HCHY List: Community Youth Strategy

[Deborah Fisher]

Picking up on Pat's idea about following the five action strategies,  =

I suggest looking at a copy of Assets in Action: A Handbook for  =

Making Communities a Better Place to Grow Up (yes, I wrote it, but  =

no, I don't get any royalties on the sales :) The book is organized  =

around using the five action strategies and is full of tips, stories,  =

and strategies from hundreds of other communities. Combining the book  =

(and Search has done some nice ancillary pieces to go with it like  =

posters) with the great ideas you're getting on the listserv + Pat's  =

fabulous summary and her recommendations for which trainings to  =

consider -- and the emphasis on youth-led efforts -- you could  =

definitely be on your way.

I would also recommend for those of you interested in strategic  =

planning around assets and youth to look at the National League of  =

Cities web site (www.nlc.org) on youth master planning. Richard Goll  =

who has done a lot of asset building work is also doing a lot of work  =

with communities now on youth master plans.

Deborah Fisher
Search Institute author
National Trainer, Vision Training Associates
(425) 641-4785 (PST)
deborah1701 at fishernyberg.com



On Jan 16, 2009, at 7:03 AM, ROSYPAT at aol.com wrote:

> Here is a brief description of how we mobilized our Youth!
>
> The strategy that we used started out with was the "Generations  =

> Together" (Shelby Andruss-Vision Training).  We convened leaders  =

> from all of the youth related organizations, school districts,  =

> faith based sectors. We made a concerted effort to have all ages  =

> including 12-15 students.  Middle School to 65 years of age.  We  =

> included college administrators, school board trustees etc.
>
> Throughout the day of discussions, we worked in small groups, large  =

> groups etc.  Immediately after lunch  Shelby convened the youth in  =

> a circle and led a fabulous conversation with them about what they  =

> would like to see in their community.  She asked them what was good  =

> about the community, what needed to be changed etc.  She is very  =

> gifted in asking probing questions.  The kids are very honest and  =

> don't hesitate to talk about how they are treated.  As adults we  =

> need to stop and listen rather than tell the kids what they need to  =

> do.  The adults were blown away by how kids are treated by stores etc.
>
> We talked about the key words that we heard and collected those  =

> words and ideas.  Participants were asked to volunteer for a follow  =

> up meeting to craft a vision statement.
> Vision Statement:
> =93We envision a safe, nurturing community that values diversity, and  =

> encourages and empowers families and youth to discover and maximize  =

> their potential.=94
>
> There is another great training available from Vision Training that  =

> you might want to utilize.  We brought in James Vollbracht, Lead  =

> with Assets.  100 high school youth attended in school teams. The  =

> 2nd day we had 100 middle school students. They learned about the  =

> assets and then did action plans for their own school. Very  =

> effective and all benefitted.  We did this during the school week.
>
> We followed the five action steps that Search suggested.
>
> Mobilizing youth for us came after invigorating programs and  =

> engaging adults.
> To mobilize the youth we created our own day of asset training for  =

> youth.  We invited all of the youth related groups to send youth.   =

> We talked about the assets with the kids.  The kids were divided  =

> into teams.   We gave them cameras and they acted out each of the  =

> assets.  We used these pictures for posters.  We had each student  =

> make a quilt square about their own uniqueness.  They drew pictures  =

> of asset builders.
>
> The youth that we were working with were very excited about  =

> learning about what they needed to succeed. They felt empowered  =

> because even their own parents didn't know these keys to success.   =

> Since that first training, the adults now sit back and let the kids  =

> lead the training.  It has evolved since that first training and it  =

> is now their own.  The kids now get the adults to chaperone, and  =

> provide the place and food.  This past week, our kids decided they  =

> wanted to get a training scheduled and so on Jan. 31, they will be  =

> inviting youth to a meeting and asking them to bring their spark to  =

> share.
>
> Peer to Peer training is so important.  At our last Link Up Greater  =

> Houston Conference, out of the 34 sessions that were offered, 5  =

> were led by students.  Some of the kids of sessions that they  =

> offered were "How to manage money"-financial literacy sponsored by  =

> a State Farm Grant, Leadership and "Finding your student voice".   =

> The new one that we are hoping to offer soon is "healthy dating  =

> relationships".  The adults are meeting with the youth to find out  =

> if they are interested.
>
> We invited youth groups to apply for mini-grants to do asset  =

> related projects in their communities.  This next semester there  =

> will be 15 projects around literacy, art, teaching their parents  =

> about the assets and a fair at the high school where community  =

> groups who want volunteers can recruit the students at the school  =

> to volunteer with their agency.
>
> The best part of our Asset movment is definitely the Youth!  Step  =

> back and be amazed.
>
> Pat Rosenberg
> Texas Association of Partners in Education
> Houston Healthy Communities*Healthy Youth
> 3707 Harper St.
> Houston, TX 77005-3621
> 713-666-9341
> f 713-666-0443
>
>
>
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