Fostering Youth-Adult Partnerships
Age is one of the critical boundaries the Center works across to cultivate collective leadership in communities. As societies around the world face great stress and uncertainty, youth can be helpful partners in making changes that improve our communities. This month, we highlight how youth are contributing to social justice movements around the world, the way the Rainier Beach community is tapping into youth voice to support student learning, and a process the Center uses called PhotoVoice to engage community members in sharing stories about their community. ~ Dale Nienow
Age is one of the critical boundaries the Center works across to cultivate collective leadership in communities. As societies around the world face great stress and uncertainty, youth can be helpful partners in making changes that improve our communities. This month, we highlight how youth are contributing to social justice movements around the world, the way the Rainier Beach community is tapping into youth voice to support student learning, and a process the Center uses called PhotoVoice to engage community members in sharing stories about their community. ~ Dale Nienow
Youth Rise Around the World
Why are popular uprisings happening around the world now? The theory that strikes us at the Center for Ethical Leadership most prominently is the role of young people in the revolutions. In many Arab countries, almost 60% of the population is under the age of thirty. An abundance of youth, combined with too few opportunities for education, jobs, and a good future, is a formula for change. In the movements we have witnessed throughout the Middle East, a critical mass of young people are refusing to go along with the social contracts that limit their future. They have found their voice and are tapping into a collective power. They are showing up.
The combination of youth finding their voice and youth role in society is relevant for the United States as well. It is important for us to reflect on how we involve young people in the work of building a society that works for all of us. In the past decade, the Center has worked with many community partners across the United States improving their communities by engaging youth and adults as partners. When young people are afforded deep respect, they are able to contribute to community life. For example, at a meeting in South Texas, a community group was making decisions about allocating money to local projects. Jeremy, a young boy of eleven, started asking questions that thoughtfully analyzed the options. He felt completely embraced and supported by his community and didn’t hesitate to share his ideas. Jeremy’s engagement elevated the sense of community that others in the room experienced.
There are many times when youth are left out of key community and organizational decision-making processes, or they are treated as future leaders who will have their turn in due time. Both these views are limiting. In Benton Harbor, Michigan, a group of high school students organized a forum for citizens to engage with the mayoral candidates. One candidate discovered the limits of his view of youth. When questioned by youth, he gave simplistic and pat answers that satisfied no one. The youth would not let him move on until he had answered their questions directly and completely. They were serious about selecting a mayor who would effectively lead the community. The youth in this forum reminded the adults that participating in the democratic process is a serious responsibility.
Youth bring perspectives adults can only guess at, and ask honest important questions adults are sometimes too cautious to ask. When treated as currentleaders and partners with adults, youth have much to offer. We have witnessed youth help school superintendents develop alternatives to suspending students; educate communities about the issues involved in school bond issues; and testify in state legislative hearings about high stakes testing.
The Center has convened communities across generations, with people of ages eleven to over eighty. It is always an experience of hope and confidence in the future, because when youth claim stewardship for their communities, wonderful possibilities open up. We need to help our young people claim their voice, and invite them to collaboratively shape the future. Together, we will create a more just and inclusive society.
Why are popular uprisings happening around the world now? The theory that strikes us at the Center for Ethical Leadership most prominently is the role of young people in the revolutions. In many Arab countries, almost 60% of the population is under the age of thirty. An abundance of youth, combined with too few opportunities for education, jobs, and a good future, is a formula for change. In the movements we have witnessed throughout the Middle East, a critical mass of young people are refusing to go along with the social contracts that limit their future. They have found their voice and are tapping into a collective power. They are showing up.
The combination of youth finding their voice and youth role in society is relevant for the United States as well. It is important for us to reflect on how we involve young people in the work of building a society that works for all of us. In the past decade, the Center has worked with many community partners across the United States improving their communities by engaging youth and adults as partners. When young people are afforded deep respect, they are able to contribute to community life. For example, at a meeting in South Texas, a community group was making decisions about allocating money to local projects. Jeremy, a young boy of eleven, started asking questions that thoughtfully analyzed the options. He felt completely embraced and supported by his community and didn’t hesitate to share his ideas. Jeremy’s engagement elevated the sense of community that others in the room experienced.
There are many times when youth are left out of key community and organizational decision-making processes, or they are treated as future leaders who will have their turn in due time. Both these views are limiting. In Benton Harbor, Michigan, a group of high school students organized a forum for citizens to engage with the mayoral candidates. One candidate discovered the limits of his view of youth. When questioned by youth, he gave simplistic and pat answers that satisfied no one. The youth would not let him move on until he had answered their questions directly and completely. They were serious about selecting a mayor who would effectively lead the community. The youth in this forum reminded the adults that participating in the democratic process is a serious responsibility.
Youth bring perspectives adults can only guess at, and ask honest important questions adults are sometimes too cautious to ask. When treated as currentleaders and partners with adults, youth have much to offer. We have witnessed youth help school superintendents develop alternatives to suspending students; educate communities about the issues involved in school bond issues; and testify in state legislative hearings about high stakes testing.
The Center has convened communities across generations, with people of ages eleven to over eighty. It is always an experience of hope and confidence in the future, because when youth claim stewardship for their communities, wonderful possibilities open up. We need to help our young people claim their voice, and invite them to collaboratively shape the future. Together, we will create a more just and inclusive society.
Recognizing Community Assets for Student Learning
Rainier Beach is a unique Seattle neighborhood near the south end of Lake Washington. The neighborhood has a highly diverse population and community groups are hard at work to improve student learning. The neighborhood schools are in need of transformation due to some of the lowest test scores in the district. In August, the Rainier Beach Empowerment Coalition, the Rainier Beach Neighborhood Council and the Center for Ethical Leadership brought a powerful process called PhotoVoice to the Rainier Beach community. Sixteen youth and seven adults came together to identify the assets that support teaching and learning in a community where strengths and gifts do not always get recognized. Participants photographed people, places, and experiences that illustrate assets in the community which "support student learning" and wrote stories explaining each image. In a day-long process, they shared their stories with each other and, in teams, analyzed them for patterns and themes. What emerged was a powerful picture of the various ways the community supports student learning.
Through PhotoVoice, participants saw their community at a deeper level. For example: the community plaza is a place to gather, hold events and deepen relationships; a peace walk, organized by the community, helped youth feel the commitment to keeping them safe; and the network of adults and organizations who engage youth in activities and model healthy leadership are appreciated. As these assets were named, community members claimed a different narrative than the one imposed upon them by outsiders. A common sentiment amongst the participants was, “Some people talk about the neighborhood as if it is bad. In reality it is a place where kids learn and are inspired by each other and people in the community. Youth experience joy, peace, diversity – once we open our eyes to see all the pathways and to see what is really here.”
The process created a more complete picture of the systems that support youth. When we talk about student learning, we sometimes leave out the role of the community. Karma Ruder, from the Center for Ethical Leadership, noted: “We tend to focus on the learning that happens in classrooms. We don’t always see all that a community has to offer to help students learn.” Creating this fuller picture was possible because youth shared their perspectives.
The adult partners in this project were thrilled with the youth who participated. Gregory Davis, from the Rainier Beach Empowerment Coalition, said this was the first time that youth in this community were asked for their perspective on student learning. The process changed the participants. “When you learn what is good in the neighborhood, you learn what is good in yourself,” reflected Jacquel Redmond, FreedomNet Coordinator.
The PhotoVoice stories will continue to be shared in the Rainier Beach community and schools. The process of engaging youth to tell stories about community assets will continue as FreedomNet engages youth as citizen journalists this fall.
The project was coordinated by the Rainier Beach Empowerment Coalition, the Rainier Beach Neighborhood Council and the Center for Ethical Leadership. FreedomNet is a program of the Rainier Beach Empowerment Coalition. Funding for the PhotoVoice process was provided by United Way. PhotoVoice is an example of an approach the Center for Ethical Leadership has learned from working with communities across the country.
For more information about the Rainier Beach PhotoVoice project, or to learn how the Center can bring PhotoVoice to your community, contact Steve Stapleton.
Rainier Beach is a unique Seattle neighborhood near the south end of Lake Washington. The neighborhood has a highly diverse population and community groups are hard at work to improve student learning. The neighborhood schools are in need of transformation due to some of the lowest test scores in the district. In August, the Rainier Beach Empowerment Coalition, the Rainier Beach Neighborhood Council and the Center for Ethical Leadership brought a powerful process called PhotoVoice to the Rainier Beach community. Sixteen youth and seven adults came together to identify the assets that support teaching and learning in a community where strengths and gifts do not always get recognized. Participants photographed people, places, and experiences that illustrate assets in the community which "support student learning" and wrote stories explaining each image. In a day-long process, they shared their stories with each other and, in teams, analyzed them for patterns and themes. What emerged was a powerful picture of the various ways the community supports student learning.
Through PhotoVoice, participants saw their community at a deeper level. For example: the community plaza is a place to gather, hold events and deepen relationships; a peace walk, organized by the community, helped youth feel the commitment to keeping them safe; and the network of adults and organizations who engage youth in activities and model healthy leadership are appreciated. As these assets were named, community members claimed a different narrative than the one imposed upon them by outsiders. A common sentiment amongst the participants was, “Some people talk about the neighborhood as if it is bad. In reality it is a place where kids learn and are inspired by each other and people in the community. Youth experience joy, peace, diversity – once we open our eyes to see all the pathways and to see what is really here.”
The process created a more complete picture of the systems that support youth. When we talk about student learning, we sometimes leave out the role of the community. Karma Ruder, from the Center for Ethical Leadership, noted: “We tend to focus on the learning that happens in classrooms. We don’t always see all that a community has to offer to help students learn.” Creating this fuller picture was possible because youth shared their perspectives.
The adult partners in this project were thrilled with the youth who participated. Gregory Davis, from the Rainier Beach Empowerment Coalition, said this was the first time that youth in this community were asked for their perspective on student learning. The process changed the participants. “When you learn what is good in the neighborhood, you learn what is good in yourself,” reflected Jacquel Redmond, FreedomNet Coordinator.
The PhotoVoice stories will continue to be shared in the Rainier Beach community and schools. The process of engaging youth to tell stories about community assets will continue as FreedomNet engages youth as citizen journalists this fall.
The project was coordinated by the Rainier Beach Empowerment Coalition, the Rainier Beach Neighborhood Council and the Center for Ethical Leadership. FreedomNet is a program of the Rainier Beach Empowerment Coalition. Funding for the PhotoVoice process was provided by United Way. PhotoVoice is an example of an approach the Center for Ethical Leadership has learned from working with communities across the country.
For more information about the Rainier Beach PhotoVoice project, or to learn how the Center can bring PhotoVoice to your community, contact Steve Stapleton.
Community Through a Camera Lens
PhotoVoice is an effective and fun tool to get participants engaged in the community. Developed in the early 1990s, PhotoVoice is a way for people to share their individual perspectives of their communities and lives through their personal lenses and storytelling. Today, with digital cameras, it is easier than ever to use this methodology.
Participants are given a specific question to consider when taking their photos, such as, “What people, places or activities inspire learning in your community? ” or, “In your community, what give you hope?”
Once all the photos are collected, the participants select a small number and share brief stories about what each picture represents. This process encourages the group to consider how their indvidual experiences fit into the fabric of the overall community experience.
To learn more about how PhotoVoice can help your community work, contact the Center.
PhotoVoice is an effective and fun tool to get participants engaged in the community. Developed in the early 1990s, PhotoVoice is a way for people to share their individual perspectives of their communities and lives through their personal lenses and storytelling. Today, with digital cameras, it is easier than ever to use this methodology.
Participants are given a specific question to consider when taking their photos, such as, “What people, places or activities inspire learning in your community? ” or, “In your community, what give you hope?”
Once all the photos are collected, the participants select a small number and share brief stories about what each picture represents. This process encourages the group to consider how their indvidual experiences fit into the fabric of the overall community experience.
To learn more about how PhotoVoice can help your community work, contact the Center.
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