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.        

Gender and Women's Studies Film Series Event' one

The Gender and Women's Studies Film "Made in LA" It showed remarkable stories of women who are undocumented in the United States and work their way up in Sunny Southern California. It makes me think of how Youth Development helps immigrant parents and their children move forward in life because of public schools and after school programs.

Most immigrants come to this country and take on jobs that others do not find appealing, such as factory and custodial jobs. In the film "Made in LA", it showed the story of three women hoping to find change in their life's by doing campaigns and protesting for the right of Latin workers. They protest to raise the amount of money that they get paid for what they do in garment sweatshops.

With only three dollars an hour, immigrants who work crazy hours protest for change. Therefore when they see their life's and how they are able to change it by taking on jobs with no options, it makes them work hard so that their kids have a better life than they did in the past. This is why that as Youth Workers, we strive for the best in every student no matter the circumstances because as one, we strive for students to move forward and accomplish their goals in life no matter where they come from or what they go through in life.

FILM SERIES EVENT' Fall

RESILIENCE

Watching the Resilience video reminded me of why I decided to join the Youth Development program. Looking back, although school is about learning, it is also about helping kids move forward and creating an open space that will lead them to explore, create and expand their way of thinking. 

                                                      When I think of school, I think of the word "Routine" why? because to students school means waking up in the morning and going to this building that we called school. A place where you sit in a desk, receive homework and receive quizzes and exams. But to myself, who learns everyday more about the Youth Development field, it is more than just a routine, which is what a Youth worker is all about. In a way that it is going to create different programs and ways to involve the younger generation to not only have their voices be heard, but to also bring the best in them, lead them into the right direction for the future and be a guidance for them, which is what it means to me and what I look forward to.         

DEBATES & ELECTIONS

My three questions in regards to this debate

1. 1.     What made Democrats decide on Hilary Clinton as our next president?
   2.     What made Republicans decide on Donald Trump as our next president?
   3.     Is third party still relevant? 

With elections coming up on November 8th, I spoke to a few people about the debates that have been on air. It seems clear to me that these two candidates (shown above) who are running for president are not in good terms with America. I myself am not big on politics, but I do involve a big chunk of my life on social media. This is where I get to hear most of what goes on around the world and the country, not so much on TV though. Because I get to vote this year, for the next president of United States, I know that since I am living in the smallest state of the country, my vote matters, but not as much as if it were to count in a different state such as Florida. Not that no vote matters, because every valet counts, but because I know little of these two presidents, except for the fact that Clinton had an issue with a few emails that were deleted and other illegal stuff, while Trump said inappropriate stuff which were turn to memes, had a small loan of $1 million dollars from his father and had a show back in 2004 on NBC10 called "The Apprentice". I'm not sure.      

 

At one point I thought about voting for the guy running in third

 place "Gary Johnson", but he's too funny and this 

happened https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72zMVsd9MFg    

                                                                       I just don't know.

Context Mapping

"Between now and Thursday, I want you to pay attention to how you feel, and specifically note when you feel safe and when you feel anxious or uneasy. Got it?"

This quote is what Mitch ask Julian to do.  hyperlink: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0ByJfaDKTvQVvR2dicUg4bUdIUGc/edit

Before meeting with Julian, Mitch needed to understand her feelings.  He did so by asking her to pay attention to her behavior and how she felt. Mitch tells her to look out for ways in which she reacts to things which can potentially help him understand her situation better.

This connects to a context map because it helps to break down the problem of a context and understand a certain situation, in this case, openness. For instance identifying the four different types of identity, which are 

1.     Moratorium: A temporary life event or activity

2.     Foreclosed Identity: A type of crisis that an individual experiences and goes through during the process of a life event

3.     Diffuse Identity: Figuring out who you are as a person

4.     Achieved Identity: Coming to a conclusion, finding one's true sense of self.  

I, myself decided to create my own context map by identifying how I came across the "YDEV" program. I had the decision to join this career with the help of my advisor who helped me solve my crisis as a college student by guiding me through a career path.     

IDEOLOGY HOROSCOPE BLOG 5

MY SIGN 

I IDENTIFIED WITH:

• Critical Youth Development

KEY QUESTIONS: 

• How can adults and youth workers work together to negotiate and make meaning of their worlds?

BELIEFS:

• Teens have important ideas to contribute to the world

ORIENTATION: 

• How youth engage and impact communities and cultures 

CASE STUDY: SEX ED

• Youth and adults work together to develop public role plays about sex and healthy/unhealthy relationships. 

VALUES:

After I took the Ideology Inventory Quiz, I ended up getting a score of 10 for Positive Youth Development, a 14 for Risk, Resilience and Prevention and a 15 for Critical Youth Development. Clearly the last sign won, and for that matter I do agree that I associate more with my final results. My values towards Youth work associates more with the critical Youth Development field because it is something that interest me the most. Even though all three signs engage with the the youth, the sign that I ended up getting associates more with the connection of Youth and adults. Basically I get to guide them in life, connect in a sense where not only my opinion matters, but also their opinions. In a way all three signs have that in common because it focuses on the same views and values. I can be a guidance for them, communicate and help them in a clear and understanding way associated to their point of view and story.