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Youth empowerment

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Template:Discrimination2 Youth empowerment is an attitudinal, structural, and cultural process whereby young people gain the ability, authority, and agency to make decisions and implement change in their own lives and the lives of other people, including youth and adults.[1]

Background

The concept of youth empowerment is grounded in the education philosophy and/or liberation theory of John Dewey, Paulo Freire, Mother Jones, Myles Horton, bell hooks, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Ivan Illich, and John Holt.

Youth empowerment is said to occur in homes, at schools[2], through youth organizations, government policy-making[3], and community organizing campaigns. The major structural activities where youth empowerment happens throughout society include community decision-making, organizational planning, and education reform.

Classroom activities that empower youth include student-centered learning, popular education, and service learning. In communities, youth empowerment takes form through youth voice, community youth development, and youth leadership programs.

Political action

Each major political party in the United States, including the Republicans, the Democrats, and the Green Party, as well as many major European, African, South American, and Australian political parties have statements supporting youth empowerment. Youth empowerment is also a central tenet of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, which every country in the world (minus the U.S. and Somalia) has signed into law.

Outcomes

Youth empowerment is often addressed as a gateway to intergenerational equity, civic engagement and democracy building. Many local, state, provencial, regional, national, and international government agencies and nonprofit community-based organizations provide programs centered on youth empowerment[4]. Activities involved therein may focus on youth-led media, youth rights, youth councils, youth activism, youth involvement in community decision-making[5], and other methods.

See also

List of youth empowerment organization articles

List of historical youth empowerment articles

External examples

References

  1. ^ Vavrus, J. & Fletcher, A. (2006). Guide to Social Change Led By and With Young People. The Freechild Project.
  2. ^ Fletcher, A. (2005) Guide to Students as Partners in School Change Olympia, WA: CommonAction.
  3. ^ (1993) "Double Standard for Youth Involvement" Journal of Extension, Fall 1993.
  4. ^ (1998) "Examining empowerment: A 'how-to' guide for youth development professionals" Journal of Extension, December 1998
  5. ^ Sazama, J. & Young, K. (2006) 15 Points to Successfully Involving Youth in Decision-Making, Boston: Youth On Board.


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