Youth-Adult partnership
Encyclopedia
Youth-adult partnership is the title of a conscious relationship
which establishes and sustains intergenerational equity
between young people
and adult
s.
, and in democratic schools, where they are typified by student voice
. Youth/adult partnerships often display a high degree of youth rights
and autonomy
, and is often synonymous with meaningful youth participation
.
According to the State of Texas, youth-adult partnerships have allowed young people to assume the roles of advisors and consultants to youth organizations, political lobbyists, community organizers, grant (money)
decision-makers, nonprofit board directors, and as direct youth service
providers.
Youth-adult partnerships are said to allow young people to
Research consistently shows that in addition to concrete outcomes, youth/adult partnerships require specific cultural and structural supports within organizations and communities in order to succeed. Youth voice
is commonly recognized as an essential element of effective youth/adult partnerships.
and adultism
. A broad number of parties benefit from said partnerships, including the organizations where the partnerships occur, adults who are involved, and youth themselves. Actual benefits range from increased commitment
to higher feelings of self-efficacy
, as well as increased organizational effectiveness and civic engagement
. Youth/adult partnerships have been found to be particularly effective in addressing school improvement, promoting Global Health Initiatives
, and integrating technology in the classroom.
Additional practice has identified significant roles for youth/adult partnerships in rural civic engagement projects and in creating effective outreach for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, queer, and questioning youth.
Interpersonal relationship
An interpersonal relationship is an association between two or more people that may range from fleeting to enduring. This association may be based on limerence, love, solidarity, regular business interactions, or some other type of social commitment. Interpersonal relationships are formed in the...
which establishes and sustains intergenerational equity
Intergenerational equity
Intergenerational equity in economic, psychological, and sociological contexts, is the concept or idea of fairness or justice in relationships between children, youth, adults and seniors, particularly in terms of treatment and interactions. It has been studied in environmental and sociological...
between young people
Youth
Youth is the time of life between childhood and adulthood . Definitions of the specific age range that constitutes youth vary. An individual's actual maturity may not correspond to their chronological age, as immature individuals could exist at all ages.-Usage:Around the world, the terms "youth",...
and adult
Adult
An adult is a human being or living organism that is of relatively mature age, typically associated with sexual maturity and the attainment of reproductive age....
s.
Activities
"Youth-adult partnerships happen when young people and adults become engaged together in their communities; they are relationships between youth and adults where there is mutuality in teaching, learning, and action." These relationships usually occur within youth organizations, where they are typified by youth voiceYouth voice
Youth voice refers to the distinct ideas, opinions, attitudes, knowledge, and actions of young people as a collective body. The term youth voice often groups together a diversity of perspectives and experiences, regardless of backgrounds, identities, and cultural differences...
, and in democratic schools, where they are typified by student voice
Student voice
Student voice describes the distinct perspectives and actions of young people throughout schools focused on education."Student voice is giving students the ability to influence learning to include policies, programs, contexts and principles."...
. Youth/adult partnerships often display a high degree of youth rights
Youth rights
Youth rights refers to a set of philosophies intended to enhance civil rights for young people. They are a response to the oppression of young people, with advocates challenging ephebiphobia, adultism and ageism through youth participation, youth/adult partnerships, and promoting, ultimately,...
and autonomy
Autonomy
Autonomy is a concept found in moral, political and bioethical philosophy. Within these contexts, it is the capacity of a rational individual to make an informed, un-coerced decision...
, and is often synonymous with meaningful youth participation
Youth participation
Youth participation is the active engagement of young people throughout their communities. It is often used as a short-hand for youth participation in any many forms, including decision-making, sports, schools and any activity where young people are not historically engaged.-Coinage:Youth...
.
According to the State of Texas, youth-adult partnerships have allowed young people to assume the roles of advisors and consultants to youth organizations, political lobbyists, community organizers, grant (money)
Grant (money)
Grants are funds disbursed by one party , often a Government Department, Corporation, Foundation or Trust, to a recipient, often a nonprofit entity, educational institution, business or an individual. In order to receive a grant, some form of "Grant Writing" often referred to as either a proposal...
decision-makers, nonprofit board directors, and as direct youth service
Youth service
Youth service refers to non-military, intensive engagement of young people in organized activity that contributes to the local, national, or world community. Youth service is widely recognized and valued by society, with minimal or no compensation to the server. Youth service also provides...
providers.
Youth-adult partnerships are said to allow young people to
- Express themselves publicly
- Gain respect for adult allies
- Find ways to express their creativity
- Work for a good cause
- Think more criticallyCritical thinkingCritical thinking is the process or method of thinking that questions assumptions. It is a way of deciding whether a claim is true, false, or sometimes true and sometimes false, or partly true and partly false. The origins of critical thinking can be traced in Western thought to the Socratic...
- Be a valued asset to the project and the community
Research consistently shows that in addition to concrete outcomes, youth/adult partnerships require specific cultural and structural supports within organizations and communities in order to succeed. Youth voice
Youth voice
Youth voice refers to the distinct ideas, opinions, attitudes, knowledge, and actions of young people as a collective body. The term youth voice often groups together a diversity of perspectives and experiences, regardless of backgrounds, identities, and cultural differences...
is commonly recognized as an essential element of effective youth/adult partnerships.
Outcomes
By elevating the role of youth voice, the relationships formed by youth/adult partnerships are said to combat ephebiphobiaEphebiphobia
The fear of youth is called ephebiphobia. First coined as the "fear and loathing of teenagers," today the phenomenon is recognized as the "inaccurate, exaggerated and sensational characterization of young people" in a range of settings around the world...
and adultism
Adultism
Adultism has been defined as "the power adults have over children". More narrowly, 'adultism is prejudice and accompanying systematic discrimination against young people'...
. A broad number of parties benefit from said partnerships, including the organizations where the partnerships occur, adults who are involved, and youth themselves. Actual benefits range from increased commitment
Commitment
Commitment may refer to:*Promise, or personal commitment*Contract, a legally binding exchange of promises*Brand commitment*Involuntary commitment, the use of legal means or forms to commit a person to a mental hospital, insane asylum or psychiatric ward...
to higher feelings of self-efficacy
Self-efficacy
Self-efficacy is a term used in psychology, roughly corresponding to a person's belief in their own competence.It has been defined as the belief that one is capable of performing in a certain manner to attain certain set of goals. It is believed that our personalized ideas of self-efficacy affect...
, as well as increased organizational effectiveness and civic engagement
Civic engagement
Civic engagement or civic participation has been defined as "Individual and collective actions designed to identify and address issues of public concern."-Forms:...
. Youth/adult partnerships have been found to be particularly effective in addressing school improvement, promoting Global Health Initiatives
Global Health Initiatives
Global Health Initiatives are humanitarian initiatives that raise and disburse additional funds for infectious diseases, such as AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria; for immunization; and for strengthening health systems in developing countries...
, and integrating technology in the classroom.
Additional practice has identified significant roles for youth/adult partnerships in rural civic engagement projects and in creating effective outreach for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, queer, and questioning youth.
See also
- Intergenerational equityIntergenerational equityIntergenerational equity in economic, psychological, and sociological contexts, is the concept or idea of fairness or justice in relationships between children, youth, adults and seniors, particularly in terms of treatment and interactions. It has been studied in environmental and sociological...
- Youth participationYouth participationYouth participation is the active engagement of young people throughout their communities. It is often used as a short-hand for youth participation in any many forms, including decision-making, sports, schools and any activity where young people are not historically engaged.-Coinage:Youth...
- Community youth developmentCommunity youth developmentCommunity youth development, or CYD, is a philosophy emphasizing the uniquely symbiotic nature of youth development to community development by situating the two practices in a common framework...
- Positive psychologyPositive psychologyPositive psychology is a recent branch of psychology whose purpose was summed up in 1998 by Martin Seligman and Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi: "We believe that a psychology of positive human functioning will arise, which achieves a scientific understanding and effective interventions to build thriving in...
- Service learning
External links
- Youth/Adult Partnerships Factsheet University of Arizona website.
- Youth/Adult Partnerships Tip Sheet The Freechlid Project.
- SpunOut.ie National Youth Website, Ireland.