ERIC Number: EJ1063854
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2015
Pages: 9
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Global Kids Organizing in the Global City: Generation of Social Capital in a Youth Organizing Program
De Jesús, Anthony; Oviedo, Sofia; Feliz, Scarlett
Afterschool Matters, n21 p20-28 Spr 2015
Positive youth development and youth organizing are strengths-based approaches to the lives, needs, and contributions of young people (Damon & Gregory, 2003). These approaches privilege the voices of youth as they engage with issues in their communities and challenge institutions to respond. Few studies, however, have explored the role of positive youth development and youth organizing initiatives among immigrant youth of color. The challenging terrain of modern urban life requires these youth to navigate the political, economic, and legal demands confronted by their families; to understand the rules for success in public schools; and to steer clear of violence in their communities. Larger issues such as climate change and environmental justice understandably cannot be priorities for youth who are preoccupied with day-to-day survival. The Global Kids Greening Western Queens initiative sought to bridge the gaps between individual and collective concerns and between local and global issues by training immigrant youth of color to become community organizers. This out-of-school time (OST) program emphasized positive youth development and youth organizing to help New York City immigrant youth of color address key issues in their lives, their communities, and their world. This article describes the initiative and provides an integrated theoretical framework that synthesizes the literature on youth organizing, civic engagement, and social capital to reveal the substantive processes that occur in positive youth development and youth organizing. The experiences of 12 Greening Western Queens participants, captured through in-depth interviews, highlight the transformative potential of OST programming for immigrant youth of color.
Descriptors: Social Capital, Youth Programs, Youth Agencies, Immigrants, African American Students, Urban Youth, After School Programs, Program Descriptions, Integrated Activities, Interviews, Citizen Participation, Qualitative Research, Trust (Psychology), Interpersonal Relationship, Collectivism, Cooperation, Empowerment, Political Influences, Youth Opportunities, Participant Satisfaction, High School Students
National Institute on Out-of-School Time. Wellesley Centers for Women, 106 Central Street, Wellesley, MA 02481. Tel: 781-283-2547; Fax: 781-283-3657; e-mail: niost@wellesley.edu; Web site: http://www.niost.org
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: High Schools; Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: New York
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A