Listen to thisExploring Areas of Interest
As a child and youth care practitioner it is important to me that I recognize the individuality and uniqueness of each person I encounter in the field. As a practitioner, being curious and listening creates a dynamic where the young person feels safe to share and that sharing is welcomed. By cultivating safety, trust and overall comfort the hope is that the young person feels invited to speak their truths, thoughts and insights.
By asking questions, the process of understanding begins as it will inform what direction is next. Curiosity about their story, likes, dislikes, hobbies, interests, passions, things they want to try all come to the surface. In my personal practice, investment in a young person (time and effort) builds a positive connection, one that invites a young person to feel safe enough to express themselves. Interactions such as taking young people to appointments, playing catch, supporting visits with family, dropping off and picking them up from school, kayaking, volunteering together, learning how to navigate bus routes, accessing food banks, getting involved in community projects, sharing a meal, supporting personal wellness, assisting with academics, going for a trail walk or sitting by the water are all instances that are everyday occurrences and are opportunities to learn. This process of familiarizing ourselves with each other (starting our connection) assists me to see where they feel they fit (or not) into community. I am always curious about how active a young person is in their community. What do they know about their community? This can give me a starting point on how to ‘invite’ the young person into community in hopes of strengthening their belonging and generosity.
Participation and Voice
I use activities to take (mental) notes of things that are important to the young person and listen to what the young person is saying. I seek clarity, offer suggestions, support and guidance. One of my roles as a child and youth care practitioner is to identify their skills and strengths while helping to promote positive self-confidence. This can equip a young person to feel more comfortable in their daily life which in the future can support them stepping into their community. Looking for a young person’s passions, interests and what they are curious about helps to ensure they are involved in the process. I have found that intrinsic motivation is essential in having participation and engagement specifically in a community context regarding volunteering. When people have an interest in a certain area, the satisfaction and enjoyment they experience makes them more likely to continue their involvement. Perhaps even discovering meaning, joy and purpose. Young people need to not only hear “you are needed” but equally “we have a place for you.”
Community Involvement and Navigation
Over the years I have watched young people get assigned to a form of volunteerism often without consultation or discussion, it usually comes about as a punishment or consequence. I have found this can alter the attitude and perspective towards future community participation and volunteering. My approach is to try to find something that the young person cares about and throughout our time together continue to build connections into other parts of the community where they reside. Encouraging a young person to get involved in their community offers a different perspective of the world while also igniting a new passion or interest. When young people recognize that they have a place, they are needed, their actions have influence, empathy and respect begin to develop for the world around them. In Reclaiming Youth at Risk authors Brendtro, Brokenleg and Van Bockern note words from psychologist John C. Gibbs, “The highest level of moral development is respect, acting with concern for others. Grounded in the spirit of generosity, this is the goal for all our children.” (Chapter 7 Page 109).
Looking at Barriers
Expanding on the quote above, I believe that workers, helpers, adults, carers have a collective responsibility to create welcoming spaces, opportunities for young people to participate, build capacity and to feel they can exist in the space. Equally acknowledging the obstacles, things that keep young people from contributing. I hear frequently from young people “I don’t feel comfortable”. When I ask why, young people often convey how an interaction with an adult in a community setting was cold, distant, intimidating, and unpleasant. When inquiring about their experience it has been described that communication is the primary concern: facial expressions, body language, eye contact, tone of voice, and gestures feel unwelcoming. Often, I’ve been told that these interactions increase anxiety, lower self-confidence and prevent them from trying new things. I’ve heard many times from youth that if adults were friendly, warm, personable, respectful, encouraging and inclusive that this would make a world of difference in their participation. Personally, during my years working as a child and youth care practitioner, I have seen the disconnect from adult to young person. I have witnessed unwelcoming spaces and adults who forget to ‘walk alongside’ a young person while getting them comfortable in a new environment. Young people are afraid to ask questions, make a mistake and to be embarrassed if they do something wrong. This is a good reminder to slow down while introducing them into a new space, people, and project.
It is essential to break down barriers and have accessible spaces for young people to fully participate in community. Some barriers to volunteering are that they must be of a certain age, or they must always have a chaperon with them while engaging in community spaces. There are many things going on in a young person’s life that could prevent them from participating in volunteerism. For example, a young person might not have an adult in the home to support them with this, or an adult who has access to a vehicle for transportation purposes, the adult might not have availability to be the chaperon for the young person due to their work schedule, the family or young person might not have funds for public transportation, or there could be multiple children in the home and splitting up their time to support the young person volunteering would be difficult. Alternatively, traveling alone could highlight safety concerns or the home environment might not be emotionally or physically safe for the young person to ask the adult for support to get involved in community. Other barriers include organizations or community agencies where intensive online training is required to volunteer, but resources such as the internet and a laptop are not provided for the youth and financially, they cannot afford these on their own. I have worked with many young people who have been in school all day and cannot sit for another hour to attain the online training requirements for volunteering, or the way in which the requirements are laid out is not conducive to their learning needs. So how are we inviting in young people to be a part of the world we are building around them? After all we are giving it to them once we are gone.
Final Thoughts
In our work and in our own communities, I ask us to look at how all of us are creating welcoming and accessible spaces. I know this will differ depending on where you are reading from. We want to see more young people participating but are we creating the right conditions? Are they included in the process? Are we mindful of how we are engaging with them? Is it relevant and easy to access? Community involvement fosters a positive sense of self, nourishes belonging, offers opportunities for self-development, healthy relationships, skill building, socialization, develop life skills, opportunities for teamwork, collaboration, mentorship, and guidance. In my culture and belief system we have the responsibility to ensure we equip the next generation. When we plant seeds, we ensure the environment is healthy and ready for the seed to be planted. Then we ensure it has enough light, water and space. Frequently nourishing the conditions for optimal growth. In my opinion young people are no different. Looking at our young people as being interconnected to ourselves perhaps gives us a more empathetic perspective to walk alongside them on their journey and support a strong connection to their community.
