Involving Urban Youth and Community Members

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Involving Urban Youth and Community Members

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

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Workshop Goals

• Information covered in this session will be
• Issues Todays Urban Youth Face
• Key Components of Effective Youth Programs
• Definition of Community Members
• Promoting Commitment and Responsibility of
  Community Members to Youth Programs
• Resources, Programs Effective Techniques for
  Engaging Urban Youth

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Tell me, and Ill forget. Show
me, and I may not remember. Involve me, and
Ill understand.

• Native American Saying

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Science challenges current course
If all things stay the same, the projection for
the year 2010 shows a juvenile drug law
violation arrest rate of 1445 per 100,000
juveniles
Projection
1445 per 100,000 Juveniles
756 per 100,000 Juveniles (actual)
71.2 per 100,000 Juveniles
Data Source Wyoming Division of Criminal
Investigation Uniform Crime Reports. Rates are
per 100,000 juveniles ages 10 to 17.
Paxis Institute www.paxtalk.com
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Force Field Theory

Active Influences
Active
Influences Forces For ( )

Forces For ( - ) Worse
Case Behavior
Preferred Behavior
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Key components of effective Urban Youth Programs

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

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Key components of effective Urban Youth Programs

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

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Key components of effective Urban Youth Programs

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

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Key components of effective Urban Youth Programs

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

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Key components of effective Urban Youth Programs

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

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Key components of effective Urban Youth Programs

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

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Key components of effective Urban Youth Programs

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

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Key components of effective Urban Youth Programs

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

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Key components of effective Urban Youth Programs

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

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Key components of effective Urban Youth Programs

• Retaining Youth Participation
• Be Open to and Non-judgmental About Their
  Insights and Suggestions.
• Consistent Dependable Leaders so That Youth Can
  Build a Rapport.
• Offer Ongoing Recognition Reflecting Their
  Contributions. Have Fun,
• Treat Teens as Individuals and Take Advantage of
  the Expertise that Teens Offer. Dont Make
  Assumptions About What Individual Young People
  are Like.

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Key components of effective Urban Youth Programs

• Retaining Youth Participation (Continued)
• Be Honest about the Expectations for the Program.
  Dont Expect More From a Teen Than you would From
  an Adult.
• Be Prepared Ahead of Time to Offer Support
  (Logistical, Emotional, Training etc.)
• Dont Move too Fast. Remember it takes Time to
  Develop Trust Because Some Youth are Unsure of
  Adults Intentions.

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Effective Techniques for Engaging Urban Youth

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

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Defining Community MembersWho are community
members and why are they important?

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

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Promoting Commitment Responsibility of
Community Members

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

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Programs for Engaging Urban Youth

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

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Resources for Engaging Urban Youth

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

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

• Ralph Waldo Emerson

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Questions Final Comments

• Andrea CarteR
  Delano Gurley
  
  
• Angel Institute
  Inc.
  763-533-5675
  
  
• Minneapolis, MN
  
  
• 612-338-1430
• 
  angel1_at_tcq.net