Youth Driven Spaces (YDS) Where Young People's Ideas and Voice are Central A presentation to

1. Youth Driven Spaces (YDS) Where Young People's Ideas and Voice are Central A presentation to Strong Partners for a Strong Michigan Conference October 9, 2012 Presenters: John Weiss, Executive Director – Neutral Zone Lori Roddy, Associate Executive Director Anna Rosenfeld, Neutral Zone teen Board Member

2. The Neutral Zone – Ann Arbor, MI • The Neutral Zone is a diverse, youth-driven teen center dedicated to promoting personal growth through artistic expression, community leadership and the exchange of ideas. Neutral Zone is committed to : • Providing high-quality youth-driven activities and programs rooted in a positive youth development approach. • To target a diverse teenage audience. • To provide teens with 21st century skills. • To support authentic adult-youth partnerships, so that teens can engage in social change, creative expression, community leadership and cultural and educational enrichment.

3. Youth-Driven Practices: @ the Program Level Youth do the following … • Set Goals and Develop Strategic Plans • Facilitate Meetings • Run Dialogues • Curate Shows and Performances • Promote Events/Projects • Recruit and Train other Participants

4. Youth-Driven Practices: @ the Organization Level Youth do the following … • Establish Norms and Expectations • Own the Physical Space • Participate in Staff Hiring • Approve New Program Initiatives • Grant Making

5. Youth-Driven Practices: @ the Governance Level Youth do the following … • Serve on the Board and Board Committees • Partake in Organizational Strategic Planning • Support Community Outreach • Fundraise • Evaluate Programs

6. Partners on the Development of the Youth Driven Space Project • Neutral Zone, Ann Arbor’s Teen Center • The Weikart Center for Youth Program Quality • MSU’s Community Education & Research Collaborative • S|Y|N Associates LLC

7. Partner Pilot Agencies • 8 youth-serving organizations/programs from around Michigan served as Pilot Sites • ASK – Kalamazoo • The Aud – Richmond • The Block – Canton • Bright Futures 21st Century Program – Ypsilanti, Willow Run & Wayne Westland • Harriet Tubman Center – Detroit • Port Huron 21st Century Program – Port Huron • Ruth Ellis Center – Detroit • West Midland Family Ctr.

8. What is the Youth Driven Spaces project? The Youth Driven Spaces project considers youth programs to be laboratories for critical skill development. By changing the way programs do business, we can change outcomes for youth.

9. Logic model for YDS intervention Inputs Short-term impact Intermediate impact Long-Term Impact Ultimate Impact Increased team knowledge of YDS • Organizational structure supports YDS • Mission/philosophy • Policies and procedures support YDS • Staff hiring/training • Increased youth -adult partnerships • More youth take on leadership roles • Authentic youth decision-making related to activities • Youth have authentic roles on decision-making bodies and in organizational procedures /policies • Organization and space demonstrate YDS-related structural changes • Improved youth perceptions of how youth are valued • Increased Youth 21st Century Skills • Leadership • Assertiveness • Communication • Critical thinking and problem solving • Teamwork and collaboration • Responsibility • Innovation 3-day Institute & Reflection day Increased team youth-adult partnership Increased team valuing of YDS • Staff /administrator attitudes and interactions support YDS • Knowledge of YDS • Attitudes about YDS-related principles • YDS-related interactions Coaching (facilitation and feedback) Modeling/ demonstration

10. Qualitative Impact - Youth Driven Space Initiative • All sites instituted Youth Advisory groups • Across all eight sites, youth roles have significantly increased in program operation through youth involvement in creating program agendas, planning program offerings and co-facilitating program sessions • Adult-youth partnerships have significantly strengthened at all eight pilot sites. • Six out of eight sites significantly increased roles and responsibilities for youth in organizational external civic affairs.

11. Summary Quantitative YDS ImpactsStatistically significant gains for youth in: • Program engagement • Goal setting • Problem solving • Teamwork and social skills • Organization skills • Leadership and responsibility

12. Advocacy Services for Kids - KalamazooOur Story with Youth Driven Space • Program Development • Organizational Changes • What YDS has meant to Calling All Youth members

13. Application Activity: • Reflect on the principles of “youth driven space” through the items outlined in the Youth-Driven Formative Index • In Small Groups, by organization type, consider …. • How could you use the items in the YDS Formative Index to drive increased youth voice across your grantees, organizations your serve or your own agency?

14. Wrap-Up & Q/A Neutral Zone 310 E. Washington Street Ann Arbor, MI 48104 734.214.9995 www.neutral-zone.org John Weiss weiss@neutral-zone.org Lori Roddy: lori@neutral-zone.org Anna Rosenfeld Where teens lead, create & innovate