What Our Youth Can Bring to Changemaking. Our youth are natural changemakers. We just need to harness their energy by tapping into their natural sense of idealism. Most youth are old enough to be highly sensitive to injustice and developmentally ready to do something about it. Ignore this nascent idealism and it can quickly turn into apathy at best and cynicism at worse. Take seriously their need to address injustice and they are well on their way to a life of civic engagement.
This means gaining access to their inner world and according them the same manner of respect we expect of one another.
Outwardly, young people toggle back and forth between a wide range of thoughts, emotions and attitudes, often in short order. On the surface, they can seem maddingly inconsistent and mercurial.
But inwardly, they are just waiting to be taken seriously for who they are and what they may want to become. This means putting any of your quick judgements on hold and listening for what's behind what you observe. This is the first step in winning their confidence and trust.
Having spent most of my adult years in the good company of teenagers -- as a teacher, coach, dean, counselor and school principal -- here are four things to be on the lookout for:
This list is just for starters. Starting with our first programs our youthful partners will apply their own "crap detectors" to make improvements. And when they do, it will only enhance a trusting relationship between youth and their mentors.
This means gaining access to their inner world and according them the same manner of respect we expect of one another.
Outwardly, young people toggle back and forth between a wide range of thoughts, emotions and attitudes, often in short order. On the surface, they can seem maddingly inconsistent and mercurial.
But inwardly, they are just waiting to be taken seriously for who they are and what they may want to become. This means putting any of your quick judgements on hold and listening for what's behind what you observe. This is the first step in winning their confidence and trust.
Having spent most of my adult years in the good company of teenagers -- as a teacher, coach, dean, counselor and school principal -- here are four things to be on the lookout for:
- Beyond their outer skepticism may lie a deep sense of naivety.
- Beyond their passion for change may lie a profound need to keep things the same.
- Beneath their awkwardness may lie extraordinary skills.
- Beyond their social confidence may lie a basic insecurity and the deep need for privacy.
This list is just for starters. Starting with our first programs our youthful partners will apply their own "crap detectors" to make improvements. And when they do, it will only enhance a trusting relationship between youth and their mentors.