Youth Development Elevator Speech

 

 

The Youth Development program prepares undergraduate students with a profession in the field of education. It offers a Bachelor's degree with a minor or a concentration and a non-profit studies certificate. It prepares college students beyond the educational field to work with young children, teens and young adults in schools and outside of school. Even though Youth Development focuses on Youth work, there is more to it than just that. I reflected on an article that features remarkable stories of twelve youth workers and their stories. The practices and skills that they faced in the field and their everyday lives as youth workers shows and acknowledges not only what they have seen but what they contribute and provided for other young adults. In an article “In Defense of Youth Work, this is Youth Work: Stories from Practice”paragraph one, what is youth work? It quotes that “a commitment to conversations with young people start from their concerns and within which both youth worker and young person are educated and out of which, opportunities for new learning and experience can be created (This is Youth Work).” This is a crucial step in the context of youth work because it helps the workers understand and build a better understanding and relationship with students and young people everywhere. In other words, this is what Youth Development is all about. Making connections and building a relationship with the youth.

 

One of the stories that Caught my attention in particular is called “I wouldn’t be the person I am today ‘: One young man on why young people need youth clubs.” because when young students go through tough times where they feel isolated and have no one to talk to, they can always count on that one person that will always be there for them to talk to either after school or on school activities. This is where Youth workers come in because we have the ability to do beyond what we learn in the field and become a mentor and guidance for the younger crowd. We get to be a guidance’s and helpers to those around us in the educational field and helping programs which is what being a youth worker is all about.

Second Event #2

I chose to do my second event on the last film series event called "Out in the night: Criminalization of race, Gender Identity, and sexuality." Being the last film of the fall, I felt a difference in the environment. I'm guessing maybe because the last feature movie presentation, the person in charge of the event did not have enough time to prepare it the same as last time. I came in a few minutes after the movie started, but I did so because I brought two of my friends to come and watch it with me. I honestly had a good experience on the previous event that I attendant, therefore I came in the second time, but this time with two more people.

        

       I felt that the previous film that was featured was better put together than this event. Last time I could easily grab a flier of the featured presentation, a snack and a chair to seat. this time, I was not able to do so mostly because the room was full. If the room was not as full as last time then maybe it would have been different but because more people showed up, it got a little crowded and muggy. 

         There should have been a bigger space for me and my friends to sit at the table, but overall, it was still a good film event that featured this group of African American girls who identifies as lesbians and with that came judgment for how they look and for who they truly are. this takes place in the state of New York city where this group of girls was victimized, poorly treated, labeled and taking advantage of because of their appearance and for their sexuality preference.

         

           This also has a connection to the youth development field because it shows the things that young adults and teens faced and go through their everyday lives. No one should be poorly mistreated especially for what they believe in and therefore I believe that it has a lot to do with this field because it teaches you to find yourself within and learn to care for others which is why that as a youth worker it is one of the things that we specialized in doing so for the younger generation and the future of tomorrow.