1. Voices of Youth Teams: How to Create Successful Partnerships for Community Action November, 2003 Camille Dumond, M.A. Youth Researcher HeartWood Institute

2. HeartWood Program Story Program Story Youth development as a priority Youth friendly as a culture Experiential education as an approach Increasing recognition that program delivery model was insufficient Belief that we needed to combine youth and community development to create a more powerful approach. Belief that we needed to build on a youth friendly culture to develop youth-adult partnerships. Conclusion resulted from reflection on programs and experience. Belief that we are on to something which is very important.

3. 1.The process of youth empowerment in a community setting involving direct work with youth. 2. The process through which individuals and organizations in the community support youth empowerment. 3. The process through which youth empowerment contributes to community development. Research Objectives To better understand, document and improve:

4. What are YATS? 5-15 young people Volunteer adult support people Team-structured events & activities Youth-driven culture Commitment to community change work

5. Research Design: Phase I Qualitative methodology and methods In-depth interviews [appreciative inquiry] –youth on teams (28) –adult support people (17) –community agency representatives (6) –service recipients (3) Focus groups Data analysis –NUD*IST qualitative software

6. Overview of Findings Core values that fuel involvement Clear youth and adult roles Actions meaningful for both youth and community development What are the elements of a successful Youth Action Team?

7. The Dream Team for Community Youth Development Why am I here? Core Values What is my role? How do we work together? Youth/Adults Team/Community YouthAdult Support Com. link Training org.

8. Core Values Why am I here? Following passions Passion is just contagious and if you have a group of people that are really passionate about what they're doing, it's really good (Male youth, Chester team, 18-36 months) Connecting with others Making a difference It's always fun and I always feel like I'm making a difference and that's very important to me. (Male youth, Mahone Bay team, 36+ months) Taking concrete actions

9. Individual Roles and Tasks within the youth/adult partnership Youth: Engaged Citizen –Taking ownership –Sharing leadership –“Stepping up” to adult support role The keys to success were the youth wanted to do it and took ownership of it. (Female adult support, Chester, 0-18 months)

10. Individual Roles and Tasks within the youth/adult partnership Adult: Coach –Connecting with resources –Facilitating healthy team dynamics –Providing initial structure “more based on friendship than on being an adult… they are there in our lives when we need them. Mentors help the group stay on track sometimes, create opportunities for the youths” (Male youth, Metro team, 36+ months)

11. The Dream Team for Community Youth Development Why am I here? Core Values What is my role? How do we work together? Youth/Adults Team/Community YouthAdult Support Com. link Training org.

12. Collaborative Roles and Tasks How do we work together? Taking action in the community meaningful for all involved –youth development –community development We had a community meeting…. a lot of people showed up [who] were interested in having a youth action team to do stuff around the community and that was so successful that I'd recommend it to any new team (Y47, male youth, Mahone Bay, 36+ months)

13. Collaborative Roles and Tasks How do we work together? Building strong team and community relationships –balancing task and relationship orientations –communicating with the broader community “I think they have a good balance of activities. The mix of outdoor activities, indoor activities, some that are fun whereas others are more community oriented and more serious” (female adult, Lunenburg team)

14. Practice Implications Keys to Success Youth Elements: Voluntary participation Team involvement Youth choose projects Youth share leadership Adult Elements : Guides not directors Connect! Facilitate team dynamics Negotiate support over time

15. Practice Implications Keys to Success Project Elements: Community and youth benefit Fun, challenging and people feel like they’re making a real difference Successful projects include: those that educate; influence/affect change; create; or provide a service

16. Next Steps Phase II research –Youth development stuff is great! –We want help changing our communities… Participatory Action Research –Based on values surfaced in phase I –Asset mapping –Document the process to support other YATs