1. 1 YOUTH ENGAGEMENT PARC SYMPOSIUM

2. 2 Our time together… Through this session we will: Better identify with youth and their development needs Understand Positive Youth Development as a philosophy for engagement Recognize potential partners in delivery Take a look at barriers to effective engagement

3. 3 Who is in the room ? Introductions

4. 4 AHHHHH Youth

5. 5 WE ALL KNOW THAT…. Youth are… sensation-seeking, less than optimal in planning and judgment, more in risk-taking and impulsiveness, less inclined to consider the consequences. Youth need PYD opportunities when they are in active stages of development and when their needs can be met in safe spaces and places.

6. 6 What do Youth Need?  Mastery and achievement  Physical activity  Self-definition  Creative expression  Positive interactions with peers/adults  Meaningful participation  Structure and clear limits

7. Mastery & Achievement

8. Physical Activity

9. Self Definition

10. Creative Expressions

11. Positive Interactions

12. Structure and Clear Limits

13. Meaningful Participation

14. 14 Why PYD?

15. 15 Positive Youth Development is the process of preparing young people to participate in the opportunities of adolescence and adulthood through a coordinated and progressive series of activities and experiences that help them become socially, morally, emotionally, physically and cognitively competent. PYD – A Definition Adapted from the National Youth Development Centre Definitions of Youth Development as approved by the Executive of the National Collaborative for Youth Members — 1998

16. 16 What Does PYD Look Like? Safety and basic needs Preparedness Connectedness Engagement Positive Youth Development

17. What is the PYD Approach? Traditional Youth Services  Focus on problems  Reactive  Targeted youth  Youth as recipients  Programs  Professional providers Positive Youth Development  Focus on positive outcomes  Pro-active  All youth  Youth as active participants  Community response  Community members 17

18. 18 Agencies, individuals and organizations must work together to create more Youth Friendly Communities. NO ONE CAN DO IT ALONE

19. 19 Building Capacity Creating a circle of support for and with youth

20. 20 A Youth’s Community

21. 21 OVER AND OVER AGAIN Young people need to be nurtured:  24 hours a day  For the first 20 years of their lives  In accordance with their developmental needs  Through a variety of supportive relationships, opportunities and programs Source: Positive Youth Development Resource Manual ACT for Youth – Upstate Center of Excellence

22. 22 PYD resonates… Communicating the Resiliency Attitude: What is RIGHT with YOU is more powerful than what is WRONG with YOU. ( same for community)

23. 23 PYD IN ACTION  Embedded on needs, youth as assets with 5Cs as outcomes  Long-term commitment  Community-based approach  Youth voice ( hearing what they say)

24. ENGAGEMENT Youth Engagement is the meaningful participation and sustained involvement of a young person in an activity, with a focus outside him or herself. The kind of activity can be almost anything – sports to social activism – and it can occur in any kind of setting. (Centre of Excellence for Youth Engagement)

25. 25 Ladder of Youth Participation  Youth-initiated, shared decisions with adults  Youth-initiated and directed  Adult-initiated, shared decisions with youth  Consulted and informed  Assigned but informed  Tokenism  Decoration  Manipulation Degrees of Participation Non-Participation Adapted from Hart, R. 1992

26. 26 BARRIERS TO YOUTH ENGAGEMENT SELF vs SYSTEMIC

27. SELF EMOTIONAL NOISE – WHAT CAN AFFECT HOW I WORK WITH YOUTH??

28. SYSTEMIC WHAT BARRIERS WILL YOU FACE??

29. 29 How Did We Do? We were hoping to: Better identify with youth and their development needs Understand Positive Youth Development as a philosophy for engagement Recognize potential partners in delivery Take a look at barriers to effective engagement

30. 30 Evaluation Time Closing Comments