Children, Youth and Families Education and Research Network

Description: Teens channel their energy toward solving real problems in their community. Youth change a piece of the public world, discover the possibilities of democratic citizenship and build a commitment to taking action in new and exciting ways. They plan and conduct a project that will create change or improve something that is valuable to many people.

Description: The Congressional Youth Leadership Council is a non-profit, non-partisan, civic education organization that provides outstanding high school students nationwide an opportunity to study leadership, citizenship and government in the Nation's Capital.

Description: A national nonprofit organization that trains, funds, and mobilizes youth to be leaders in their communities. The site contains information for and about youth leaders and their community projects along with Â“Do Zine,Â” an online magazine.

Description: This CD contains plans to introduce the Six Pillars of Character: Trustworthiness, Respect, Responsibility, Fairness, Caring, and Citizenship; plus an introduction to character and ethical decision-making. Each plan gives background on the lesson topic, life skills, roll call ideas, a challenge, quotation, poster, calendar, family piece to send home, news release, and newsletter article. Lessons may be printed from the CD and duplicated.

Description: The National Indian Youth Leadership Project is a non-profit organization whose mission is to engage Native youth in challenging activities and meaningful experiences in the community and the natural world, as well as through academic, artistic and athletic performance and to honor our youth by preparing them for whole and healthy lives as capable, contributing and caring members of their family, community, tribe, and nation through traditional teachings and values.

Description: The National Youth Leadership Council's mission is to build vital, just communities with young people through service-learning. As one of America's most prominent advocates of service-learning and youth service, the NYLC is at the forefront of efforts to reform education and guide youth-oriented public policy.

Description: TakingITGlobal (TIG) is about encouraging young people to believe in themselves and their ability to make a difference in the world. We create environments where people are exposed to new thinking, a diversity of voices, and new opportunities. Driven by youth, our goal is to foster a sense of leadership and social entrepreneurship through the innovative use of technology, creating meaningful experiences for young people around the world. In partnership with the Global Youth Action Network, we offer recognition for youth action and support for youth voice.

Description: UNITY is a national network organization promoting personal development, citizenship and leadership among Native American youth. Headquartered in Oklahoma City, UNITY has served American Indian and Alaska Native youth since 1976. The organization grew out of a need to combat wasted talent and negative peer pressure among Native American youth

Description: YouthActionNet seeks to connect, inspire and nurture present and future young leaders. The goal is to provide a virtual space where young people can share lessons, stories, information and advice on how to lead effective change. It is a space where youth can get up-to-date information, resources and tools to strengthen their work.

Description: Archive of web-based youth leadership resources, publications, organizations, and opportunities.

Description: The Youth Leadership Institute is a community-based institute that joins with young people to build communities that respect, honor and support youth. YLI reaches out to youth who have not traditionally been viewed as leaders and involves them in shaping community change. Each of our programs builds upon the assets and strengths of young people, engaging them in partnership with adults to create social change.

Description: Youthleadership.com is a site for youth leadership education and development. It includes links to leadership organizations and resources. Some of the siteÂ’s information is available only to members who pay a fee.

– Evaluation –

Author: Scott, Dawn (4 more by this author)
Description: Literature review, bibliographies, links, resources and measures relating to youth decision making.

Author: Polk, Roselyn (8 more by this author)
Description: Literature review, bibliographies, and measures relating to youth problem solving.

– General Information –

Author: CYFERnet Program Editors, (12 more by this author)
Description: Afro-Americans have contributed greatly to the knowledge and well-being of our nature. Here is a selection to enable you to explore the science, engineering and cultural contributions. In honor of Coretta Scott King's effort to promote peace, non-violent social change, brotherhood and literature, check out these online resources on African American history and issues, as well as a selection of literary works for sharing with children and young people (check for these at your public library).

Author: English, Patricia
Description: California Focus provides an opportunity for 4-H high school students and leaders, in county teams from across California, to participate in a civic engagement program focused on California government and history. Using current youth development research to guide program development, including civic engagement research as well as a positive youth development program model, a team of staff and 4-H leaders provide a dynamic, experiential program designed to increase understanding of the three branches of government and individual citizenship rights and responsibilities. The goal is to enthuse, enable, and empower teens to be active, positive contributors to their communities. The program is designed to:Observe units of government in action; Learn about and simulate the legislative, executive, and judicial branches; Study geography, history, and culture; Experience access to government decision makers; and Learn that each person can make a positive impact. Evaluation results show that youth participants gain communication, leadership, and social skills, and come away from conference not only with a better understanding of governmental processes but with a new awareness of how they can be responsible citizens. The year following conference, delegates carry out a service project to meet a need in their community. The program is impacting local communities through this important community development work.

Author: Cross, Charlotte (2 more by this author); KEn Grey
Description: Sharing NH Operation: Military Kids (OMK) successful strategies for implementing civic engagement activities related to military kids will be the workshop focus. Participants will explore engaging: youth organizations (4-H, scouts), university connections (ROTC, student volunteers), community partners (veterans, spiritual community, after school groups), and public and private schools. In addition, participants will generate civic engagement plans for use back home.

Author: Zeldin, Shepherd (4 more by this author); Linda Camino, Matthew Calvert
Description: For more than a decade, many researchers and practitioners have endorsed a positive youth development approach which views adolescents as active contributors to their own development and as assets to their communities. As part of this shift, youth are increasingly being invited to engage in community governance. Youth are making strong contributions to advisory boards and planning councils, and are integrally involved in key day-to-day functions such as program design, budgeting, outreach, public relations, training, and evaluation.

Description: "Itâ€™s time to make some of your own decisions about your life. We may not be experts, but most of us are in foster care or are former youth in care and weâ€™ve learned how you can navigate the system to take charge of your own life. This Toolkit will show you ways to get your ideas and actions organized and get some things changed for the better."

Author: Zeldin, Shepherd (4 more by this author); Linda Camino, Matthew Calvert, Debra Ivey
Description: Youth–adult partnerships, or the process of youth and adults working together in a climate of mutual respect, is a theme of significant importance to those of us with an interest in positive youth development. Young people assert their desire for this kind of respect. Youth development practitioners recognize the value of these partnerships. Youth development researchers document the positive outcomes associated with this practice. Youth voices, practitioner experience, and careful research all confirm the need for more youth–adult partnerships in today’s society. This monograph is intended to help advance that effort.

– Other Resources –

Author: Wheatley, Margaret
Description: This symposium launched the Extension Center for Youth Development's three-year commitment to examining ways to rewrite the narratives and opportunities where youth learn to lead, grow and contribute. Dr. Meg Wheatley presented new ways of thinking about leadership across cultures and in light of new sciences.

– Professional Development –

Author: Dunham, Trudy (31 more by this author)
Description: Youth create a social issue video and post it on YouTube. A tweet, then retweets and more tweets. The video goes viral. That issue that youth care about is suddenly all over the net, and receiving broad traditional media attention. With a simple click of the mouse, youth voices are being heard - loudly. What's going on? This webinar is a discussion of the research and practice of youth civic engagement and what participatory cultures and social media mean for youth programming, civic engagement, and leadership. Youth are engagement in participatory cultures brings a new approach to addressing long-standing civic and social issues. This non-traditional civic engagement format has youth using new media to organize, to create content, and then to circulate that content around the world - click activism.

Author: Scott, Dawn (4 more by this author)
Description: Literature review, bibliographies, links, resources and measures relating to youth decision making.

Author: Jones, Kenneth (1 more by this author)
Description: This webinar highlights findings from a national evaluation designed to discover ways states are promoting youth-adult partnerships and other levels of citizenship. The study's aim was to gain a better understanding of the challenges and successes encountered by 4-H youth development programs when launching statewide initiatives that engage youth and adults as partners. The presenters discuss how they conducted site visits in five states to assess the dynamics of state 4-H youth development offices and to investigate what strategies are being used to promote youth in governance. Learn about barriers that can impede the growth of a partnership, as well as gain insight into the practices that build the capacity of youth in governance roles.

– Programming Resource –

Description: Arsalyn is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that promotes youth civic and political engagement.

Author: Jolly, Eric; Stephanie Malloy, Marilyn Felt
Description: Developed in response to the 9/11 terrorist tragedy and subsequent attacks against Arab-Americans, this is a free, 25-page curriculum for middle and high school students focused on issues of justice and mislaid blame. The curriculum features three lessons, designed to stimulate student reflection, discussion, and writing. Lesson 1, "What is Justice? What is the Injustice Here?", guides students through a discussion of the events of September 11th and reports of subsequent attacks and threats made against innocent people perceived to be of Arab descent. Lesson 2, "Has the Past Been Just?", examines parallels between today's events and the internment of Japanese-Americans in the aftermath of Pearl Harbor. Lesson 3, "How Can You Prevent Injustice?" leads students through a discussion of the kinds of actions they can take to prevent injustice, discrimination, and mislaid blame.

Author: Schmitz, Heather
Description: A two-day camping experience that brings together youth / adult partnerships, reduces AODA behaviors, and teaches youth leadership skills? I’m sure you’re thinking that this can’t be possible. Think again. Learn how a group of community volunteers called the Rusk County Youth Coalition joined forces with three local school districts to develop a camp for low income youth at risk, Camp TLC (Teen Leadership Camp).

Author: Jordan, Joy (1 more by this author); Karen Henry
Description: Can any adolescent learn to be a leader? This is an intriguing question as it relates to at-risk youth populations. Through a current teen leadership research project, youth skills, participation and developmental stages of leadership were measured. This workshop will engage participants in fostering programs designed to develop teens and their potential within community settings based on youth leadership research.

Description: Children’s Garden Consultants (CGC) is an innovative model for engaging youth to become experts in children’s garden design and educational programming through a meaningful learning process that gives voice and due recognition to their perspective. It is designed for youth ages 15 and older.

Author: Miller-Heyl, Jan
Description: The DARE to be You (DTBY) program builds on the strengths of youth and develops individual assets. DARE to be You builds skills in decision making/problem solving, assertiveness/communication/social skills, responsibility/role modeling, and esteem for self and others/empathy development.

Author: McNeill, Diane
Description: Provides adult leaders of youth programs with a step-by-step guide to help design youth leadership training programs.

Author: Fletcher, Adam (3 more by this author)
Description: Designed to promote youth leadership development through community engagement. Includes activities to build community awareness, teamwork, and action planning skills. This free curriculum includes participant and facilitator manuals.

Author: Croymans, Sara; Becky Hagen Jokela ; Janene Gilman; Carrie Ann Olson
Description: The ability to make good decisions is a major life skill that helps young people transition into self-sufficient adults (Cowan, 2004). Participants will become familiar with the decision making process, how teen brain development impacts decision making, participate in hands on activities that teach consumer decision making skills, and be introduced to several curriculum that help teach decision making skills.

Description: A new youth-led Web site that combines a unique, interactive approach to public policy education, youth leadership and online learning with stories and background reports, to stimulate rich online dialogues involving youth in the United States and around the world.

Description: The goals of the Panorama Teen and Family Resource Center include developing leadership skills through their Youth Governance Council and their numerous community service activities and increasing academic skills, especially in math and language, with their tutoring program.

Description: All activities offer a cross-cultural perspective. Young children and teens can lead in many ways - at home, in clubs, youth groups, school and the community. The fun continues with an interactive web site to enhance and support learning. Grade: 9th,10th,11th,12th

Author: Petty, Laura; Teresa Van Booven, Guadalupe Blanco River Authority
Description: The Seguin Youth Leadership Academy (SYLA) is a youth leadership and community awareness program for local high school students. The program includes an application and selection process (February), a Youth Leader and Parent Orientation (March), a week-long summer academy (July) at a local university campus, team projects (July-November) and the Apprentice and Graduation Event (November). (2008 CYFAR Conference Program Showcase)

Description: Take the Lead: Inspirational Young People Tell Their Stories highlights the achievements of young people--some who have served as mentors, others who have turned their lives around, and all who have proven to be leaders in their respective communities. (Also available in Spanish)

Author: Holder, Susan (1 more by this author); Landon Summers, Mississippi State University Extension Service; Michael Newman, Mississippi State University Extension Service; Joe Heimlich, Ohio State University Extension; Rae Wilkinson, Mississippi State University Extension Service
Description: Anyone interested in the well being of youth will experience a hands-on workshop that focuses on developing teaching and leadership skills for teens as role models, mentors and teachers. Mississippi State 4-H Program has developed an authentic youth-adult partnership training model that enables teens to participate in planning, operating and evaluating youth-focused programs and organizations. (2008 CYFAR Conference Program Showcase)

Description: This Afterschool resource guide is designed to be used by Extension/4-H professionals to deliver teen-led curriculum in after-school programs. It includes an overview of program delivery, recruitment processes and training outlines.

Description: Youth Grow is a leadership program for high-school aged youth in New York State that provides them with the training and tools to become leaders in creating sustainable local food systems.