“Development is a process, not a goal” (Hamilton 5). I used this quote in my first blog post to describe youth development programs; however, now I understand the universality of this quote, especially when it comes to my own slow progression to understanding youth development programs. What I have found that there is so, so much literature in regards to positive youth development (sometimes a bit overwhelming). However, as time and readings go by, I feel like I have a better grasp on the subject, and more able to draft a paper.
I have read numerous articles, but found Jennifer Lindsey must helpful in regards to content and resources. First of all, I believe that we are missing some key elements in our paper that I found important in Lindsey's review, like Program Evaluation (how do we best evaluate such a program to measure its "success"?) as well as how should ALA use strategic planning to set goals for the program).
Also in writing up a program, it is important to remember flexibility, as Jean Rhodes describes in her article The critical ingredient: Caring youth-staff relationships in after-school settings Rhodes stresses that a too structured program may hamper the relationships between the youth and staff(154). The staff has to follow a curriculum, and the environment feels less free and open- less "informal conversations" and the youth themselves may feel bored and indifferent in following the set structure. I found this article very useful for the social capital discussion in our paper. I have been reading too much on the theory of social capital and not how it relates to social capital. Social capital is about network building and bridging. Some networks (among others) that will be formed with our program:
1. Youth and ALA staff
2. Youth and community
3. Youth and other youth
4. ALA staff and community
5. ALA staff and youth's family
6. Youth's family and community
7. Strengthening of youth and youth's family
8. Youth and family and ALA staff and community
We need to strengthen all these networks- increase social capital for all parties involved. This is super important especially as Rhodes's article among others such as Bodilly point to the growing number of after school programs. We need to engage all parties involved, especially the parents. It can not be that their lone contribution to this program is picking up their kids in the parking lot when the scheduled time is up. Somehow the parents need to have a role in the program to guarantee "success"- what that means, I need to research evaluation methods some more.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Social capital continued
In preparation for my presentation of social capital tomorrow, I am still trying to lay out this definition of social capital. I have a tendency to ramble on and not make to much sense... so I am a bit worried. I did read the article suggested by Professor Rhodes "Social Capital: A Conceptual History" by James Farr, which has shed some light on the meaning behind social capital. It is important to note that this was published in the journal Political Theory The definition of social capital will have a different meaning depending on the background of who is defining it... there is the political, economic, sociological, etc... as well as the time period. However, I have decided to stick with Putnam's political science definition "refers to the features of social organizations- networks, norms, and trust- that facilitate coordination and cooperation for mutual benefit" (in "Bowling Alone"). Basically social capital is how people relate to other people through organizations, networks, and institutions, and the role the individual plays in these arenas.
So our youth development program as part of ALA will be a new network that we will set up in order to increase the social capital for the youth. This new group of youth will work together to increase their social capital (benefit to society as a whole); however, we have to build the bridges to the rest of society in order to make this happen. And how are we going to do that? In the article, "Connecting Youth to High Resource Adults," Sullivan argues the need for programs to create environments where youth and adult can be on more equal footing. There is a generational gap, which creates negative perceptions of the other generation, Sullivan argues. Sullivan cites examples where youth in programs have the opportunity to collaborate with important adult figures in the neighborhood, such as the girl who was excited to be asked by the police captain on how to develop opportunities for youth. If youth feel like they are respected, and not treated like "kids," their social capital is increased because they feel like they are actually improving their neighborhood.
Other skills to consider for the development program to increase social capital is civic engagement. If an individual is involved in the political process (democracy a political form of association) positively, then their social capital will increase. We need to think of ways to incorporate civic engagement as well within the program.
So our youth development program as part of ALA will be a new network that we will set up in order to increase the social capital for the youth. This new group of youth will work together to increase their social capital (benefit to society as a whole); however, we have to build the bridges to the rest of society in order to make this happen. And how are we going to do that? In the article, "Connecting Youth to High Resource Adults," Sullivan argues the need for programs to create environments where youth and adult can be on more equal footing. There is a generational gap, which creates negative perceptions of the other generation, Sullivan argues. Sullivan cites examples where youth in programs have the opportunity to collaborate with important adult figures in the neighborhood, such as the girl who was excited to be asked by the police captain on how to develop opportunities for youth. If youth feel like they are respected, and not treated like "kids," their social capital is increased because they feel like they are actually improving their neighborhood.
Other skills to consider for the development program to increase social capital is civic engagement. If an individual is involved in the political process (democracy a political form of association) positively, then their social capital will increase. We need to think of ways to incorporate civic engagement as well within the program.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Continuing clarification of social capital
After my inability to define the word social capital in class, I decided to read up on the term. It is not that I have never had to define the word, it is just so hard to do so. Social capital is not something physical-that you can see or hold- or something that can truly measure (it can increase or decrease but not a specific amount).
Thus my search for clarity began with Wikipedia. As I read more into the ambiguity of social capital, I decided to read the first text written in 1916 using the word social capital by a fellow that I have never even heard of L.J. Hanifan. While reading The community centerI was surprised how much is still relevant today. One quote spoke to exactly what Professor Rhodes was talking about in class- social class as it relates to the individual, to the family, and the community
So that is one of the meanings of social capital- it is the connections one makes with members of society that increases the individual's personal potential to improve society as a whole. If individuals are isolated from society, they have low social capital because they do not have the opportunity to use their skills and talents to better the outside world- like building a new park or proposing a new ordinance. Their potential (their capital) is just wasted, and society does not improve/ advance.
The author (a superintendent)'s main point is the need for (rural) school teachers to work with the community programs (w/ parental involvement) to help increase enrollment in school (Education increases social capital). He talks about how teachers and community leaders (in rural settings using the school teachers) should make house calls and encourage parents to come to community meetings. Even though some of the examples of the author are outdated, the need for a strong relationship between family, school, and community remains significant.
In thinking about developing a youth program, this relationship is pivotal for the children individually to increase their social capital.
Thus my search for clarity began with Wikipedia. As I read more into the ambiguity of social capital, I decided to read the first text written in 1916 using the word social capital by a fellow that I have never even heard of L.J. Hanifan. While reading The community centerI was surprised how much is still relevant today. One quote spoke to exactly what Professor Rhodes was talking about in class- social class as it relates to the individual, to the family, and the community
The individual is helpless socially, if left to himself. Even the association of the members of one's own family fails to satisfy that desire which every normal individual has of being with his fellows, of being a part of a larger group than the family. If he comes into contact with his neighbors, there will be an accumulation of social capital, which may immediately satisfy his social needs and which may bear a social potentiality sufficient for the substantial improvement of life in the whole community. The community as a whole will benefit by the cooperation of all its parts, while the individual will find in his associations the advantages of the help, the sympathy, and the fellowship of his neigh- bors.Hanifan
So that is one of the meanings of social capital- it is the connections one makes with members of society that increases the individual's personal potential to improve society as a whole. If individuals are isolated from society, they have low social capital because they do not have the opportunity to use their skills and talents to better the outside world- like building a new park or proposing a new ordinance. Their potential (their capital) is just wasted, and society does not improve/ advance.
The author (a superintendent)'s main point is the need for (rural) school teachers to work with the community programs (w/ parental involvement) to help increase enrollment in school (Education increases social capital). He talks about how teachers and community leaders (in rural settings using the school teachers) should make house calls and encourage parents to come to community meetings. Even though some of the examples of the author are outdated, the need for a strong relationship between family, school, and community remains significant.
In thinking about developing a youth program, this relationship is pivotal for the children individually to increase their social capital.
Monday, September 6, 2010
Social capital
"Disadvantage is related to the breakdown of the infrastructure of supportive networks, and increased sources of human capital have been found to be positively related to youth successfully negotiating high-risk environments" (Laser).
In developing a successful youth development program, it is important to recognize how and to what extent that program will increase social capital to the children and the community. Social capital has many elements, including "trust, bonding, bridging, and obligation" (Laser). If these elements are clearly instituted in the youth development program, the youth's self-worth in the community will increase and so will their social capital. So we really need to think about how our program will create all these elements- which essentially are tied to relationship building. How do we create strong relationships within the community center, and then bridge these relationships outside the center? It is something we need to consider carefully when laying out the framework of a problem. It is really difficult for me now to answer this right now, as I know very little about the community ALA serves. I am starting to understand the framework of youth development programs; however, that is more just the theory. How can we increase the social capital of a community if we do not know the deficiencies of the social capital to begin with? I am going to investigate the community's demographics to start to put all this theory into context.
Article on social capital
Julie Anne Laser and George Stuart Leibowitz. "Promoting Positive Outcomes for Healthy Youth Development: Utilizing Social Capital Theory" Journal of Sociology and Social Welfare. MArch 2009. Ebsco.
In developing a successful youth development program, it is important to recognize how and to what extent that program will increase social capital to the children and the community. Social capital has many elements, including "trust, bonding, bridging, and obligation" (Laser). If these elements are clearly instituted in the youth development program, the youth's self-worth in the community will increase and so will their social capital. So we really need to think about how our program will create all these elements- which essentially are tied to relationship building. How do we create strong relationships within the community center, and then bridge these relationships outside the center? It is something we need to consider carefully when laying out the framework of a problem. It is really difficult for me now to answer this right now, as I know very little about the community ALA serves. I am starting to understand the framework of youth development programs; however, that is more just the theory. How can we increase the social capital of a community if we do not know the deficiencies of the social capital to begin with? I am going to investigate the community's demographics to start to put all this theory into context.
Article on social capital
Julie Anne Laser and George Stuart Leibowitz. "Promoting Positive Outcomes for Healthy Youth Development: Utilizing Social Capital Theory" Journal of Sociology and Social Welfare. MArch 2009. Ebsco.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Sexuality in Youth Programming
Since we will be working with adolescents in the community center, we have to think about sexual education. I would like to get more information about what the center offers in regards to sex ed, for we cannot depend on public education to properly educate adolescents on sexual health. From my internet-research (sources scholarly credibility questioned), I found that Texas law provides students with an education focusing “more attention to abstinence from sexual activity than to any other behavior” (http://www.days.org/texaslaw.html). Personally and what research studies have found, abstinence only approach is not the way to properly educate adolescents about their sexual health. Critics of comprehensive sexual education (contraceptive use) claim that providing teenagers information with options of protecting themselves will increase the number of teenagers engaging in sexual intercourse and in turn the number of abortions. I believe both of these claims to be false. Personally I was fortunate enough to receive comprehensive sexual health education (teacher mentioned both abstinence and safe sex practices) my sophomore year of high school. Let me just say frankly that after I received all that information on STDS (pictures of infected genitals) sex did not look so “clean and fun” like it is portrayed in the media. Talking about safe sex practices does not increase the desire for teens to have sex. If they have the desire to engage in sexual activity, they are probably already doing so- then why is it so bad even taboo to educate them about protecting themselves?
McKay, Alexander. "Sexual health education in the schools: Questions & answers (3rd edition)." Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality 18.1/2 (2009): 47-60. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 2 Sept. 2010.
This is an interesting article about the approach to sexual education in Canada. The article stresses the importance of educating teens to broader sexual education, which includes “the development of a positive self-image and the integration of sexuality into rewarding and equitable interpersonal relationships” (Public Health Agency of Canada). The positive self-image (confidence) and interpersonal relationships (connections) are 2 of the Cs mentioned in Hamilton’s introduction. This shows the importance of incorporating sexual health in youth programming.
McKay, Alexander. "Sexual health education in the schools: Questions & answers (3rd edition)." Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality 18.1/2 (2009): 47-60. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 2 Sept. 2010.
This is an interesting article about the approach to sexual education in Canada. The article stresses the importance of educating teens to broader sexual education, which includes “the development of a positive self-image and the integration of sexuality into rewarding and equitable interpersonal relationships” (Public Health Agency of Canada). The positive self-image (confidence) and interpersonal relationships (connections) are 2 of the Cs mentioned in Hamilton’s introduction. This shows the importance of incorporating sexual health in youth programming.
“Development is a process, not a goal” (Hamilton 5).
When writing up new youth programs or critiquing existing ones, it is pivotal to remember that the programs are not meant to solve a problem in a specific amount of time. The programs need to fit in with the natural life process of development, which must take in account among other things: age, gender, socioeconomics, culture, sexuality, and community. In his introduction, Hamilton lays out a good foundation for youth programming- discussing the 5 C’s and the importance of “proximal processes” of development. All youth should be taught the concepts, for example, of character building (and the other Cs) and sexual health, but the approaches to the teaching should be sensitive to the youth group one is addressing. For example, when discussing sexual health, one would approach the subject of teenage pregnancies different to a group of Caucasian upper class girls than to a group of lower income Latino girls. There is not a “one size fits all” curriculum, and it is important for teachers to be aware of this when writing up the curriculum. The teacher’s teaching methods must develop with the material and relationships that blossom in the process.
When writing up new youth programs or critiquing existing ones, it is pivotal to remember that the programs are not meant to solve a problem in a specific amount of time. The programs need to fit in with the natural life process of development, which must take in account among other things: age, gender, socioeconomics, culture, sexuality, and community. In his introduction, Hamilton lays out a good foundation for youth programming- discussing the 5 C’s and the importance of “proximal processes” of development. All youth should be taught the concepts, for example, of character building (and the other Cs) and sexual health, but the approaches to the teaching should be sensitive to the youth group one is addressing. For example, when discussing sexual health, one would approach the subject of teenage pregnancies different to a group of Caucasian upper class girls than to a group of lower income Latino girls. There is not a “one size fits all” curriculum, and it is important for teachers to be aware of this when writing up the curriculum. The teacher’s teaching methods must develop with the material and relationships that blossom in the process.
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