From gener at search-institute.org Thu Aug 23 20:59:29 2007 From: gener at search-institute.org (Gene Roehlkepartain) Date: Thu Aug 23 21:17:05 2007 Subject: [Conglist] New Study Finds Common Ground Among Youth Workers Message-ID: NEW REPORT FROM SEARCH INSTITUTE = Community- and Faith-Based Youth Workers Agree: Build Relationship, Be Role Models, Empower Youth Youth workers in both community-based settings and faith-based settings agree that it=B9s essential that youth workers develop positive relationshi= ps with youth, are positive role models, and involve and empower youth, according to a just-released study from the National Collaboration for Youth and Search Institute. Titled Is There Common Ground? An Exploratory Study of the Interests and Needs of Community-Based and Faith-Based Youth Workers, the study examined the core competencies of youth workers in both sectors as well as their interests in and concerns about working together. The project was supported by the Lilly Endowment, Inc. =B3What emerges is a remarkable degree of alignment across sectors around m= any youth work priorities as well as exceptions that leave room for unique accents and learning across differences,=B2 the report=B9s authors Pam Garz= a, Stephanie Artman, and Eugene C. Roehlkepartain conclude. For example, 85% of youth workers surveyed indicate that =B3building positive relationships = and communicating with youth=B2 is =B3essential=B2 to their work=8Bwith virtual= ly no difference in this area between the two groups of youth workers. However, though 77% of faith-based youth workers say it is essential to help young people grow spiritually, only 14% of community-based workers see this dimension as essential. The report provides insights regarding priorities, professional development needs, and perspectives on collaboration based on a series of focus groups with youth workers, an online survey of 1,200 youth workers, and a national summit with key leaders in both community-based and faith-based settings. It also includes key findings from a parallel study by the American Camp Association that examined the competencies, priorities, and interests in collaboration among secular and religious camps, which showed similar patterns to the broader study. =B3Youth workers in both community-based and faith-based settings are all entrusted to focus on young people=B9s successful development by addressing their gifts, needs, strengths, and challenges,=B2 the authors write. =B3Yes, youth workers in each setting approach these issues from somewhat different vantage points, but their shared commitment to young people provides fertile common ground for strengthening their capacity to make a real difference in the lives of the young people of our communities, states, nation, and world.=B2 The project report may be downloaded at no cost from: http://www.search-institute.org/research/commonground The National Collaboration for Youth (NCY) is a coalition of more than 50 National Human Services Assembly member organizations. It provides united voice as advocates for youth to improve the conditions of young people in America, and to help young people reach their full potential. Search Institute, an NCY member, is a national innovator in positive youth development that provides leadership, knowledge, and resources to promote healthy children, youth, and communities. -- = Gene Roehlkepartain Search Institute 615 First Ave. Northeast, Suite 125 Minneapolis, MN 55413 E-mail: gener@search-institute.org Web: http://www.search-institute.org -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://lists.search-institute.org/pipermail/conglist/attachments/20070= 823/04727170/attachment.htm