Skip to main content

Blog Post #5

BLOG POST #5:

Ideology Double Journal-

Quote 1: "While we did and still do welcome students who are exiting traditional preservice teacher programs (as well as other majors) we learned quickly that YD is not merely a retention program.  We attract many undergraduates with strong academic records who want to work with youth outside of school structures."

Reflection- When I first heard of YDEV, the image that people held for the program was exactly as the first line stated. A fall back for Education Majors who couldn't reach the requirements. Soon after I discussed with a friend who was apart of the YDEV community what the program meant to him. Personally, I was at odds with my Psychology major and was considering doing an "individualized major plan." After speaking to my friend, I quickly realized from his passion for the program and all the amazing opportunities and classes that it offers, that it was the absolute perfect fit for me and my future. I am so fortunate and grateful to have found a major that directly aligns with my philosophies and future career. YDEV is transformational and a major/field that I truly believe is slowly and surely getting recognized for how impactful and truly needed it is.

Quote 2: "Risk, Resilience, and Prevention focus on identifying problems with children and adolescents and intervening with education. In this model of youth development, adults are responsible for identifying problems, recognizing deficits, and leading young people to understand the importance of preventing risky behavior (Pittman, et al., 2003)."

Reflection- I really resonated with this focus in YDEV because the non-profit I currently work for has previously run a program that embodies this focus. The organization I work for is called ASTRO (Arts, Sports, Technology, Resource Organization) and the program they ran and we hope to start back up is their Behavioral Health Care Program. Within this program, youth would participate in art therapy, physical fitness, and group therapy with a Licensed Clinician. With these three factors combined, I really felt like the program gave youth not only a place where they felt safe but also expressive through art & movement. This program truly was one of a kind and I hope it continues in the future.

Quote 3: "Positive Youth Development is a child-centered and asset-based approach to youth development (Pittman, et al., 2003), with adults acting as facilitators and coaches" "This approach resonates with many of our students because of the ways it disrupts dominant school discourses that position young people as part of the problem, rather than part of a solution."

Reflection- I am very grateful to say that I have seen this theme strongly in the sports programs I have run and others that I have partnered with. Specifically at the Providence After School Alliance, the sports programs run at there schools embody more of a YDEV philosophy rather than a toxic image-based/ producing environment. In these after-school sports programs, youth develop their knowledge of their own strengths and weaknesses within the sport while emphasizing personal growth. These programs truly allowed youth to look up to coaches as mentors rather than dictators or "fixers" (like some sports teams and school settings can be like).

Comments

  1. Meaghan WoodburyOctober 6, 2020 at 1:42 PM

    I really liked the quotes you choose and why you choose them. I don't think that there's one right way to teach youth but it always has to be about what is most beneficial to them. I think it's super important for youth to see us as mentors or someone they trust rather than someone who is trying to tell them how to run their lives.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

BLOG POST #1

Youth Development Guide Knew: I have heard of youth programs that specifically target youth to fix or solve a specific problem. For instance, the Dare program was designed to help youth stay away from drugs and alcohol. In turn, this target-based approach actually caused a spike in usage rather than a decline. Learned: I found the diagram representing "traditional views in youth services" which combined low risk to high-risk services to low risk/high-risk communities to be very interesting. As the community got a higher risk, in turn, higher risk services were receiving much different supports. Overall it was interesting to see the comparison and how the services changed due to their environments. More:      This article states that "deficit programs failed for two major reasons, by narrowly focusing on changing specific behaviors, this approach failed to address young people's basic developmental needs."      I wonder if this is the case of all deficit pro...
Post a Comment
Read more

Blog Post #9

BLOG POST #9: What questions, reflections, learnings stick out to you? How do you share your identity/ies in youth spaces? How are your identity(ies) affirmed or not?       To focus on identities within a youth space, I have to say that I think this is an interesting question and subsequently had to ponder upon it. Overall, I believe the way I am perceived varies greatly from youth to youth and from setting to setting. For instance, in some youth settings, I held leadership positions that required me to focus more on program logistics and management while in other instances I held positions where I work directly with the youth. In all honesty, I believe that the best identity and perception I get from youth is when I am in direct service and where I am able to connect most with them. Recently there was a youth volunteer at my workplace who was crying due to personal life circumstances. One of our staff members had a conversation with them although at that moment, I f...
1 comment
Read more