Empowerment

Hi ya,

Today we will look at the empowerment assets. This is the second group of assets. Just today at work we were talking about the assets and how 40 seemed like a lot to remember. So remembering the main eight groups seems like a good goal.

The Search institute says that empowerment is more a philospphy than an activity. If so, then these assets would fit well with the Advancing Youth Development work. (I am trying to write with a cat on my lap again)

So the following are ideas for increasing empowerment:

Provide opportunities in a safe environment
Provide emotional safety
Listen
Encourage input
Enlist youth in forming the rules and consequences
Use elected representatives from the youth in their programs
Work with youth to decide on service-learning projects
Involve youth in community presentations
Set up real partnerships with youth and adults
Respectfully bring attention to power imbalances
Look for ways youth can serve in decision-making and policy-making roles
Educate the community on models of shared leadership
Find ways for civic engagement skills to be reinforced in schools, churches, communities, etc.

Wow. I guess all of that is definitely empowering.

Are there any ways that you have empowered the youth in your agencies that you could share with us?

LA