As practitioners committed to creating great outcomes for children, it is imperative to explore innovative approaches to youth development. The research article "Urban Youth Scholars: Cultivating Critical Global Leadership Development through Youth-Led Justice-Oriented Research" offers valuable insights that can be implemented to enhance our practices.
This study focuses on the Urban Youth Scholars program, an after-school initiative designed to develop global leadership skills in urban youth through justice-oriented research. The findings from this program provide actionable strategies that practitioners can adopt to foster critical consciousness and leadership skills in children.
Key Findings and Implications for Practitioners
1. Fostering a Conception of "We"
The study emphasizes the importance of creating a safe, shared space where youth can build authentic relationships and trust. This environment allows for critical consciousness building and the development of social justice-oriented perspectives. Practitioners can implement similar strategies by:
- Encouraging open dialogues about power, privilege, and various forms of discrimination.
- Facilitating reflective activities that help youth understand their own identities and their connections to broader social issues.
- Creating collaborative projects that emphasize community and global interconnectedness.
2. Encouraging Youth to Cross Borders and Push Boundaries
The program highlighted the significance of youth stepping out of their comfort zones and engaging with new perspectives. This can be achieved by:
- Providing opportunities for youth to collaborate across different disciplines and cultural contexts.
- Organizing field trips or virtual exchanges that expose youth to diverse communities and global issues.
- Supporting youth in presenting their research and ideas to broader audiences, both locally and internationally.
3. Integrating the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
The UN SDGs served as a framework for the youth's research projects, helping them connect local issues to global challenges. Practitioners can incorporate the SDGs into their programs by:
- Introducing the SDGs and their relevance to local and global contexts.
- Encouraging youth to choose SDGs that resonate with their interests and develop research projects around them.
- Facilitating discussions on how the SDGs can be applied to address community issues and promote social justice.
Encouraging Further Research
The study demonstrates the potential of youth-led, justice-oriented research in cultivating critical global leadership skills. Practitioners are encouraged to delve deeper into this approach and consider conducting their own research to tailor these strategies to their specific contexts.
To read the original research paper, please follow this link: Urban Youth Scholars: Cultivating Critical Global Leadership Development through Youth-Led Justice-Oriented Research.
