1. Gwyn Williams Marilyn McBride May 29, 2015 CASA
active-participatory approach
Gwyn Williams
Marilyn McBride
May 29, 2015
CASA

2. Intro to the Active-Participatory Approach Workshop Objectives
Participants will be able to identify the four guiding principles of the Approach.
Participants will be able to recognize best practice behaviors.
Participants will be able to incorporate aspects of the Approach into their planning.

3. Agenda Welcome Opening The Four Principles
Identifying the Principles in Practice
Planning with the Principles
Taking it Back to Your Setting
Closing

4. Housekeeping Materials Bathroom location
Take care of yourself (eat, drink, stretch, etc.)
Please silence your cell phone

5. The Active-Participatory Approach and the Youth Program Quality Assessment (PQA)
Yes, all of it!

6. Opening Activity: How Does Your Digestive System Work?
Where does your food go?
Close your eyes and picture your favorite food. Reflect on the questions you hear.

7. Opening Activity: Your Digestive System
Create a diagram
Trace the outline of a team member.
Based on your previous knowledge and experience thinking about eating, sketch out the path a bite of food takes starting with the mouth.
Draw and label as many parts of the digestive system as you can.

8. Opening Activity: Debrief
Think (write down your answers):
How did it feel to participate in this activity?
What did you notice about your experience?
What did you notice about your peers’ experience?
Pair:
Talk about your observations with someone next to you.
Share:
Volunteers share with the group.

9. The Essence of the Active-Participatory Approach
Young people can thrive when they feel SAFE and SUPPORTED to LEARN and LEAD.

10. Guiding Principles of the Approach
Promote Safety
Provide Positive Supports
Create Opportunities to Learn
Create Opportunities to Lead

11. Promote SAFETY A strong foundation for quality youth work:
Physical Safety
Clean, free from hazards.
Special equipment when needed.
Basic needs taken care of – temperature, ventilation, lighting, food.
Emotional Safety
Structure and routines.
Consistent response to conflict.
Proactive policies to promote inclusion and integration.

12. Provide Positive SUPPORTS
Establish strong relationships:
Positive, meaningful relationships.
between youth and adults.
among youth.
Developmental needs.
Asking appropriate questions.
Providing appropriate guidance.
Meet youth where they are.
Acknowledge their interests and experience.
Pay attention to changing moods and emerging abilities.

13. Create Opportunities to LEARN
Improve skills through guided practice:
Adults as facilitators
Youth knowledge and experience is essential.
Adult knowledge and experience is essential.
Partnership between youth and adults.
Skill-building
Clear learning objectives and effective practice.
Different types of skills: cognitive, social, emotional.

14. Create Opportunities to LEAD
Increase youth engagement:
Youth Input
Ownership of rules and expectations
Constant feedback loop
Self-determination
Supporting confidence in autonomy and decisions
Promoting self-evaluation
Responsibility
Shared with adults and peers
Age-appropriate

15. The Active-Participatory Approach and the Youth Work Methods
Promote Safety
Structure and Clear Limits
Reframing Conflict
Provide Positive Supports
Ask-Listen-Encourage
Building Community
Create Opp. to Learn
Active Learning
Cooperative Learning
Create Opp. to Lead
Planning and Reflection
Youth Voice

16. Guiding Principles: Group Sculptures
Skim through the section in the guidebook on your group’s principle.
Create a group sculpture that represents the principle.
It can be literal or abstract.
Everyone must participate.
You need to be able to hold it for 30 seconds.
Present your sculpture to the group.
Promote Safety (p.15-20)
Provide Positive Supports (p.23-28)
Create Opportunities to Learn (p.31-36)
Create Opportunities to Lead (p.39-44)

17. Youth Work Scenarios Examine your scenario with your partner.
Answer the questions below the scenario.
What themes or connections are you starting to see among the principles?
Promote Safety (p.18)
Provide Positive Supports (p.26)
Create Opportunities to Learn (p.34)
Create Opportunities to Lead (p.42)

18. Applying the Principles – Lazy Susan
Think of an upcoming workshop, training, or activity you will facilitate.
Note down the topic and the basic objectives.
Pass your grid to the right when directed.
When you receive your peer’s grid, brainstorm ways to address or incorporate one of the principles.
Each time you receive a grid, try to brainstorm in a new square.

19. Implementing the Active-Participatory Approach
What do you need to either start implementing the Approach or implement it more consistently in your program?
Materials?
Supports?
Training?
Other resources?
Take a look at the Youth Work Methods. Are there any that stand out as particularly useful to you at this time?

20. Closing Reflection
What is the Active-Participatory Approach?
Define it using one sentence or one image.
Can be literal or symbolic/abstract.
Young people can thrive when they feel SAFE and SUPPORTED to LEARN and LEAD.

21. Thank you! Lingering Questions? Evaluations Contact Us…
124 Pearl Street Suite 601 Ypsilanti, MI