteem.

The participants create something that is physically larger than themselves and is

permanent. I saw Pablo change without much direct intervention. We provided an

alternative and an opportunity.
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

182

TARGET YOUTH

Boys in a rehabilitation center

TIME

Each boy works full time for two or three months and stays with the project for

a year.

PLANNING IT

I do a lot of fundraising. Everyone working on this activity is paid a nominal

salary, just a little bit more than they could earn on the streets, and we try to

keep everyone on the projects for a year. An Ecuadoran company sponsors

each mural. The company, in return, receives publicity.

DOING IT

A quality mural isn’t that hard to paint once you know the tricks of the trade,

which can be communicated in about a day.

I worked with two professional artists from the Quito area and started by painting a mural inside the boys’ center. The first few weeks of the activity were not

easy. We had to tear 500 pounds of crumbling cement off the wall and then

rebuild it. This type of work certainly wasn’t appealing to the boys and we

didn’t force them to do such hard labor.

Our goal was to interest them in wanting to do something. We appealed to their

vanity and ego and painted a mural of four of the most positive boys as gigantic

and immortalized beings, two stories tall. It got their attention. We had more

volunteers than we could handle in the ensuing weeks.

Although in the months to come we would pay the boys wages and they would

work as employees, their interest was sparked by the possibilities for growth

and recognition. It was probably the first time in their lives these boys wanted

to be involved in something constructive.

• Each image is created through a dialogue with the boys.

The role of the professional artists involved in the activity

was to be facilitators, with the bulk of the responsibility

for the image placed upon the boys.

• We then alert the media and use the visual image for maximum public

relations and awareness-raising exposure.

SOME

TIPS

AND LESSONS

LEARNED

Probably for the first

time in their lives, these

boys wanted to be

involved in something

constructive.
Part Four: Promising Activities

Peace Corps 183

• We have been successful so far. We plan to make this activity a permanent

part of the Fundación Estrella de la Mañana (Morning Star Foundation)

with Ecuadoran artists taking over my role once the program has been

established. There are plans to move on to rehabilitation centers for girls,

and to develop projects in other parts of the country, talking largely and

loudly the whole way.

 — A Youth Development Volunteer in Ecuador

OPTION

If painting a permanent mural is not an option, consider creating one on paper

or cloth. Though it will not last as long, it can still have a significant impact on

the youth who create it and the community that sees it.

PEER TRAINING SEMINARS

FOR REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH

EDUCATION

IDEA/CONCEPT

Teams of students and a teacher from different schools are trained in reproductive health issues so they can educate other members of their communities.

GOALS

To develop youth peer leaders capable of disseminating reproductive health

information among teens in their own communities; to help teachers and students advocate for the inclusion of reproductive health information in overall

curriculum; to promote teaching methods that encourage students to develop

their own values regarding such information; to give local participants practice

in organizing and promoting health education in their communities.

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AREA

Family Life

TARGET YOUTH

Seventh-or-eighth-grade students, local teachers, and school officials

PEER TRAINING

SEMINARS FOR

REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH

EDUCATION

ASSET TYPES

Support

Empowerment

Boundaries & Expectations

Constructive Use of Time

Commitment to Learning

Positive Values

Social Competencies

Positive Identity

Good use of youth

as resources!
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

184

TIME

Five-day seminar

PLANNING IT

Resources needed:

Twenty-five interactive lessons that promote practical application of knowledge presented pertaining to:

• Values and decisionmaking;

• Healthy relationships;

• Communication skills;

• Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), HIV/AIDS, and proper use and

discussion of condoms; and

• Domestic violence and sexual abuse.

During the five day seminar, work with one of the above themes per day. You

will also need paper and pens for participants and additional paper for activities

carried out in the lessons.

Identify communities with an interest in a health program or with a great need,

especially areas with high rates of HIV or drug use.

Develop a proposal and seek funding. Some options may be the Peace Corps,

local funding organizations sponsored by the World Bank, or the UNDP. Five

seminars for 100 students in four locations cost in total about $2,000 in Moldova.

Variables include transportation, distance traveled by participants, translation

costs for materials, and the value of the dollar in your country of service. Seminar

leaders volunteered their time. Transportation and food costs for the week of

the seminar were roughly $18 each. Five seminars required 10 seminar leaders.

It cost approximately $1,000 to translate and print 300 copies of the 134-page

manual.

Identify qualified nationals to volunteer as seminar leaders. We preferred young

adults of college age who recognized the concerns and values of youth.

Conduct a special training for seminar leaders to learn to work with each other,

to develop skills in leadership, facilitation, and communication, and to create a

comfortable, open environment for students. In Moldova, we were lucky to

work with an NGO that had done many youth seminars. You will need two

trainers for each seminar or four for each site: one pair to work with students,

the other to lead the seminar for teachers.85
Part Four: Promising Activities

Peace Corps 185

Ask members of the communities interested in your ideas to arrange a site for

the weeklong seminar.

Select pairs of students, one male and one female, from the seventh or eighth

grade, and a teacher from the school to attend. The teacher should be someone

willing to work with the two students as a team after the seminar to implement

the curriculum back at their home school. The teacher provides authority while

the male and female students serve as role models. Be sure parents and school

directors have given permission.

For each seminar site, select a local teacher or school inspector to be the seminar organizers. They are responsible for managing the budget for transportation, food, and lodging and for demonstrating proper use of funds. They must

also find a place to hold the seminar, and organize evening activities if participants and trainers will be spending the night. Example: If six pairs of students

come from each of the hosting town’s six schools and four additional pairs

come from four villages nearby, eight students will need lodging and money

for transportation, while 12 will not.

DOING IT

The content of the seminar sessions is the responsibility of the visiting seminar

leaders, not of the site organizers.

Structure your seminar so that the schedule is similar to the school routine in

your area. In Moldova, the seminar was from Monday to Friday. Activities

began at 8:30 a.m. and went to 3 or 4 p.m. with several breaks, games, snacks,

and lunch. Seminar groups were kept small: 20 students/two leaders. Students

were reminded that they would be leading the activities for their own classmates so they could keep this in mind while they participated in the activities as

learners.

Hold an identical seminar for participating teachers in a separate room. Encourage teachers to think of the students they came with as assistants in leading

the lessons after the seminar. We found that it was important to separate students from teachers to begin the seminar so that students and teachers would

participate more freely. On the second to last day, or last day, combine the

teachers and students so that they have a chance to practice working together

before leaving the seminar.

Finish with a graduation ceremony. Emphasize the new responsibility of each

team to lead activities back at school. Be sure participants receive free materials or descriptions of the activities they learned to take with them. Encourage

the seminar leaders and participants to continue their relationships by staying

in touch and consulting each other on the program’s progress.

Lots of good host country national

and youth participation
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

186

• Volunteers participate mostly at an organizational level. It

is important that Volunteers serve as assistants to host

country nationals so that they have the chance to develop

skills they can use long after the Volunteer has left.

• Begin with one seminar. If everything goes well, expand to two or three

new locations. Use people who participated in the first seminar to help

organize and lead the second, third, and so on.

• Expand to sites where other Volunteers are located. This may help that

Volunteer to become more involved in his or her community.

• Expand to sites where successful health activities are taking place, and

where community support is most likely, regardless of Peace Corps involvement. In Moldova, several Health Education Volunteers have set up

health resource centers through Small Project Assistance grants. These centers have libraries, computers, and copiers, and most were granted SPA

funds with the understanding that seminars would also be conducted to

promote health information. The peer training seminar is a good example

for these centers to fulfill this promise as well as to make an active entrance into the community.

• Keep in mind that if you help the program in four or five of the 10 schools

represented at the seminar, your work has been successful. While you may

not affect the official curriculum at each of your schools, it is quite probable that the teens who attended will discuss their new knowledge with

their friends and accurate information will seep into the community.

— A Health Education Volunteer in Moldova

OPTIONS

• To select participants, create a committee of host country nationals and ask

the principal to submit to this committee the names of teachers and students

who have indicated their interest.

• It is possible that the youth you want to reach are not attending school. It is

possible to select out-of-school youth and train them to become youth leaders. Though they would not have the benefit of organized class time to lead

activities, they could develop their knowledge and communication skills to

use in the streets and to educate their peers.

• Consider including information about sex trafficking of women in the lessons

on STDs, values and decision making, reproductive health, and domestic

violence/sexual assault.

SOME

TIPS

AND LESSONS

LEARNED
Part Four: Promising Activities

Peace Corps 187

A Volunteer from The Gambia provides the following

tips for Volunteers designing reproductive health

education workshops.86

It’s best to have a host country national as a co-facilitator so he or she can help resolve any sticky cultural

issues.

Do a lot of background research. Make sure you understand something well before teaching it.

1. Start with an introduction. Explain the steps from HIV infection to

full-blown AIDS. I used a cartoon that personified white blood cells,

the AIDS virus, the body, and opportunistic infections.

2. Try to make the workshop very interactive. Get participants involved

in discussions. Have a group work session to vary the format. Break

up the audience into three groups, each answering one question.

• What ways can’t it be transmitted?

• How is it not transmitted? (Transmission misconceptions—

mosquitoes, casual contact...)

• Who is most at risk for contracting the virus?

3. As the secretary of each group gives the group’s answers, you can

discuss and correct the answers, if necessary.

4. Talk about the signs and symptoms of AIDS.

5. Talk about STDs and how they facilitate the transmission of HIV.

6. Give statistics for infection rates in the country. To give perspective, I gave stats on the world and then moved to the region, then

the country, and then the division.

7. Discuss prevention. Include a condom demonstration.

8. Suggest ways that the participants can explain to others such as

through drama and classroom lessons.

Prepare yourself for doubters; have explanations and counterarguments ready, and have your Counterpart ready as well.

Look for ways to provide free condoms if there isn’t already a good

distribution system. They are often in high demand, but many people

may not know where to get them or are too embarrassed to look. A

member of a local football team, a popular youth, a local army base,

taxi parks, bars, and nightclubs can all be potential distributors.

— A Health Volunteer in The Gambia

MORE

TIPS
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

188

PRODUCE AND SELL DOLLS

IDEA/CONCEPT

Fundraiser for an orphanage

GOALS

To raise funds for holiday gifts and celebrations, introduce the fundamentals of

business, encourage young people to explore their artistic abilities, and have

fun.

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AREA

World of Work

TARGET YOUTH

Four-to-15-year-olds

TIME

Weekly for several weeks

PLANNING IT

1. Decide on an easy, low-budget product to sell—preferably a product that

is made mostly with natural resources, like leaves, that are free.

2. Find a venue or event where the product can be sold.

3. Send a letter to potential donors requesting materials necessary to make

the product.

4. Collect materials. For dolls, these included ribbon, paint, glue, plantain

leaves, and palms.

DOING IT

1. Set up workshop dates and make the product, delegating responsibilities

of production according to age and skill level of the children.

2. On the day(s) of the sale, bring a few of the older youth to sell the product.

PRODUCE AND

SELL DOLLS

ASSET TYPES

Support

Empowerment

Boundaries & Expectations

Constructive Use of Time

Commitment to Learning

Positive Values

Social Competencies

Positive Identity

Good way to teach

small business skills
Part Four: Promising Activities

Peace Corps 189

3. Decide what sort of gifts to buy with the proceeds of the sale. Some

options include books, educational toys/materials, sports equipment, arts

and crafts supplies, and toys.

4. Give the gifts to the group. Be sure to make the connection between the

creation of the product and the sale of the product and how this produced

funds that allowed for the purchase of the gifts.

5. Have a celebration with community members and the children to help

raise the level of consciousness in the community and reinforce the positive things that come from hard work and team effort.

6. Hand off the idea to a community group/club with the understanding that

a part of its sales will be donated to the group of children.

• This activity was made possible through monetary and

material donations from doctors in the U.S.

• When we bought the gifts, we explained that we were buying them for an orphanage and received discounts. The

merchants and community members were very open and

willing to help.

• We negotiated with the community group that took on the activity that 5 to

10 percent of sales would go to the children.

— Business Volunteers in the Dominican Republic

OPTIONS

• Older youth can be involved in bookkeeping, fundraising, choosing gifts,

and follow-up to thank sponsors.

• Depending on the cost of the items sold, up to 30 percent of the sales amount

can be returned to the children.

SOME

TIPS

AND LESSONS

LEARNED

Be sure to explain that

the gifts are a direct

result of participants’

hard work and effort.

Make the correlation

between the creation of

the product and the sale

of the product and how

this produced funds that

allowed for the purchase

of the gifts.
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

190

REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH

FOOTBALL CAMP

IDEA/CONCEPT

Training football (American soccer) coaches

and boys in football skills every morning and

sex education each afternoon

GOALS

To educate boys about sexual reproduction, AIDS, and STDs through football.

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AREA

Family Life

TARGET YOUTH

50 young men ages 14-24

TIME

One week

PLANNING IT

Resources needed:

• Use of the school to lodge participants and conduct classes*

• Cooks or kitchens* • Use of a generator*

• Football* • Fuel

• Lodging for the visitors* • Certificates and T-shirts

*The community provided these resources. An NGO affiliated with a U.S. university and the national education and reproductive health services provided

additional funding.

Staff included:

• Three U.S. university representatives • One Peace Corps Volunteer

• Eight youth activist/organizers

• Four national information services cinematographers

• One representative from the football coach association

REPRODUCTIVE

HEALTH FOOTBALL

CAMP

ASSET TYPES

Support

Empowerment

Boundaries & Expectations

Constructive Use of Time

Commitment to Learning

Positive Values

Social Competencies

Positive Identity

Great way to reach these

young men. Try this with

peer educators.
Part Four: Promising Activities

Peace Corps 191

DOING IT

The camp started with an opening ceremony. Members of the district health

management team spoke. Local officials were invited and the chief was the

guest of honor.

Daily schedule

8 a.m.–12 p.m. The football coach trained with the boys, teaching discipline and fine-tuning their football skills. The coaches

were also involved so that they could continue working

with the players on their skills after the camp.

12: 30–1:30 p.m. Lunch

2:00–5 p.m. Educators from the youth activists organization facilitated

the afternoon sessions on reproductive health. Though the

course had to be amended, since the young men needed

to learn the basics, they were very comfortable talking

about sex and other taboo issues.

The national information services provided educational movies in a different

location in the community each night.

On the last day, the community was invited to a final football match to witness

the culmination of football skill development. A closing ceremony was held

and certificates and T-shirts were distributed.

A documentary was made and was shown on local television.

• There was a dramatic improvement in football skills and

general knowledge about sexual reproduction, AIDS, and

sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Participants were

given pretests and posttests, and scores increased dramatically.

• The coach from the football coach association worked extensively with the

young people and with six coaches and teachers in the community. He

instructed them on reproductive health lessons while teaching football

strategies. Two examples:

“Work as a team; don’t just think about yourself

when it comes to sex.”

“When you play football without boots, your feet are

unprotected and get injured; if you have sex without the

appropriate contraceptives, you can get AIDS.”

SOME

TIPS

AND LESSONS

LEARNED

The coach instructed

them on reproductive

health lessons while

teaching football

strategies.

‘Work as a team; don’t

just think about yourself

when it comes to sex.

When you play football

without boots, your feet

are unprotected and get

injured; if you have sex

without the appropriate

contraceptives, you

can get AIDS.’

Good

messages!
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

192

• The community seemed to get a lot from the camp. Role models from the

capital increased awareness of responsible sexual behavior and everyone

enjoyed a fun football match with improved techniques.

— A Health Volunteer in Zambia

TAKE OUR DAUGHTERS TO WORK

DAY CONFERENCE

IDEA/CONCEPT

Girls living in rural areas travel to mid-size cities for a conference and attend

work with women living there.

GOALS

To encourage girls’ education in rural areas through exposure to working women,

thereby providing options and motivation to traditionally illiterate and

housebound lifestyles.

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AREA

World of Work

TARGET YOUTH

Grade school girls from rural areas

TIME

Four days

PLANNING IT

1. We worked with the local branch of the national women’s association. It

provided a central facility and host mothers.

2. We applied for and received a grant from the local American Women’s

Club. This provided all of the funding for the event: all transportation,

lunches, snacks, gifts for host families, paper, pens, film, and a large

closing ceremony.

TAKE OUR

DAUGHTERS TO

WORK DAY

CONFERENCE

ASSET TYPES

Support

Empowerment

Boundaries & Expectations

Constructive Use of Time

Commitment to Learning

Positive Values

Social Competencies

Positive Identity
Part Four: Promising Activities

Peace Corps 193

3. Each Volunteer in the province accompanied three girls in grade school

to a nearby mid-size city for the conference. Usually the school staff

helped select those girls who would benefit; the principal criterion was

that they were eager about studying.

DOING IT

Girls were paired up to stay with a host mother and accompanied her to work

one morning. All sessions were held at a facility run by the women’s association and conducted in the local language, then translated into the national language. Some girls speak only their local language.

The schedule for the conference was as follows:

Day 1

3–4 p.m. Girls and Volunteers arrive at the women’s association

facility; snack

4–6 p.m. Host women arrive, conduct introductions, discuss

conference program

Day 2

8 a.m.–12 p.m. Participants accompany their host mothers to work

12–2 p.m. Lunch at the women’s association

2–3:30 p.m. Discussion and presentation of work visits

3:45–5 p.m. Panel of host women on education and work

5–6 p.m. Interactive exercise on women’s roles and work in society

Day 3

9–11 a.m. Participants and Volunteers tour local middle school

11 a.m.–12 p.m. Participants attend sewing or knitting class at the

women’s association

12 p.m.–2 p.m. Lunch

2–4 p.m. Presentation on female reproductive health

4:15–5:15 p.m. Presentation by Volunteer on making skin salve to sell

5:15–7 p.m. Outing to local park and waterfall

7 p.m.– Party at the women’s association—dinner, dance, and

presentation of certificates, photographs, and gifts

Day 4

9–10 a.m. Participants and Volunteers discuss follow-up in their

villages

10 a.m. Everyone leaves to travel to their villages

[The goal of the

activity is] to

encourage girls’

education in rural

areas through exposure

to working women,

thereby providing

options and motivation

to traditionally illiterate

and housebound lives.

Good use of

local adults
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

194

Follow-up

After returning to their villages, the girls shared their experiences with a larger

group. This was done either formally in classrooms or informally with groups

of girls and their families.

• Start small. Only one province held this conference the

first year, with seven Volunteers and 19 girls. The following year two more provinces joined. All three collaborate

with their branch of the women’s association.

• We initially obtained permission from relevant local ministries. This facilitated getting permission from local schools and parents.

• Upper elementary school girls were our focus because that is the highest

level of education in most rural areas. Any higher schooling requires living

away from home.

— An Education Volunteer in Morocco

OPTIONS

The Women’s Business Leadership Camp in Lithuania brought together women

and girls for a conference with similar goals. Its agenda included workshops on

the following:

• Attitudes about ourselves, other people, and the evolving role of women in

business.

• Self-esteem: What is it? How to identify and overcome stereotypical roles

of women in the workplace.

• Values: What do we value? How to use those values in the workplace.

• Skills and careers: What are our hidden talents? How can they help us plan

for our future roles in the workplace?

• Decision making: What kind of decision makers are we? What are the steps

to making important decisions?

• Team building: How can it be used effectively in the workplace?

• Aggressive, assertive, passive: What kinds of behaviors are these? How to

recognize these behaviors in ourselves and others; how to successfully apply

SOME

TIPS

AND LESSONS

LEARNED
Part Four: Promising Activities

Peace Corps 195

this knowledge in the workplace; how to effectively use conflict management.

• Goal setting: What is a goal? The importance of setting goals; how to

effectively set goals for our personal and professional lives.

• Entrepreneurship: What is it? How to integrate the other building blocks to

become a successful entrepreneur.

 — A Business Volunteer in Lithuania

TAKE THE STUDENTS

TO WORK DAY

IDEA/CONCEPT

Girls and boys living in villages in the interior are faced with complex educational challenges. They do not receive the encouragement and other support

they need to stay in school. Many students drop out and few students successfully complete the sixth grade, the highest grade level available in most villages.

GOALS

To increase awareness of the need to encourage career planning among youth

in the community; to help children become aware of career choices through

hands-on experience; to strengthen relationships between skilled workers and

students; to identify role models for youth in the community; and to help students realize the importance of staying in school.

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AREA

World of Work

TARGET YOUTH

Twelve students from the fifth and sixth grade classes were invited to go to

work with an assigned skilled worker in the community. The students ranged

from ages 14 to 17.

TIME

One day, or many days with shorter sessions

TAKE THE STUDENTS

TO WORK DAY

ASSET TYPES

Support

Empowerment

Boundaries & Expectations

Constructive Use of Time

Commitment to Learning

Positive Values

Social Competencies

Positive Identity
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

196

PLANNING IT

1. Get community members involved! Talk with the head teacher or person

in charge of the school to get his or her support. Elicit his or her help in

talking with the other teachers and skilled workers in the community.

These might include hospital and health clinic employees, police, local

business owners, teachers, and carpenters.

2. Establish a time frame for the activity and get approval from the head

teacher. This might be one full eight-hour workday or one to two hours

per week for one month.

3. After explaining the concept and expectations to potential role models,

ask for their voluntary participation. Provide workers with a written

explanation of the day’s activities and what they are expected to do:

a. Provide a hands-on demonstration of the type of work they do.

b. Involve the students in their work and expose them to daily activities.

c. Describe to them the formal schooling and/or training involved in

learning their career skills.

d. Help the students answer the list of questions they have prepared for

the workers.

4. Have the teacher identify the specific children who will be participating.

Most likely, you will find the students excited to have the opportunity to

do something new and different. We allowed the students to choose which

career path they wanted to take, and then we assigned each student to a

worker in the community.

5. Help the group to develop a list of questions to ask their career counterparts. Instruct students to take these questions with them on their assigned

day or days and find out the answers.

DOING IT

1. Tell everyone in your community about Take the Students to Work Day.

The more that people learn about this activity, the more you are increasing awareness about career planning within the entire community.

2. Hold a small reception directly following the conclusion of the planned

activities. Ask for volunteers to provide snacks/drinks for the reception.

Bring the groups back

together. Meet with the

students at least one

more time after the

events. Also meet

separately with the

career Counterparts

as a group.
Part Four: Promising Activities

Peace Corps 197

3. Bring the groups back together. Meet with the students at least once more

after the events. Discuss the activity and what they learned. Discuss the

answers to the questions. Also, meet separately with the career counterparts as a group. Find out what they thought about the activity and ask

for suggestions and changes for next time.

4. Following your meeting with the students, create a school writing assignment with approval from the teacher—for example, Why I Want to

Be a Teacher or What I Learned at the Clinic.

• Assign one student per worker if possible. This provides

individual attention and encourages the development of a

mentoring relationship between the career counterpart and

the student.

• Take pictures! Search for ways to fund this because the participants will

love to have a reminder of their participation. A local organization may be

able to provide money to buy one or two rolls of film.

• Create poster board displays with the help of the students. Use photographs

and include quotes from the participants. We had each student write two

things they learned, and included these comments on the poster boards. We

placed posters in the school and in the health clinic to allow all members of

the community to view them.

• Get local media involved. Contact local newspaper and radio stations to let

them know what’s happening in your community.

— Education Volunteers in Suriname

OPTIONS

Look for ways to involve youth in planning this activity. Could they help select

the careers that will be represented on Take the Students to Work Day? Identify

community Counterparts? Do publicity? Assist with the reception?

SOME

TIPS

AND LESSONS

LEARNED

Nice follow-up

activities
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

198

VOLUNTEER OPEN HOUSE - #1

IDEA/CONCEPT

Open your home in the afternoons for kids to learn in an informal setting.

Within designated parameters, the kids choose when they want to come and go,

and what activities they do. As the mood strikes, the Volunteer can actively

work and play with the kids or choose to just be in the room working or reading.

GOALS

To improve literacy, math skills, creativity, self-esteem, and understanding of

science and nature, and to provide a safe place to play.

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AREA

World of Work

TARGET YOUTH

Kids ages five to 12, but older kids are welcome

TIME

A few afternoons each week

PLANNING IT

• Request donations of books, especially beginning readers, and books about

nature and self-esteem, art supplies, or money from World Wise Schools

classes, from friends or family in the U.S., from U.S. libraries culling their

stacks, or from a SPA grant.

• Collect one-sided used paper donated by local organizations. Save your

clean reusable trash, such as boxes, bags, and bottles, for art projects.

• Start reading or telling stories to kids in the nearby school, in the library,

and in front of your house.

DOING IT

1. Read or make up environmental stories or stories with positive themes that

can help improve kids’ confidence. Read to a group of kids or read with

VOLUNTEER

OPEN HOUSE - #1

ASSET TYPES

Support

Empowerment

Boundaries & Expectations

Constructive Use of Time

Commitment to Learning

Positive Values

Social Competencies

Positive Identity
Part Four: Promising Activities

Peace Corps 199

one or two kids, alternating so each of you reads a page. As their literacy

improves, you can encourage them to read on their own or to other kids.

2. Make simple books. Have the children make up their own stories and copy

them into the books. For pre- or beginning readers, the Volunteer can write

down the story and then the kids can copy over the words with a pen.

3. Have beginning readers choose a word that is important to them. Write it

on a stiff piece of paper and have them copy it over on another paper, share

it with their peers, and tell someone something about the word. The next

day have the kids pick their own words out of a pile of words and successfully tell you what they are. Keep all the successfully read words together.

Once a child has 40 or so words mastered he or she can begin to write

sentences and stories with them.

4. Play games and improve basic math skills using activities such as card

games, dominoes, and dice.

5. Do puzzles and play games with a nature bent. You can also make puzzles

by gluing magazine pictures onto cardboard from cereal or other boxes and

then cutting them up.

6. Have children draw pictures about the books they’ve read, from their imaginations or from nature. Stick their pictures on your walls to decorate your

house. That will make the children very happy.

Be careful with prizes

and gifts. Prizes for

reading 10 books can

encourage them to read

books that are shorter or

too easy for them. Also,

they can take away their

intrinsic desire to read.

Allow them instead to put

up one drawing per day

on the wall.
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

200

• Ham up your storytelling with funny voices or animal

sounds and act out scenes from the story, especially when

reading to a class. Have the kids participate by telling you

what they see or saying aloud the repetitive text they have

memorized.

• When reading a foreign language, make sure you’re pronouncing the words

right—get the kids to tell you if your pronunciation is correct. Also, some

texts use vocabulary that is not used in your region. If they have a different

word for the same thing, use it to help their comprehension.

• Have just a few ground rules such as: wash your hands before reading

books, no hitting allowed, do not go into the bedroom, and clean up after

yourself before leaving. Set up designated times they can come, such as

afternoons when you are home, but do not be afraid to say “Not today,” or

“It’s time to leave now.” In your house, do not allow hitting or abusive,

mean talk.

• Be careful with prizes and gifts. Prizes for reading 10 books can encourage

them to read books that are shorter or too easy for them. Also, they can take

away their intrinsic desire to read. Allow them instead to put up one drawing per day on the wall. The drawing can come from a book they read, their

imaginations, or nature.

• Be careful in your responses to their work or drawings. Be positive, but in

a specific way. It is better to say “I like the way you colored that flower,” or

“You used a lot of colors in that flower,” than “That’s pretty.” If you must

criticize, criticize the action, not the person. Say something like “Do not go

through the trash, it can make you sick,” instead of “Little Piggy!”

— An Education Volunteer in Nicaragua

SOME

TIPS

AND LESSONS

LEARNED

Great

tips!
Part Four: Promising Activities

Peace Corps 201

A similar club in Ecuador had a profound effect on the life of one girl.

Not Just Books

Yanine is a 15-year-old smiling, healthy, and happy teenager who lives in 5 de

Junio, one of the barrios where I work in Esmeraldas, Ecuador. Yet, there’s a lot

behind that big grin and silly laughter, and I feel blessed to be a part of it. A year

ago, Yanine was sitting with her mother in her house when my co-worker and I

passed by to ask permission for her to participate in a new reading program we

were starting. As Yanine listened, her mother responded with great certainty that

her younger brother could join the group, but that Yanine was retarded and wouldn’t

be able to handle it. Upon inquiring, we learned that Yanine was 14 but had not

been in school since she was 11 because of a health condition that caused her to

have seizures. Because of this condition, the doctors and her family considered

her mentally retarded. After some verbal tug-of-war, we persuaded her mother to

give Yanine permission to participate in “Books Read,” assuring her that we would

give her easy books that would not cause her much stress.

Yanine began to participate in “Books Read,” a reading promotion program I started

based on my experiences with a corporate-sponsored reading program in the

States. At first, we helped her choose easy books, and she read them with a

determination unmatched by her brother or any other. After she received a prize

for reading five books, we increased the level, and she continued, never failing to

bring a book read cover to cover each Saturday that we met.

One Saturday, Yanine and her girlfriends arrived early and we began to talk. She

expressed, with tears running down her cheeks, how lonely she felt when all her

friends talked about school and she had nothing to share. She loved school and

wanted to go, but her mother would not let her. We went to her house the next day

and talked to her mother, who explained to us her fears that Yanine would get

stressed and suffer a seizure, causing her to lose her daughter. We shared with

her Yanine’s feelings and how the restrictions were harming her. Because of the

magnificent progress she had made in the reading program without any side

effects, the mother decided to give it a try.

Yanine entered the seventh grade, without a care in the world about being older

than her classmates. She continued to read as well, and won prizes at the end-ofthe-year celebration for most improvement and most books read. We have seen

Yanine’s self-esteem skyrocket and her confidence improve immensely. She just

passed to the eighth grade and finished her 18th book; she is now a leader in the

group.

— An Education Volunteer in Ecuador
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

202

VOLUNTEER OPEN HOUSE - #2

A Volunteer in Honduras created a similar activity and

shares these ideas for “Daily Afternoon Creative Learning.”

GOALS

I wanted to show kids how one could play in a creative and appropriate manner

instead of choosing negative activities. This is meant to be just another part of

daily living rather than an organized activity.

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AREA

World of Work

PLANNING IT

Talk the idea over with your family, site-mate, or housemate.

Develop a creative learning library with whatever you are willing to share:

books, newspapers, paper, and other art supplies donated from your hometown

school, library, university, friends, and family.

DOING IT

1. If snacks are available, encourage kids to wash their hands with soap before they receive the snack. Talk about the food they are eating. Ask them

why they think it is good to eat. Choose fruit whenever possible!

2. Encourage healthy cooperating. Teach conflict resolution skills to help them

when there are arguments. To most kids, this is very new idea for resolving

problems.

3. Take pictures of kids and their art.

4. Encourage kids to talk about whatever is on their mind, a holistic approach

to creative playing.

• In the beginning, you may have to demonstrate how to

draw or play. I found that many kids didn’t know exactly

what I was talking about when I said “Draw something,”

or “Look at this book.” Be patient and show them the way.

SOME

TIPS

AND LESSONS

LEARNED

VOLUNTEER

OPEN HOUSE - #2

ASSET TYPES

Support

Empowerment

Boundaries & Expectations

Constructive Use of Time

Commitment to Learning

Positive Values

Social Competencies

Positive Identity
Part Four: Promising Activities

Peace Corps 203

• Never be afraid to ask kids to leave your house after an hour or so. Remember, it is your house, and these kids are not your full responsibility. You are

just another important person in the village helping raise these kids.

• Always save time for yourself for reading and creative art, too!

— An Education Volunteer in Honduras

OPTIONS

• Create a drop-in center in another location.

• Invite a young adult or two with good literacy skills to help you facilitate

the group and perhaps move it to his/her home when you are gone.

• Look for ways to have children share their work and learning with their

parents.

• Take field trips to the library, newspaper, or other local institutions and

businesses.

• Male Volunteers should always have at least two children in the house at

one time to lessen concerns about inappropriate activities.

WATER RESTORATION PROJECT

IDEA/CONCEPT

The involvement of young men and women energized a previously institutionbased watershed reforestation project and increased the participation and

commitment of other community members.

GOALS

To contribute to reforestation of a local watershed and to increase public

awareness and popular support for smart environmental management.

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AREA

Active Citizenship

It was organized by

students, for students.

Many adults participated

as well, including

teachers and

community leaders.
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

204

TARGET YOUTH

Secondary school boys and girls (13-17 years old); young men and women at a

local teacher-training college

TIME

Varied with activity from two days to two months

PLANNING IT

The work of previous Volunteers and their Counterparts was important to the

success of this activity. They had drawn maps of the watershed, pinpointed

areas of critical concern, and developed strategies for agricultural and environmental extension as well as for tree production. In the first year, I began working with an interagency commission to develop a strategy for reforestation that

would include raising awareness of biodiversity issues in the surrounding

community.

In the second year, I contacted the Peace Corps Volunteers in school zones

close to where I was working and together we visited the schools. We identified one grade level from four different schools where the teachers were enthusiastic and supportive of the activity. We presented a workshop to the youth on

the importance of trees and forests and watershed health. The students then

volunteered to join in three tree planting days that resulted in a total of four

hectares of reforested land.

In its third year, the project involved even more youth and essentially became

organized and run by them. I contacted students from the local teacher-training

college and presented a similar environmental workshop. The students then

volunteered to head the watershed restoration efforts with guidance from the

commission and Volunteers.

DOING IT

Activities:

1. Public education exhibit: Students met twice a week, out of class, to make

didactic materials for the exhibit. I provided ideas and encouragement. The

exhibit was placed in the town square for three days at the same time as a

local carnival. It included a formal public presentation with a short skit,

soil erosion demonstrations, and a technical discussion on deforestation

problems. Students worked in the exhibit. Initially, a Volunteer or other

mentor worked with them to encourage their interaction with the public.

Once a student was confident in his or her role, the Volunteer stepped aside

and let the youth manage the exchange.

WATER RESTORATION

PROJECT

ASSET TYPES

Support

Empowerment

Boundaries & Expectations

Constructive Use of Time

Commitment to Learning

Positive Values

Social Competencies

Positive Identity

Good coordination with

work of current and

former Volunteers and

their Counterparts
Part Four: Promising Activities

Peace Corps 205

2. Tree planting: Participants included students from the teacher-training

college, commission members, and other local citizens. As the budget could

not cover the cost of tools, students brought shovels and other materials

needed to plant trees. They then organized themselves into work teams.

Following each tree planting, members of the interagency commission

facilitated a group discussion on the importance of the project in which

youth were encouraged to voice their opinions.

3. Ecological marathon: This event was held two months following the tree

plantings to further increase public awareness of environmental issues. It

was directed by a local principal and Volunteer, but carried out by the same

student volunteers who were involved in the reforestation efforts. Students

from the teacher-training college coordinated and managed the event with

students from a secondary school. To encourage participation, Volunteers

presented a workshop explaining the activities and then asked for volunteers. Students were invited to form work groups. Student groups then

planned specific tasks, including constructing and painting signs with

environmental messages to be hung on the race route, start and finish line

banners, and mile markers; organizing an environmental exhibition to be

held at the race finish; managing race logistics including water stops,

entrance fees, and timekeepers; and organizing a barbecue and soccer and

volleyball tournaments following the race.

The race was a huge success. The majority of participants were from primary

and secondary schools. It was organized by students, for students. Many

adults participated as well, including teachers and community leaders.

The watershed restoration project was very successful, but it

required imagination and many willing bodies. Without the

support of the local youth this project could never have been

accomplished. Furthermore, the direct participation and investment of the students in the project will eventually achieve the

primary goal of increasing public awareness and popular

support for smart environmental management.

— Environmental Education Volunteers

and a Japanese Volunteer in Paraguay

SOME

TIPS

AND LESSONS

LEARNED

Students worked in the

exhibit. Initially, a

Volunteer or other

mentor worked with them

to encourage their

interaction with the

public. Once a student

was confident in his or

her role, the Volunteer

stepped aside and let the

youth manage the

exchange.
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

206

WOMEN’S ESSAY CONTEST

IDEA/CONCEPT

By participating in an essay contest, girls and boys and young women and men

acquire a greater realization of the socially, economically, and politically valuable work performed by women in Bulgaria and around the world, as well as

the inequities faced by women despite these contributions.

GOALS

To inspire youth to think about gender roles and the need for positive change in

a growing democracy.

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AREA

World of Work

TARGET YOUTH

High school and university students

TIME

Once a year

PLANNING IT

The Peace Corps, in collaboration with the national Association of University

Women, are the primary organizers of the contest. The Ministry of Education

endorses the competition and an American university in Bulgaria provides the

awards banquet. Additional support comes from local and international organizations, which donate books for awards and help compile the winning essays

into a book and distribute it around the country. Members of the national association, professors from the American university, and Volunteers judge the submissions. Volunteers and members of the national association do fundraising

for the contest, and the sponsors vary from year to year.

DOING IT

The contest involves students from high schools and universities who gather on

a negotiated date to write an essay about one of several preannounced topics.

WOMEN’S ESSAY

CONTEST

ASSET TYPES

Support

Empowerment

Boundaries & Expectations

Constructive Use of Time

Commitment to Learning

Positive Values

Social Competencies

Positive Identity
Part Four: Promising Activities

Peace Corps 207

Examples:

1. Women in business: Do you know any women undertakers? Do they own

a small, a middle-sized, or a big company? Why aren’t there many women

in big business? How do you see the role of women in the private sector in

Bulgaria?

2. Women in sports:It is well known that female athletes receive much smaller

monetary prizes than male athletes both at national and international competitions. Why is there such a difference, according to you? At the same

time, the number of women in sports has dramatically increased in the last

50 years all around the world. Comment on this phenomenon.

3. Girl power: Discuss the effect on teenage audiences. How do you understand the concept of girl power? What hindrances do girls encounter on

their way to self-realization as independent and self-reliant human beings

and how can they overcome them?

4. Trafficking in women: Do you know somebody who has applied for an

attractive job abroad and has been tricked into prostitution instead? What

can be done to stop this process? What is the role of public education and

the media in preventing trafficking in women?

Topics from previous contests

Women as Role Models; Women and the Family; Women and Violence; Women

and Girls in Education; Women and Pornography; Women and the Media;

Women and Democracy.

Rules of the contest

Any high school or university student who has not studied in an English-speaking

country for more than two months is eligible to compete. Students are given

two hours to write about one of several essay topics concerning women’s issues.

Students bring lined paper, pens and pencils, and dictionaries, if desired, to the

competition site. Notes, pre-written essays, books, or other materials cannot be

used during the competition. Although there is no maximum length of the essays,

they must be no fewer than 350 words.

Judging criteria

Essays, judged according to their strength and persuasiveness of argument,

should be well organized and cohesive. Statements should be supported with

convincing facts and logic. Grammar, spelling, word usage, and vocabulary are

not in themselves judging criteria; proper command of the English language,

however, increases the ease with which judges are able to understand the thoughts

of the writer.

Because students receive

the essay topics in

advance of the actual

contest, they have the

opportunity not only to

think about the topics

but also to discuss them

with family members,

friends, teachers, and

other community

members. In this way,

the contest has created a

dialogue among peers,

across generations, and

outside of the classroom.
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

208

• This initiative has opened the minds of numerous young

women and challenged them to become active citizens.

Because students receive the essay topics in advance of

the actual contest, they have the opportunity not only to

think about the topics but also to discuss them with family

members, friends, teachers, and other community members. In this way, the contest has created a dialogue among

peers, across generations, and outside of the classroom.

• The conversations about problems facing women in Bulgaria stimulate

discussion about wider social, economic, and political issues that affect all

Bulgarians.

• This activity has the momentum to touch many more young women and

young men in Bulgaria.

— TEFL/Business Development Volunteers in Bulgaria

OPTIONS

Involving young women and men in the planning and implementation of an

activity like this can be an empowering experience. They can help create the

topics, publicize the contest, solicit sponsors, judge the essays, and plan and

implement the awards ceremony. This kind of contest can also be used to enhance

literacy skills in one’s own language.

YOUTH CREDIT UNION

IDEA/CONCEPT

Young men and women start and run their own credit union.

GOALS

To introduce financial concepts in a practical environment, improve teambuilding and leadership skills, and increase trust in financial institutions among

youth. This was the first locally owned and operated credit union in Armenia.

SOME

TIPS

AND LESSONS

LEARNED

Great

idea!
Part Four: Promising Activities

Peace Corps 209

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AREA

World of Work

TARGET YOUTH

Twelve-to-21-year-olds

TIME

Eighteen months

PLANNING IT

The activity has three general stages:

1. Recruiting and training students

2. Preparing a space, opening the organization, and ensuring good day-today operational practices

3. Implementing a micro-lending scheme

Although some steps could take a shorter amount of time, you should plan on

taking 18 months to implement this activity fully.

Month 1: Prepare materials, investigate legalities in your country, talk to

potential funders, and look for a classroom.

Month 2: Visit school directors, make presentations, give out applications, and prepare proposal for funding.

Month 3: Receive applications, hold organizing meeting, talk to local

partners.

Month 4: Hold classes, receive feedback on funding.

Month 5: Hold classes, hold elections for credit union posts, like the

board of directors and the financial manager.

Month 6: Hold classes, look for permanent location, try to have funding

available at this point.

Month 7: Prepare location.

Month 8: Accountant training.

YOUTH

CREDIT UNION

ASSET TYPES

Support

Empowerment

Boundaries & Expectations

Constructive Use of Time

Commitment to Learning

Positive Values

Social Competencies

Positive Identity
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

210

DOING IT

Month 9: Open credit union, continue accountant oversight and training.

Month 10: Begin marketing campaign to accept deposits, begin loan

committee training.

Month 11: Continue loan committee training, start training teaching

committee.

Month 12: Start loan outreach and group meetings for members.

Month 13: Give out first loans.

Month 14-18: Continue to start one new loan group per month with constant supervision over repayment; train audit and ethics

committees; have elections. Work toward making the entire

organization self-sustainable by the time you leave and look

for local Counterparts to oversee the organization.

• You will probably need to concentrate most of your time

on this activity to complete it successfully. Start early in

your service.

• Make sure it is sustainable. Find local Counterparts who can work with the

organization after you have left. Make sure training for youth is institutionalized in the organization so that it can constantly train new workers.

• Look into the legalities of running a credit union in your area. You may

want to or have to find a local credit union or bank to partner with to implement this activity. Of course, you should also trust this bank with your

organization’s money.

• Finding funding for an activity like this is difficult because it looks risky

for funders, many of whom find it difficult to fund it. Start looking early.

You need money to pay for start-up expenses and costs for the first few

months in operation and to use as a capital base for the organization. The

total grant for the activity was approximately US $2,000 for start-up expenses, which were mostly for repairs and furniture, and US $1,000 for

capital to give the organization a sound financial base. SPA can help you

with your start-up costs but not with your loan capital.

• Aim for about 60 students at the beginning of the classes because you will

inevitably lose some. This activity will only work in areas where there is

high literacy and good mathematical ability among youth.

SOME

TIPS

AND LESSONS

LEARNED

I would recommend that

you not be too harsh on

absenteeism. Those

students who are not

interested will simply

stop coming. That means

you’ll only have truly

committed students by

the end of the training.
Part Four: Promising Activities

Peace Corps 211

• I would recommend that you not be too harsh on absenteeism. Those students who are not interested will simply stop coming. That means you’ll

only have truly committed students by the end of the training. Most of the

students who have remained with the activity are girls.

• If you are in a large town or city, you may want to think about focusing

your target group—only university students, or girls, or youth from one

part of the town.

• At any given time, invest almost all of your capital in loans or time deposits

at the bank. This allows you to offer interest-bearing accounts to children,

and teaches the value of saving.

• Use the microcredit scheme to promote entrepreneurship among the credit

union members. Make small loans. Require students to have a minimum

amount of savings in the credit union to qualify for loans.

• Be sure to charge a high enough interest rate to cover your operational

costs, including the interest you pay on savings. Do not worry if the interest rate seems high to you. Remember, your goal is to make the credit

union financially self-sustainable.

• For inspiration and further information on starting a youth credit union,

see Changing Youth: Starting a Youth Credit Union and Learning Center.

87

— A Business Volunteer in Armenia

OPTIONS

• Be sure to inform parents about the activity early in the process. Look for

ways to involve them also.

• Allow a very poor youth to apply for a waiver of the minimum amount of

savings to apply for loans.88
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

212

YOUTH FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT

IDEA/CONCEPT

Youth are mobilized by participating in a football tournament to take an active

role in organizing and participating in activities for their community, physical

conditioning, and wellness.

GOALS

To help youth build leadership, organizational skills, and self-esteem and to

encourage the community to see that its youth have an important role to play in

the community’s development.

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AREA

Family Life

TARGET YOUTH

Youth under 12 as players; youth 16-18 years old as coach-managers

TIME

One day

PLANNING IT

1. Discuss ideas with your school sports teacher or community leaders interested in youth development. Their interest will be vital in getting the

tournament off the ground.

2. Have the youth form teams and choose an older youth as coach-manager.

3. Ask for a commitment fee to register in the competition. The fee can be

used to buy prizes for first, second, and third place teams.

4. Ask the schoolchildren to make charts to advertise the tournament and to

display them throughout the community and, if possible, the surrounding communities.

5. Choose a theme for the tournament—something that will promote the

role of youth in community development. Use the theme to promote the

event. The theme of our competition was “Unity Is Strength.”

YOUTH FOOTBALL

TOURNAMENT

ASSET TYPES

Support

Empowerment

Boundaries & Expectations

Constructive Use of Time

Commitment to Learning

Positive Values

Social Competencies

Positive Identity
Part Four: Promising Activities

Peace Corps 213

DOING IT

1. Hold an opening ceremony. Invite community leaders and ask them to

give a talk on the theme of the competition.

2. Hold the tournament.

3. Ask young people to give a speech before the final game on what they

have learned about their role in organizing an event for their community.

• We had an Under 12 Football Competition. Eight teams

registered and were coached and managed by youth 16-18

years.

• We advertised in the market area and in the schools.

• The competition has had a positive impact on all the youth who played in

the tournament. It also has had a positive impact on the older youth. They

now take initiative to do communal labor and organize youth clubs. They

proved to themselves that with a little effort and unity they could do something to feel proud about.

 — A Youth Development Volunteer in Ghana

SOME

TIPS

AND LESSONS

LEARNED

[The youth] proved to

themselves that with a

little effort and unity

they could do something

to feel proud about.
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

214

YOUTH LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE

IDEA/CONCEPT

Students participate in leadership development activities and are paired with

mentors from the community during the conference.

GOALS

To help the participants acquire leadership skills and make practical use of

them through facilitated sessions and activities; to have the participants observe

leadership in action at home and in the workplace by partnering with mentors.

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AREA

Active Citizenship

TARGET YOUTH

Boys and girls ages 12-20

TIME

Three-and-a-half days

PLANNING IT

Major costs include accommodations, food, and conference room rental for

students, Volunteers, and facilitators; snacks and other such things can be

donated. Funds can come from Peace Corps partnership and local government

bodies. Other costs might include travel reimbursement and the cost of photocopies and last-minute supplies. The Peace Corps can provide flip charts, paper,

markers, and easels.

DOING IT

Students, Volunteers, and mentors arrive on the first day in the afternoon for

registration, introductions, a welcome address, and the first of six sessions.

Session topics are as follows:

• Self-awareness, self-esteem, and gender awareness

• Listening, facilitation, and communication skills

• Group dynamics

• Conflict resolution and peace education

YOUTH LEADERSHIP

CONFERENCE

ASSET TYPES

Support

Empowerment

Boundaries & Expectations

Constructive Use of Time

Commitment to Learning

Positive Values

Social Competencies

Positive Identity
Part Four: Promising Activities

Peace Corps 215

• Motivational tactics, time management, and goal setting

• Career options and furthering education

Local facilitators should be used for these sessions to ease communication and

delivery of each session’s topics with an emphasis on practical activities rather

than lectures and classroom-type lessons.

At the end of the first day students go with their mentors to their homes to

observe how they use leadership skills at home. The second day, the students

go with their mentors to their workplaces and return to the conference site in

the afternoon for Session 2.

The third day, the participants attend Session 3 and a keynote address from a

well-known local leader before lunch. Sessions 4 and 5 follow lunch. The fourth

day begins with Session 6 and closing presentations of certificates and addresses.

In the evening and between sessions, the participants should have games, activities, and assignments that serve to provide teamwork and practical leadership skills application. Activities might include icebreakers such as People to

People, Human Knot, and the Energy Circle, while games might include

Pictionary, Musical Chairs, and Limbo.

• Since leadership skill development starts in young people’s

formative years, it is important to involve boys and girls

from both junior and senior secondary schools. As the conference may address innovative topics that are against “the

way it is done,” the application process should include Volunteer and headmaster recommendations and a student

essay in order to get a real feel for the students.

• Meet with the Volunteers organizing and running the conference the day

beforehand to plan the details of the opening day; then meet every evening

during the conference to plan details for the following day.

• Contact more mentors than necessary and be ready to step in as one yourself to prevent any unnecessary inconveniences if some mentors don’t show

up.

— An Education Volunteer in Ghana

SOME

TIPS

AND LESSONS

LEARNED

At the end of the first day

students go with their

mentors to their homes

to observe how they use

leadership skills at home.

The second day, the

students go with their

mentors to their

workplaces.
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

216

OPTIONS

• Look for ways to encourage the sharing of information with others in the

community once a conference like this one is over.

• Consider gathering this group again for follow-up activities.

• Some questions to ask when setting up mentoring activities:

– What are the goals? Leadership development, career advising, selfesteem enhancement, having fun...?

– What are you looking for in a mentor? Warm and caring personality,

good career networks...?

– How will you recruit mentors?

– What kind of information/preparation/training do the mentors need

to help them meet the goals?

YOUTH MOUNTAIN CLUB

IDEA/CONCEPT

The Youth Mountain Club is designed to give students access to the mountains

by providing equipment and paid guides.

GOALS

To create a structure for frequent educational seminars and guided expeditions

to the mountains, to teach students conservation techniques, to encourage

concern for the environment, and to help students develop responsibility and

self-reliance.

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AREA

Active Citizenship

TARGET YOUTH

Youth ranging from 12 to 16 years of age. The assistant guides are university

students ages 17 to 21.

YOUTH

MOUNTAIN CLUB

ASSET TYPES

Support

Empowerment

Boundaries & Expectations

Constructive Use of Time

Commitment to Learning

Positive Values

Social Competencies

Positive Identity
Part Four: Promising Activities

Peace Corps 217

TIME

The club ran from May until October. Four groups made 12 trips to the mountains. The length of the trips ranged from three to 10 days. Additional seminars

were held at other times.

PLANNING IT

The Youth Mountain Club became a large community activity that needed

extensive funding. It required equipment and products for extended trips to the

mountains, including tents, sleeping bags, backpacks, and stoves. Therefore, it

was necessary to become involved with an organization that was trusted and

hardworking. In this case, it was the local NGO that had a very strong track

record with youth projects. Working with it from the beginning ensured that

the activity would be community, rather than Peace Corps, controlled. It also

added fundraising resources.

It was also helpful to speak with individuals who had been involved in similar

activities when they were funded by the government during the Soviet era. The

club had the potential to become too large in its scope, and therefore it was

important to keep the budget reasonable and conservative. The most important

step to getting started was finding interested and motivated youth to help at the

beginning stages. Their energy was necessary to keep the club going.

DOING IT

There were four paid guides and four unpaid assistant guides. In addition to the

trips, there were many seminars on issues such as mountain safety, leave-notrace camping, and flora and fauna.

The most important step

to getting started was

finding interested and

motivated youth to help

at the beginning stages.

Their energy was

necessary to keep the

club going.
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

218

During the course of the club, questionnaires were distributed to the participants to better monitor progress.

At the conclusion, a booklet incorporating stories and pictures from the club

was created. The equipment purchased for the club is available for rent, which

one hopes will make the activities sustainable in the future.

— An Environment Volunteer in the Kyrgyz Republic

Volunteers running an “Environmental Summer Leadership

School” in Uzbekistan learned some important lessons from a

similar activity:

• It is important to remember that the Volunteer is responsible for everyone’s safety. In a crisis, it’s the job of the

Volunteer to be the leader. Establish this early, but in a

way that does not discourage the students’ initiative and

leadership development.

• It was very important to have female Volunteers working at the camp. They

inspired the female students and helped to shatter the prejudices held by

some of our male students.

 — An Environment Volunteer in Uzbekistan

OPTIONS

Volunteers in Bulgaria organized a 10-day hike for teen girls to boost their

confidence. See “Options” at the end of the “Girls’ Empowerment Workshop”

(p. 162) activity.

SOME

TIPS

AND LESSONS

LEARNED

The local NGO had a

very strong track record

with youth projects.

Working with it from the

beginning ensured that

the activities would be

community, rather than

Peace Corps, controlled.

It also added fundraising

resources.

Important

points!
Part Five: Resources

Peace Corps 219

RESOURCES

PART

INFORMATION COLLECTION

AND EXCHANGE (ICE)

(Peace Corps/Washington’s materials support office)

Beyond the Classroom: Empowering Girls. Idea Book (ICE #M0080)

Children’s Participation: The Theory and Practice of Involving Young Citizens in Community Development and Environmental Care (ICE

#YD029)

Choices: A Teen Woman’s Journal for Self-Awareness and Planning (ICE

#WD135)

Choose a Future! Issues and Options for Adolescent Girls (ICE #WD127)

Choose a Future! Issues and Options for Adolescent Boys (ICE #YD032)

Como Planear Mi Vida (ICE #YD007)

Communicating With Children: Helping Children in Distress (ICE #YD036)

El Nuevo Joven Empresario (ICE #YD034)

HIV/AIDS: Integrating Prevention and Care into Your Sector. Idea Book

(ICE #M0081)

Life Planning Education (ICE #YD004)

Life Skills Manual (ICE #M0061)

Stepping Forward: Children and Young People’s Participation in the

Development Process (ICE #YD030)

The New Youth Entrepreneur (ICE #YD033)

Working on the Street: Guiding Principles for Youth Workers (ICE #YD018)

World Map Project (ICE #R0088)
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

220

ORGANIZATIONS

Big Brothers Big Sisters

International

1315 Walnut Street, Suite 704

Philadelphia, PA 19107

T: 215.717.5130

F: 215.717.5134

www.bbbsi.org

Earth Corps

7400 Sand Point Way NE

Building 30

Seattle, WA 98115

T: 206.322.9296 

F: 206.322.9312 

www.earthcorps.org

International Youth Foundation

32 South Street, Suite 500

Baltimore, MD 21202

T: 410.347.1500

F: 410.347.1188

www.iyfnet.org

National Association of Service

and Conservation Corps

666 11th Street, NW, Suite 1000

Washington, DC 20001-4542

T: 202.737.6272

F: 202.737.6277

www.nascc.org

National Youth Employment

Coalition

1836 Jefferson Place, NW

Washington, DC 20036

T: 202.659.1064

F: 202.659.0399

www.nyec.org

Trickle Up Program

121 West 27th Street, Suite 504

New York, NY 10001

T: 212.362.7958

F: 212.877.7464

www.trickleup.org

Search Institute

7000 South Third Street, Suite 210

Minneapolis, MN 55415

T: 612.376.8955

F: 612.376.8956

www.search-institute.org

United Nations Educational,

Scientific and Cultural

Organization (UNESCO)

– Youth Unit

www.unesco.org/youth

United Nations Children’s Fund

(UNICEF) Voices of Youth

www.unicef.org/voy

Convention on the Rights of the

Child

www.unicef.org/crc/convention.htm

Youth at the UN – Youth

Participation for Development and

Peace

www.un.org/esa/socdev/unyin
Part Five: Resources

Peace Corps 221

BIBLIOGRAPHY

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Benson, Peter. All Kids Are Our Kids.

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Berger, Kathleen Stassen. The Developing Person Through the Life Span.

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Bingham, Mindy, et al. Choices: A Teen

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#WD135.

Boll, Jay. Youth Development: A Case

Study from Honduras. Washington,

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Boyden, Jo. Social Healing in WarAffected and Displaced Children.

www2.qeh.ox.ac.uk, 2001.

Culture Matters: The Peace Corps

Cross-Cultural Workbook. Washington, D.C.: Peace Corps, 2000.

ICE #T0087.

Fertman, Carl, and Josephine Long.

Youth Leadership: A Guide to Understanding Leadership Development in Adolescents. San Francisco:

Jossey-Bass, 1998.

Hart, Roger. Children’s Participation:

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Development and Environmental

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Idea Book Series: HIV/AIDS – Integrating Prevention and Care Into Your

Sector. Washington, D.C.: Peace

Corps, 2000. ICE #M0081.

Jerving, Jim. Changing Youth: Starting

a Youth Credit Union and Learning

Center. Dubuque, IA: Kendall/

Hunt, 1993.

Kretzmann, John, and John McKnight.

Building Communities From the

Inside Out, A Path Toward Finding

and Mobilizing A Community’s

Assets. Minneapolis: The Search

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Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

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Krieger, Alan. Youth Project Design and

Management Workshop Training

Manual. Washington, D.C.: Peace

Corps, 1994. Unpublished manuscript.

Lee, Brownie, Sub-Regional Programming and Training Coordinator, personal communication, May 2001.

Molinsky, Steve, and Bill Bliss. Side by

Side (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River,

NJ: Prentice Hall College Division,

1989.

Mugwe, Susan, Peace Corps program

assistant, Kenya, personal communication, January 2001.

Parker, A. R., I. Lozano, and L. Messner.

Gender Relations Analysis: A Guide

for Trainers. London: Save the Children, 1995. ICE #WD138.

Participatory Analysis for Community

Action (PACA). Washington, D.C.:

Peace Corps, 1996. ICE #M0053.

Pereira, Diana, and Naomi Richman.

Helping Children in Difficult Circumstances. London: Save the Children, 1995.

Pittman, Karen, Merita Irby, and

Thaddeus Ferber. “Unfinished Business: Reflections on a Decade of

Promoting Youth Development.” In

Youth Development: Issues, Challenges and Directions. Philadelphia:

Public/Private Ventures, 2001.

Promoting Powerful People: A Process

for Change. Washington, D.C.:

Peace Corps, 2000. ICE #T0104.

Roehlkepartain, Jolene L. 150 Ways to

Show Kids You Care. Minneapolis:

The Search Institute, 1996.

The Roles of the Volunteer in Development. Washington, D.C.: Peace

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Scales, Peter, and Nancy Leffert. Developmental Assets: A Synthesis of

Scientific Research on Adolescent

Development. Minneapolis: The

Search Institute, 1999.

Singleton, Tina, specialist on people

with disabilities, Mobility International USA, www.miusa.org, personal communication, 2001.

Werner, David. Disabled Village Children (2nd ed.). Berkeley: Hesperian

Foundation, 1996.

Womack, Jay, Peace Corps Country

Desk Officer, personal communication, February 2001.
Part Five: Resources

Peace Corps 223

ENDNOTES

1. Parker A. R., I. Lozano, and L.

Messner. Gender Relations Analysis: A Guide for Trainers. London:

Save the Children, 1995. ICE

#WD138.

2. Pereira, Diana, and Naomi Richman. Helping Children in Difficult

Circumstances. London: Save the

Children, 1995.

3. Lorey, Mark, consultant on AIDSaffected children programming,

personal communication, 2001.

4. Various researchers quoted in

Boyden, Jo, Social Healing in WarAffected and Displaced Children,

www2.qeh.ox.ac.uk, 2001.

5. Boll, Jay. Youth Development: A

Case Study from Honduras. Washington, D.C.: Peace Corps, 1989.

6. Singleton, Tina, specialist on people

with disabilities, Mobility International USA, www.miusa.org, personal communication, 2001.

7. For more excellent practical ideas

consult Werner, David, Disabled

Village Children (2nd ed.), Berkeley: Hesperian Foundation, 1996.

8. Mone, Erin, youth development

specialist, RPCV, Costa Rica, personal communication, 2001.

9. Jolene L. Roehlkepartain wrote

“150 Ways to Show Kids You Care”

to encourage everyone to become

involved in the lives of children and

young people. Her suggestions,

sprinkled throughout this manual,

highlight the many simple ways

adults can reach out to young men

and women. Copyright © 1996 by

Search Institute, Minneapolis, Minnesota. All rights reserved. The entire pamphlet that doubles as a

poster is available from the Search

Institute. See catalog at www.search

-institute.org/images/150.gif.

10. Williamson, John, vulnerable children and orphans specialist, personal communication, 2001.

11. Mone, Erin.

12. Boll, Jay.

13. Mone, Erin.

14. Lorey, Mark.

15. Ibid.
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

224

16. Ibid.

17. Roehlkepartain, Jolene L.

18. Krieger, Alan. Youth Project Design

and Management Workshop Training Manual. Washington, D.C.:

Peace Corps, 1994. Unpublished

manuscript.

19. Roehlkepartain, Jolene L.

20. Ibid.

21. The Roles of the Volunteer in Development. Washington, D.C.:

Peace Corps, 2002. ICE #T0005.

22. Adapted from a workshop, Beginning Counseling Skills, Marcia

McBeath, psychologist, RPCV,

Lesotho, Namibia, Jamaica, and St.

Lucia, for the Ministry of Education and Culture of Namibia. 1992-

1995.

23. Adapted from www.youthministry.

com/work_youth/crushes.htm,

2001.

24. Pittman, Karen, Merita Irby, and

Thaddeus Ferber. “Unfinished Business: Reflections on a Decade of

Promoting Youth Development.” In

Youth Development: Issues, Challenges and Directions. Philadelphia:

Public/Private Ventures, 2001.

25. Fertman, Carl, and Josephine Long.

Youth Leadership: A Guide to Understanding Leadership Development in Adolescents. San Francisco:

Jossey-Bass, 1998. p. 126.

26. Scales, Peter, and Nancy Leffert.

Developmental Assets: A Synthesis

of Scientific Research on Adolescent

Development, p. 46. Minneapolis:

The Search Institute, 1999.

27. The Roles of the Volunteer in Development.

28. Scales and Leffert, p. 46.

29. “Give Youth a Chance: An Action

Guide for Working with Youth,”

Department of Education, Culture

and Employment, Government of

the Northwest Territories, Canada.

www.learnnet.nt.ca/index.html.

2001.

30. Roehlkepartain, Jolene L.

31. Hart, Roger. Children’s Participation: The Theory and Practice of Involving Young Citizens in Community Development and Environmental Care. New York: UNICEF, 1997.

32. Advancing Youth Development: A

Curriculum for Training Youth

Workers, Center for Youth Development and Policy Research, Academy for Educational Development,

1996.

33. Cooperrider, David, John Kretzmann, and Dale Blyth, presentations

at the Peace Corps, forum

“Strength-Based Approaches to Development: A Look at an Assets

Approach and Appreciative Inquiry,” Washington, D.C., May 12,

1997.
Part Five: Resources

Peace Corps 225

34. Wilson, Kathleen, Clifford O’Donnell, and Roland Tharp. “Building

on Assets in Community Development: A Guide to Working with

Community Groups,” unpublished

manuscript. Revised by Peace

Corps with permission. May 1994.

Also: Kretzmann, John, and John

McKnight. Building Communities

From the Inside Out, A Path Toward

Finding and Mobilizing A

Community’s Assets. Minneapolis:

The Search Institute, 1993. ICE

#CD051.

35. Adapted from Berger, Kathleen

Stassen. The Developing Person

Through the Life Span. New York:

Worth Publishers, 1994; as well as

Advancing Youth Development: A

Curriculum for Training Youth

Workers, Center for Youth Development and Policy Research, Academy for Educational Development,

1996.

36. Roehlkepartain, Jolene L.

37. Pittman, Irby, and Ferber.

38. See Idea Book Series: HIV/AIDS -

Integrating Prevention and Care

Into Your Sector. Washington, D.C.:

Peace Corps, 2000. ICE #M0081

for more on this.

39. Roehlkepartain, Jolene L.

40. Adapted from the U.S. Department

of Labor, Secretary’s Commission

on Achieving Necessary Skills

(SCANS), http://wdr.doleta.gov/

SCANS.

41. “Best Practices Workshop on

School to Work Transitions in

APEC Member Economies,” Council of Ministers of Education,

Canada and Human Resources

Development Canada. 1998.

42. Scales and Leffert, p. 46.

43. Roehlkepartain, Jolene L.

44. Benson, Peter. All Kids Are Our

Kids (p. 48). San Francisco: JosseyBass, 1997.

45. Culture Matters: The Peace Corps

Cross-Cultural Workbook. p. 31.

ICE #T0087.

46. Roehlkepartain, Jolene L.

47. Nagler, Steve, Peace Corps Country Director, Samoa, personal communication, 2001.

48. Culture Matters: The Peace Corps

Cross-Cultural Workbook, ICE

#T0087.

49. Nagler, Steve.

50. Krieger, Alan.

51. Mone, Erin.

52. Arnstein, Sherry R. “A Ladder of

Citizen Participation.” Journal of

the American Institute of Planners,

Vol. 35, No. 4, July 1969, pp. 216-

224. Also: Hart, p. 41.

53. Hart, p. 42.

54. Ibid, p. 44.
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

226

55. Arnstein, pp. 216-224, and Hart, p.

41.

56. The Roles of the Volunteer in

Development.

57. Krieger, Alan.

58. The Exchange, Peace Corps’

Women in Development Newsletter,

March 1997.

59. The Exchange, Peace Corps’ Women

in Development Newsletter, Spring/

Summer 2000.

60. Roehlkepartain, Jolene L.

61. Mone, Erin.

62. London, Jonathan, co-director,

Youth in Focus, 216 F Street #6,

Davis, CA 95616 (an NGO that engages youth in research, evaluation

and planning process as part of

youth leadership and youth serving

organizational capacity building).

63. Krieger, Alan.

64. Roehlkepartain, Jolene L.

65. See also Promoting Powerful

People: A Process for Change,

Washington, D.C.: Peace Corps,

2000 (ICE #T0104) and Participatory Analysis for Community Action

(PACA) (ICE #M0053).

66. Nagler, Steve.

67. Adapted from Promoting Powerful

People: A Process for Change.

68. Ibid.

69. Richmond, Brian. “Asset Approach

to Community Development: A

Training Model for Youth and Community Development Work in

Urban and Rural Areas.” Washington, D.C.: Peace Corps, 1994. Unpublished manuscript.

70. Adapted from Promoting Powerful

People: A Process for Change and

Richmond, Brian.

71. Richmond, Brian.

72. See also ICE publications Non-formal Education Training Module

(ICE #T0064), and The Winning

Trainer, (ICE #TR030).

73. Adapted from Yossem, Elizabeth,

PCV. Power: Programme for Working Effectively Resolving Conflicts.

Published by Peace Corps/St.

Vincent and the Grenadines, 1999.

74. For more information on gender and

community mapping, see Gender

and Development/Girls Education

Training Manual (ICE #M0054),

Booklets 5, 6, and 8.

75. For more information on how to

establish a mentoring program, contact Big Brothers Big Sisters International (contact information is in

Resources section).
Part Five: Resources

Peace Corps 227

76. Peace Corps/Romania started Camp

GLOW in 1994. Volunteers in more

than 12 countries in the Caucasus,

South and Southeast Asia, Central

Asia, Northern and Southern Africa,

and Eastern Europe have adapted it.

An idea book with more in-depth

information on planning and implementing camps is under development as of 2002. See Mindy

Bingham, et al., Choices: A Teen

Woman’s Journal for Self-Awareness and Planning (ICE #WD135),

for additional information.

77. Molinsky, Steve, and Bill Bliss. Side

by Side (2nd ed.), pp. 8-57. Prentice

Hall College Division, 1989.

78. Consult Life Planning Education

(ICE #YD004) for ideas.

79. Consult Project WET Environmental Curriculum & Activity Guide.

Montana State University, 1995.

80. PRA can also be found in the Peace

Corps publication Participatory

Analysis for Community Action

(PACA) (ICE #M0053).

81. World Map Project. Washington,

D.C.: Peace Corps (ICE #R008).

82. Como Planear Mi Vida. Washington, D.C.: Peace Corps (ICE

#YD007).

83. Life Planning Education.Washington, D.C.: Peace Corps (ICE

#YD004).

84. Life Skills Manual. Washington,

D.C.: Peace Corps (ICE #M0061,

English; ICE #M0066, French; ICE

#M0065, Swahili).

85. See the Life Skills Manual (ICE

#M0061) and Life Planning Education (ICE #YD004) for training

design ideas.

86. For additional information see the

Life Skills Manual (ICE # M0061).

87. Jerving, Jim. Changing Youth:

Starting a Youth Credit Union and

Learning Center, Dubuque:

Kendall/Hunt, 1993.

88. See the Trickle Up Program (www.

trickleup.org) for additional information on small grants.
Working With Youth: Approaches for Volunteers

228