10 Tips to Engage Youth – Presented by The Leadership Program

1.      Be present – It isn’t enough to just sort of listen to kids. They need to know that they matter enough to have our whole attention and they know when they don’t. Kids that really have your attention are going to be willing to engage with you because they can see that what they are doing matters. If it doesn’t matter enough for us to be fully present for them, then it should not be a surprise when the kids don’t engage.
2.      Be yourself – Kids need us to be ourselves, to bring who and what we are, authentically, to our interactions with them.
3.      Be passionate – Think about why you decided to work with kids and don’t lose sight of the passion that made you make that choice. It is a spark that the kids will see in your work with them.
4.      Be curious – Really care about the kids you are working with, about who they are and what they think. Ask them questions and really listen to their answers.
5.      Be surprising – There is more to you as a youth worker than can be seen. Don’t be afraid to share that. Tell the kids you work with about the time you went skydiving or saw a shark or that you can knit faster than anyone else this side of the Mississippi.
6.      Be imperfect – Make it ok to make mistakes. By expecting perfection of ourselves, we teach kids that their mistake are not ok, that their efforts, unless perfect, are without value.
7.      Be forgiving – Kids are genetically programed to do unexpected and often frustrating things. Be willing and ready to forgive those things and move on, whether they apologize or not.
8.      Be flexible – It is ok to make a plan, but remember that things never go just the way you want them to. So learn to be ok with all the ways that your plans won’t work and enjoy the spontenaity and fun.
9.      Be grateful – Gratitude is free. Chose to be grateful and to actively look for reasons to do so. It will change the way you see the world and the way the world sees you.
10.  Be foolish – We ask kids to take risks, to go out of their comfort zone and try new things. Show them that it is ok to be silly. Maybe you know that you can’t make a free throw, but try anyway. When you ask that child to try a new math problem, they will trust that their effort is worthy even if it doesn’t go the way they want it to.

These ten tips seem like such common sense, but it is easy to lose sight of how important these things are. Kids are more perceptive than we give them credit for and while they are incredibly resilient they are also remarkably fragile. What it all boils down to is respect and kids deserve it just as much as adults. Engaging kids is as much about respecting them as fully human as it is any tip or technique. You have incredible power to impact the lives of the children with which you work and that is too important not to warrant respect. 

Written by: Megan Brown

What-ever happened to social movements...?

It may be no shocker to most people that poverty rates in Marion County among children are pretty high, 22% to be exact according to the most recent kids count data, conversely so is youth unemployment. Indiana is ranked number thirty-two out of fifty-one states, including the District of Columbia, as far as poverty. Youth unemployment is the highest it has been since World War II! There are many excellent programs designed to aid and assist youth growing up in poverty, yet the cycle of poverty still continuously grows from generation to generation.

                In doing my research for MCCOY’s Blueprint for youth, I discovered there is no recommendation to give organizations, youth workers or even individuals on eradicating poverty. As an AmeriCorps VISTA I have made a commitment to this community for a year, with an ultimate purpose of eradicating poverty, which initially seemed like a pretty long time but I will be fortunate to create even the smallest wrinkle in eliminating poverty in Marion County.

At this point you’re probably wondering, what’s her point? – Well let me get to it. What happened to social movements? As an African American Studies major, I have always been compelled by the ability of a group of people, whether in regards to race, religion etc…, to combine forces and create change. Poverty is a large structural issue that no one program or group of individuals can “fix”. According to a study conducted by the Manchester University Department of Policy and Management “relatively few social movements emerge specifically around the issue of poverty, in particularly poverty as defined by lack (of income, capacity, or other assets).”(pg 2)

                                      (Social Movement model)

                Most of what we consider to be social movements surrounding poverty are social movements around the symptoms of poverty. Issues such as drug use/abuse, welfare, and even food cost/distribution are all symptoms of poverty in and of itself. While it is crucial to focus on the symptoms, we have to be more intentional about directing our efforts to the question of why individuals are showing these symptoms and be thoughtful about getting to the root of the larger issue not satisfied with scratching the surface. 

Advocating at a large structural capacity for poverty is no easy task. However, when has anything worth doing been easy? I don’t have the answer, and I’m not entirely sure I’ve posed a question but it boils down to the fact that in general we lack a cooperatively, engaged sense of community. I feel these are the crux of a social movement. Individuals and groups cannot enter into a social movement with varying goals and intentions. If there is no unity among community leaders and organizations that will be reflected in the atmosphere (as well as data) regarding that community? Most great accomplishments we celebrate throughout history have been the result of some individual of groups of individual igniting a movement around their cause and not only mandating or rallying but inspiring change. 

What to do? Where to go?

As the weather gets colder, many of us are looking for things to do which are inside, especially for youngsters. Thankfully, Indianapolis always has a myriad of events going on, even ones for free.

Furthermore, many cultural institutions in Indianapolis offer special discounts, programs, and opportunities to accommodate a wide variety of budgets. For example, the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis offers a free one year membership to foster families. More information about this program and the application can be found here.

Other programs are also available to help make these fun learning opportunities more accessible. Conner Prairie Interactive History Park, the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art, the NCAA Hall of Champions, Children’s Museum of Indianapolis, Terre Haute Children’s Museum, and the Indiana Historical Society all participate in the Access Pass program. This program allows families who are participating in state assistance programs, such as Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), nutritional assistance programs, or Hoosier Healthwise Insurance to attend these institutions for just $1 per person per visit. More information about the Access Pass program and the application can be found here.

Other programs are also out there to provide reduced prices or even free admission. The first Thursday of every month from 4 to 8pm, the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis offers free admission. The first Tuesday of each month, admission to the Eiteljorg Museum is free for children and students and only $5 for adults and seniors. The first Tuesday of every month, admission to the Indianapolis Zoo is reduced to $8 per person. Admission to the Indianapolis Museum of Art and gardens is free every day.

For a list of other events going on in Indianapolis, click here.

Inner-City Acheivement: Recognizing the Issues

Written by: Sara Smith (Americorps VISTA)

There are so many times where youth don't feel like their needs are being met. But if we (youth working organizations) are striving everyday to "fix" or resolve these issues, why aren't youth today vibrant and fulfilled?

I have an answer, simple as it may be...we don't know much about the reality of youth, because we are not living their lives every day. We can say things like, "I have been there before", or "I know what you mean", but realistically, times have changed. What we may have looked forward to, or what we may have needed as young adults growing up is rapidly changing.

How do we find the answer?
ASK THEM! Be a friend, and not a warden. Youth don't like when you talk at them, they love when you let them talk!

Want to know their "truth"?
Get on their "level" and try to understand what the issues are that they are facing. Too many times are we prescribing solutions that don't attack the true problems. Let's stop fighting a blind fight.  

Want to know the truth?
Invite your youth out to our "#WereJustSayin" event that will be held at WFYI on Novermber 16th, and let them have a voice, listen to their concerns, and find the RIGHT solution.

If you are a youth serving organization but don't have the time to bring youth? 
Email me at scox@mccoyouth.org, we will have special seating for organizations that wish to come out and lend an ear!

You Are One of the Smart People

Something that has really struck me in meetings since I started here at MCCOY is how different things are than I imagined. I remember reading a record review once where most of the songs were political in nature and the reviewer knocked the band for doing that because we should “leave politics up to the smart people”. At the time I thought that was a really poignant and correct statement. I mean, we’ve gotten this far as a species, surely the people involved in government and politics are doing something right…right?

 

The guy on the cover kind of looks like Noam Chomsky, which classifies this as a political journal…right?

            So fast-forward about 11 years from my 18 year old self reading punk rock ‘zine’s with intellectual names like “Razorcake” to 29-year-old me sitting in public policy meetings with different committees. There are a lot of smart, talented, and creative people involved in creating public policy in the state of Indiana, but sometimes I’m amazed that they did not think of something, for example, what kind of training school resource officers should go through and who can administer that training. There are a lot of good ideas out there right now that you would think were already in place like co-location, improved public transit in Indianapolis, and comprehensive bullying prevention. But sometimes they’re not, and what they need are enthusiastic voices to help get them moving. There are also some not so great ideas out there like arming teachers and banning same-sex marriage in our state. The smart people are there, and they have an idea of what needs to be done, and it’s usually a pretty good idea. But the problem with democracy is that we’re all “the smart people”. Our system is designed for the people and by the people, and it relies and participation.

            Understandably, some people do not have time to get overly active in the political process. But something I’ve really learned so far through this practicum experience is that there is no magic bus that drives around capturing smart and talented people that then drops them off at the State House where they magically make good policy that covers every potential loophole and liability. It’s what I wanted to believe, but that’s just not the case. Its people like you and I, who get involved, make our voices heard, and ensure that the laws and policies that come out of the State House are inclusive, fair, just, and sensible that can help make good policy come out of the State House. As corny as this may come off, the smart people are here, and you’re one of them.