Training Tip from Deborah Fisher, Bellevue, WA
Mobilizing Youth: Strengthening the Message
After writing and speaking about asset development for many years, I have heard wonderful stories that illustrate the benefits of working with young people, but even to those already familiar with the asset framework, the advantages of mobilizing youth may need to be made more concrete to be useful. Here are some tips I emphasize when talking about what mobilizing youth looks like:
• “What does youth voice mean?” A recent training participant involved in building a school climate project was scratching her head about exactly what youth asking for more “voice” means. My answer? “Ask ‘em.” Students will happily participate in focus groups where they are asked to define and describe what more youth voice in their schools would look like. Adults can then help support young people in making the desired changes they identify.
• “What if I don’t see things the same way young people do?” A community member recently described her decision to stop asking young people what’s important to them because their views always seemed so different than hers. My suggestion? Keep asking. The young people’s view of the world is completely legitimate and important, as is the view of the adults working with them, even if the two views are quite different. One potentially fruitful area for discussion – why are the two views so different? Action may flow from the conclusions reached.
• “When I talk with adults about involving youth, they tell me it’s too much trouble. How can I prove it’s worth it?” It does sometimes take additional effort to meaningfully involve young people in activities. Anecdotally, we know it makes a difference, but can we say we have the evidence to back up our claim? I answer this question with the best, free resource we have to bolster our case – the Search Institute web site. If you go to www.search-institute.org and explore We Can Help or Resources, you’ll find relevant, topical variety on the impact involving youth has on the direction and quality of the work we do. Follow the trail of We Can Help > Youth Serving Organizations > Service Learning to find one of my current favorites, Service to Others: A ‘Gateway Asset’ for School Success and Healthy Development.
I hope these approaches and resources help you find concrete and meaningful ways to work with youth.
