Blog #5 Youth work is a Philosophy


                                         


Quote #1: ...."theoretically-grounded curriculum and approach grows from our belief that youth are thoughtful, creative people who deserve opportunities to practice leadership with supportive, professional adults by their side."

    I really enjoyed this quote because I feel as adults we forget to give the youth the opportunity to share their voice and This is part of what the Youth Development program is all about. It has also made me think about the opportunities I had been given compared to now and I noticed that while I was given the opportunities when I was younger to be creative and use my voice I was still never fully heard. I felt like the adults in my life listened but never fully heard my voice. But that changed for me when I entered the Youth Development Program at RIC. When I struggled we came up for a plan together and I felt as though I was for once in charge of my own pathway. I was given and still are given the opportunities to show leadership and do not feel as though I am being judged or critiqued harshly but rather critiqued to help me grow not only as a person in the Youth Development professional world but also to help me improve as a human being. 

Quote #2: Positive Youth Development " This approach resonates with many of our students because of the way it disrupts dominant school discourses that position young people as part of the problem rather than part of a solution."

    Before entering the Youth Development program I was part of the Early Childhood program at RIC. This quote stuck with me while reading because before I switched over I remember the struggles I had in the Early Childhood Program and how I felt like I was helpless. The professors who I thought I could go to for encouragement shut me down and made me feel as though I wasn't good enough I even had an advisor tell me that I was not good enough and I should drop out while I was ahead because I would never make it in their program. So in the beginning when I had struggles in the Youth Development Program I was afraid of that same reaction so I wouldn't say anything for long periods of time. When finding out that Ydev was nothing like this I was more than pleased. They realize that the conventional way of learning is not for everyone and encourage their students to be their very best. When there is/was a sproblem they did and still do encourage us to come up with a plan that is best for me and give me the best possible advice they can to come up with solutions. 

Quote #3: "These ideologies are not pure or fixed - a philosophy can grow, change and develop over time?" 

    I really enjoyed this quote because it reminds me that life is not constantly the same and it is not supposed to be the same things and people are supposed to change and develop more as a person and we need to give ourselves and others room to grow and change for us to become the best possible versions of ourselves





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