Working Together

1. Working Together Maximizing Youth & Adult Partnerships

2. Youth & Adult Partnerships What are some of the challenges you have with young people in your programs? • Commitment/reliability • Building trust with youth • Access – not enough young people • Communication • Less or limited ability (they’re not professionals) • Instilling passion • Hard to get young people to “own” projects • Schedules/availability/travel

3. Test Your Teen Knowledge Who is the lead singer of the popular group, Destiny’s Child? a. Pink b. Beyonce’ c. Monica d. Mya

4. Test Your Teen Knowledge These two celebs ran “Project Greenlight” in partnership with HBO: • Tom Green and Carson Daily • Freddie Prinze, Jr. and Sarah Michelle Gellar • Ben Affleck and Matt Damon • Sarah Jessica Parker and Chris Rock

5. Test Your Teen Knowledge Which of the following bands was not created in conjunction with a television show? • O-Town • Eden’s Crush • 2-gether • Dream

6. Test Your Teen Knowledge In which movie did Josh Hartnett get his first acting role? • The Faculty • Halloween H2O • Virgin Suicides • Pearl Harbor

7. Test Your Teen Knowledge Which hip-hop artist did Ashanti pair up with for her hit song Always on Time? • Jay Z • Ja Rule • P Diddy • Usher

8. Test Your Teen Knowledge Which of these popular actresses is a featured regular on the website Voxxy, where she talks to teens about things that matter to them? • Gwenyth Paltrow • Jennifer Love Hewitt • Jennifer Anniston • Kate Hudson

9. Test Your Teen Knowledge Which percentage correctly reflects those teens who obtain their spending money through full or part-time jobs? • 60% • 14% • 30% • 47%

10. Test Your Teen Knowledge On average, teens spend how many hours per week on the computer? • 17.6 • 2.3 • 11.0 • 7.2

11. Test Your Teen Knowledge Which band was watching Jim and Nadia on-line in American Pie? • Bush • Linkin Park • Blink 182 • Creed

12. Test Your Teen Knowledge Which magazine do teens read most? • Sports Illustrated • Seventeen • Teen People • Rolling Stone

13. Test Your Teen Knowledge Cribs is a show on MTV about: • Gang violence throughout the nation, hosted by a former gang member turned VJ • Fashion in urban areas, hosted by various top models with bandanas on their heads • Entertainers homes (no host) • The latest in new generation technology, hosted by various models with bandanas on their heads

14. The old get old And the young get stronger May take a week And it may take longer They got the guns But we got the numbers Gonna win, yeah We’re takin’ over When I was young me and my momma had beef 17 years old kicked out on the streets Though back in that time, I never thought I’d see her face Ain’t a woman alive that can take my momma’s place Suspended from school, scared to go home I was a fool with the big boys, breaking all the rules Bonus Questions

15. Understanding the Teen Audience • Defining the generations • Generation When Born Ages • Matures Before 1946 55 + • Boomer 1946 - 1964 36 - 54 • Gen X 1965 - 1980 21 - 35 • Gen Y After 1980 < 21 • About 31 million teens in the U.S. • They spend about $120 billion / year

16. They have never known… A major war A cold war An Evil Empire A cultural revolution / major movement A recession More than one Pope They don’t remember… The Beatles Vietnam Reagan Hostages in Iran Berlin Wall Space shuttle explosion Tianemen Square Understanding the Teen Audience • A Different World

17. Video games CDs Faxes Walkmans MTV Cable e-mail Remote controls Answering machines Voice mail Beepers Computers The Web (71% regularly use) Understanding the Teen Audience • A Different World • There have always been…

18. Understanding the Teen Audience • A Different World • Family life is different… • Less time spent with parents (down 1/3 since 1970) • Less supervision -- more independent • More scheduled lives • Less free time • More adult responsibilities • More adult concerns • 25% in single parent homes (13% in 1970) • 80% have working moms (30% in 1970)

19. Understanding the Teen Audience • A Different World • More choices • More pressure to grow up faster • More violence • Less Insulation • Earlier onset of puberty • Media saturation • Sound-byte society

20. Understanding the Teen Audience • Generation Y – Defining Traits • Optimistic • Technology-driven • Achievement-oriented • Pragmatic • Resilient • Self-reliant • Embrace diversity • Socially aware

21. Understanding the Teen Audience • Teens more receptive to “taking care of themselves.” • Form own support systems… own sense of community • cliques • sports • after school jobs • Brands = identity • the web – Bolt.com

22. Understanding the Teen Audience Brands are very important to teen culture. They associate themselves with brands based on: Quality “For people my age” Unique advertising “cool” friends / peers use it

23. Youth & Adult Partnerships Why do we need youth partners? • Insight into the teen audience • Peer-to-peer is most effective way to communicate our message • Bring energy and enthusiasm • Can infiltrate youth culture • Programs are youth-focused • Mandated

24. Youth & Adult Partnerships What can we do to make our youth partnerships more effective? • Allow youth to lead more • Trust them • Involve everyone – don’t rely on the same youth all the time • Make time to work with them – even if I’d do it better/faster myself • Be a mentor and a teacher • Make some organizational changes to empower them • Curb youth entitlement

25. Youth & Adult Partnerships What can young people do to make the partnerships more effective? • Be more reliable; keep their promises • Try harder • Understand our point of view • Accept our guidance and insight – don’t reject it • Care more

26. Youth & Adult Partnerships • Keys to overcoming challenges • Provide opportunities at many levels • Create accountability • Recognize and reward

27. As individuals we have different ways of defining who we are that we reinforce by seeking out opportunities I am a basketball fan Join a basketball league Wear Afrocentric attire Support black businesses I am a Christian Attend church I am a younger sister Spend time with family Helping others is important Join a service organization I am a skater Hang out with skaters Youth & Adult Partnerships I. Providing opportunities

28. Youth & Adult Partnerships I. Providing opportunities • What opportunities does your or could your organization offer? • Examples of opportunities: • Monthly meetings • Gear to wear/distribute • Youth board • Focus Groups • Teen panel • Spokespeople • Writers • Designers/Artists • Traditional positions • Performers • Trend-spotters • “Webbies”

29. Youth & Adult Partnerships II. Creating Accountability • Young people (and adults, too) are notorious for not following through on commitments • Creating a culture of accountability is critical to your success

30. Youth & Adult Partnerships II. Creating Accountability • Keys to success • Assign projects/duties • Set clear deadlines • Remind them of their commitment • Follow-up, follow-up, follow-up

31. Youth & Adult Partnerships II. Creating Accountability • Keys to success • Assigning projects/duties • Involve youth in the process • Whenever possible, have youth self-select responsibilities • Define roles, responsibilities, commitment • Ask them to identify their peers that may be able to help • Make assignments in a group (with them) • Don’t always rely on the same youth – spread the wealth • Assign tasks based on their individual skills • But be flexible, allowing them to try new things (provide opportunities for them take chances!) • Don’t be afraid to assign jobs to others if they don’t fulfill obligations (but tell them why)

32. Youth & Adult Partnerships II. Creating Accountability • Keys to success • Follow-up, follow-up, follow-up • Create a task list with them • Hold them to deadlines that are set together • Remind them of their commitment • Assign other staff/youth to follow-up, too! • Communicate on their terms • How do they want to be contacted? • Memos are NOT good • Remember, they hold strange hours (not 9-5) • IM and e-mail works really well • Don’t overload them with too many words

33. Youth & Adult Partnerships III. Recognize and Reward • Ultimately, your young people are volunteers • They are not involved for money • But, that doesn’t mean they don’t expect something in return • There is nothing wrong with offering something in return for their efforts

34. Youth & Adult Partnerships III. Recognize and Reward • What do they want? • Recognition • Someone to listen to them • Someone to praise them • Someone to thank them • Reward • To learn new things and be involved in new ways • Experience (helps them in the future) • Personal reasons (family member died from tobacco) • To be “honored”

35. Youth & Adult Partnerships III. Recognize and Reward • Food – taking them to lunch • CDs • Software • Personal thank-you • Group thank-you • Thank you cards/personal note • Great “assignments” • Concert/sports event tickets • Gift certificates • Article or picture in media • Public recognition • “Special” title • Certificates/trophies • Personal phone call • Conferences/summits • New challenges • Movie passes • Letter of recommendation

36. Youth & Adult Partnerships • Re-cap • Youth involvement is critical to the success of your organization • We need your help, but you need our help, too! • Keeping youth active and providing a range of opportunities will do wonders for retention • Accountability is key to effectively involving young people • Recognize and reward youth – they deserve it, and need it • Involving youth is a commitment on everyone’s part

37. Youth & Adult Partnerships Ten Commandments of Working with Youth • Don’t underestimate youth – they’re savvier than you think • Always encourage youth to offer input and make decisions • Talk with them – don’t preach • Listen to their ideas • Keep it simple • Work with them to assign roles – they’ll tell you what they can and cannot do • Be a good manager – help them understand what needs to get done and how to do it • Reinforce good ideas • Youth know youth – encourage a peer-to-peer approach – it really works • Get in touch with your inner teen

38. Youth & Adult Partnerships Ten Commandments of Working with Adults • Be responsible for the work you promised to deliver • Be gentle with adults! They may be nervous working with teens • Be honest about the amount of time you can offer based on your other commitments • If you are uncomfortable with a project, let them know you need help • Remember, their jobs come with different levels of responsibility and pressure • Adults are looking for ideas from you – don’t be afraid to offer them! • Give adults feedback on their ideas, too – as a teen, you have great insight into other teens • Adults have lots of advice, experience, and help they can offer you – take advantage of it • Adults worry about you when they don’t hear from you - keep in touch! • They are responsible for you when you are away from home or school so please respect them and follow their rules