Youth & Adult Partnerships

1. Youth & Adult Partnerships • Philosophy • Model • Results • Action Steps • Created by • Nancy Carter, ACSW • Independent Living Resources, Inc. & SaySo, Inc.

2. Model Philosophy Results Partnership Cycle The process continues to refine itself and build as it repeats.

3. Philosophy It all starts with ATTITUDE! Youth or Adult? Creating a partnership is a huge obstacle for both…. Why?

4. Attitude Adults • Must give up control • Allow others to control • Promote self-determination Youths • Mistrust adult motives • Adult reasoning does not make sense As abstract thinkers, adults are able to control whether young people feel genuinely involved or just a token. What approach do you take? (Honestly)

5. Explore Your Philosophical Approach Adult Attitudes & Positive Youth Development Assessment developed by Associates for Youth Development (Tucson, AZ) in the late-1980’s became a buzzword called “Positive Youth Development,” made popular in the 2000’s as a new “strengths based approach.” Adopted as a model for organizations empowering youths. How do you approach youth? • Objects – Young people (at the extreme) are viewed as property of the adult. Adult controls young people to the desire of the adult. Less extreme, adult knows what is best and views young people as the objects of their good intentions. • Recipients – Young people are viewed as the beneficiary of the presenting opportunity. Youth may help with the “design of the program” but emphasis is put on the benefits to the youth by participating not what the young person has to offer. • Resources –Emphasis is placed on the contribution a young person can make to the entire process. All leadership is shared decision-making and often requires some change in policy.

6. Partnership Model Basic foundation • The “professional” is not “front & center.” • Youth and caregivers are not viewed as clients. • “Like teaches like. Like motivates like. Like knows like.” (Youth to youth, caregiver to caregiver, etc.) • “Tokenism” is not permitted. • Is built on “Youth as Resources.” • Builds on strengths – not on problems. (Asset Building approach taught by Search Institute.) • Offers both youths and adults the opportunity to develop respectful relationships. • Redefine traditional roles for all parties.

7. Youth Roles Youth • Have the ability to simplify the solution • Can ground the discussion in real world application • Can better promote the program • Provides an honest perspective of “what” youths will do, like, etc. • Can recruit other youths • Roles can become more specific to strengths, interests, and skills.

8. Caregiver Roles Caregiver • Can bridge the gap between “theory and practice” • Unique perspective: they have adult experiences and they live with young people • Caregivers have access to resources • Deal-makers - “If it’s not happening in the home, the outcomes won’t change” • Best motivators for policy changes and compliance with other caregivers • Program roles can become more tailored to skills

9. Professional Role Professional • Facilitate the process and open doors with other organizations • Provide support for youth and caregiver participation (re-consider logistics like time, incentives, and location of meeting) • Can provide theoretical basis and options for agency support • Advocate for agency & policy change • Empower youth and caregiver leadership • View self as a “youth development worker” NEWSFLASH Information provided by the Center for Youth Development and Policy Research indicates that Professionals are more satisfied with their job when youths participate in partnership.

10. Obstacles • It takes time for youths to build trust. • Adults don’t always give up control easily. • Youths may test the process or adult commitment to listen and hear them. • Adults process abstractly and youths are more concrete … move the process and activities to concrete reasoning. • Adults assume youths are not paying attention when they usually are. • Youths need to move faster on issues and activities than adults. This can be frustrating to both.

11. Results • Trust and respect of all people and positions • Member relationships can build other opportunities… such as transportation solutions  • Like attracts like… the program builds • Future partnerships become realities – the ground has been “broken” • Goals become mutual instead of divided

12. Results: Trust • Members are heard and asked: • What can be done to improve that? • How would doing that make a difference in your life and to others? • What do other members need to do to help make that happen? • Members can call someone “on the table” if they are not upholding their role. It becomes an honest process. • Youths can advocate to other youths that adults can be trusted. • Adults can advocate to other adults that young people are amazing.

13. Results: Other Opportunities • Transportation solutions. Other adults in the group have volunteered to transport youths. • Video based on youth voices. Outline and content was youth determined. Structure and organization was adult based. • “Surviving the Storm” – not just another story. It’s becoming a tool for change. • Increased Youth Leadership Options – those not on the SaySo board want to continue their involvement with adults in other ways. • Empowerment.Youths who have been affirmed by adults in partnerships say they feel more confident to speak up at other meetings and in court.

14. Results: Like Attracts LikeThings Professional Can’t Do • Caregivers attract other caregivers– more options for teens in foster homes and increase retention. • Youths attract other youths to join SaySo – 13 chapters and over 500 members statewide • Youths are concrete role models to other youths – feed peer pressure and retention is also increased. • Caregivers and Youths together concretely demonstrate that possibilities can become realities. They are in front – not the professional. • Each one Teach one! (TROSA) Empowers leadership – “pass it on.”“If I can you can” mentality.

15. Results: Future Partnerships • Real World Youth Event. Adult idea with youth naming and building it through the years. • OnYourWay.orgYouths were heard. Website created to help them plan irregardless of adult involvement. • Helping Youths Reach Self-Sufficiency. The traditional model is PROFESSIONAL/CAREGIVER training team. This model of caregiver and youth training partnership came only after having numerous opportunities to put both youths and caregivers “up in front.” Once professionals trusted how they would handle it… the program grew so professionals no longer train those workshops – only youths and caregivers. • Educational Outcomes(Vera Institute handout).When youth joined the process and were listened to, they trusted adults and were truthful. The results created a model for an educational liaison to help communicate the issues relevant to youths.

16. Surviving the Storm Goal: To create change and offer youth support. Create a training aspect to the conclusion of the book to generate dialogue. Improve Educational Outcomes. Goal: To increase graduation rates and make opportunities available for foster youths. ETV, NC Reach, Tuition waivers were all partnerships. SaySo Board members led by example. Peer pressure followed and expectation rose. Fostering Perspectives Goal: Pose a question to create feedback; Suggested -“What do you want a family to know about you before you walk in their home?” Youth members asked for change “What do you want to know about a family before you walk threw their door?” Ask yourself, your group, those in your partnership: What is our goal? Is the goal mutual? Are we happy with the results? If not, try something different. Maybe the young people can simplify it for you! Think about this…. Goals in youth programs are more likely to be met when driven by youth decision makers. Results: Mutual Goals

17. Action Steps • If a new group cannot be created, discuss the need to change/alter one that exists. • Reach mutual consensus on why you want youth involved. • Brainstorm pros and cons of what could happen – be mentally prepared. • Ask each member to invite a youth to the group – never just one – and tell youth why the group would benefit from youth involvement. • Address logistics. Food. Time. Location. Incentives if appropriate. • Have a short social before the meeting with music. • Provide an appropriate but not “over the top” welcome. • Review group goals and how the group could be improved with youth involvement. Be sure to identify concrete activities the group wants to accomplish. • Before the meeting ends, ask youths if they have any thoughts about the purpose of the group, how it could be enhanced, ideas about the identified activities, and to come back. (Do not evaluate at this time whether their ideas are feasible… at this point, you just hope they will say something.)

18. Final Suggestions for Adults • Keep yourself in check. Ask “who is working harder on the problem?” If you are, then you own the problem and youth is not a resource. • Deep breathing. Even if you know the answer or appropriate response, take a deep breath and let the youths learn from the process. Redirect if necessary but avoid giving them the answer. • Remember… this really is why you do what you do… to build up the youth of our world. • Make it your professional pattern.