Youth Civic Engagement Preconference
Society for Research on Adolescence
Biennial Meeting
Wednesday, March 19th, 2014
Austin, Texas
General Description of the Event
A group of nearly 50 preconference participants gathered for a shared time of making new and renewing old connections, listening to and engaging with our keynote speaker and discussants, and talking about the issues they found most exciting in small facilitated groups. The mood throughout the event was lively and enthusiastic, and conversations could have extended well beyond the allotted time!
We were all challenged to consider the concepts of critical consciousness and sociopolitical development, and how these – alongside the practice of youth community organizing – might interact with our own work. We considered the great potential of youth community organizing to help cultivate numerous developmental assets in youth in addition to working toward more just communities; we also considered the challenges that often come with facilitating and studying youth community organizing. Across our many different experiences, we were all challenged to consider how the discussions from this preconference might inspire our work and challenge us to continue to facilitate youth engagement toward a more just world.
This event was made possible through funding from the John Templeton Foundation to Laura Wray-Lake, Aaron Metzger, and Amy Syvertsen.
Youth Civic Engagement Preconference Agenda
8:00-8:30: Coffee (half) hour, informal conversation, networking!
8:30-8:45: Introductory remarks
8:45-9:30: Keynote address, Dr. Rod Watts, City University of New York (CUNY): "Youth community organizing: A resource for personal as well as political development?"
9:30-9:45: Response from Dr. Brian Christens (University of Wisconsin – Madison)
9:45-10:00: Response from Dr. Jim Youniss (Catholic University of America)
10:00-10:20: Whole-group Q&A and discussion
10:20-10:35: Short break
10:35-11:15: Small group discussions, guided by a facilitator at each table
11:15-11:35: Small group facilitators share out to the whole group
11:35-11:45: Evaluation forms, concluding remarks
A group of nearly 50 preconference participants gathered for a shared time of making new and renewing old connections, listening to and engaging with our keynote speaker and discussants, and talking about the issues they found most exciting in small facilitated groups. The mood throughout the event was lively and enthusiastic, and conversations could have extended well beyond the allotted time!
We were all challenged to consider the concepts of critical consciousness and sociopolitical development, and how these – alongside the practice of youth community organizing – might interact with our own work. We considered the great potential of youth community organizing to help cultivate numerous developmental assets in youth in addition to working toward more just communities; we also considered the challenges that often come with facilitating and studying youth community organizing. Across our many different experiences, we were all challenged to consider how the discussions from this preconference might inspire our work and challenge us to continue to facilitate youth engagement toward a more just world.
This event was made possible through funding from the John Templeton Foundation to Laura Wray-Lake, Aaron Metzger, and Amy Syvertsen.
Youth Civic Engagement Preconference Agenda
8:00-8:30: Coffee (half) hour, informal conversation, networking!
8:30-8:45: Introductory remarks
8:45-9:30: Keynote address, Dr. Rod Watts, City University of New York (CUNY): "Youth community organizing: A resource for personal as well as political development?"
9:30-9:45: Response from Dr. Brian Christens (University of Wisconsin – Madison)
9:45-10:00: Response from Dr. Jim Youniss (Catholic University of America)
10:00-10:20: Whole-group Q&A and discussion
10:20-10:35: Short break
10:35-11:15: Small group discussions, guided by a facilitator at each table
11:15-11:35: Small group facilitators share out to the whole group
11:35-11:45: Evaluation forms, concluding remarks
sra_2014_youth_civic_engagement_preconference_notes.docx | |
File Size: | 145 kb |
File Type: | docx |