December 16, 2019
Youth Community Perceptions Followup
Thank you to all those that could attend the Youth Community Perceptions Webinar on December 4th! As promised we recorded the webinar and have it ready in video form for those that were not able to attend:
For those not yet familiar, this program was piloted (thanks to a grant from ESP Alpha Rho) to:
- Create opportunities for youth to have a voice in their community
- Involve and familiarize youth with local government and community processes
- Bridge the gap between youth, local government, and their community
Why you need to know:
The program was developed to civic engagement in both rural and urban Kansas as disconnection between youth and community continues to grow.
An important note: It seems that community service is soon to be a part of graduation requirements in Kansas. Many schools are looking for civic engagement curriculum. Oddly enough the Youth Community Perceptions pilot allowed us to refine our materials in a way that meets Kansas Education System Accreditation (KESA) standards.
Since our last post in the Tuesday Letter and 4-H Tip Sheet (you know, the one concerning the webinar) there has been increased interest from schools in the curriculum, and since they will need to reach out to your offices we want you to be aware of the program as the program was developed not only to serve Kansas communities by engaging and empowering youth, but just as importantly to "drive attention to Extension".
There was also interest voiced by the youth that attended the Youth Community Perceptions session through the Kansas Youth Leadership Forum at Rock Springs. Participants noted that coming to understand the Community Capitals will now allow them to view their communities through a new lens, and that they could see this as an easy tool to engage formal leadership in their communities. Exciting!
How might you end up contributing?
The program was not created as more work for Extension Agents or Specialists. If you wish to take on the project as a way to engage youth or local schools in the area of civic engagement, this could be the tool for you.
The only other possible way you might be involved is if the local adult leaders or schools wish to refer to you as a neutral party to look over presentation materials (just to make sure things seem tactful and reinforce tactful communication skills).
For more information on the program, visit: https://www.ksre.k-state.edu/community/civic-engagement/youth-community-perceptions/index.html