Support Youth in Helping Themselves

We believe that we are doing are job if we solve all the problems of our youth. However, the best strategy is helping them learn how to successfully help themselves.

Some youth workers believe that they are doing their job if the youth they work with aren't experiencing any type of difficulties whatsoever. If they can solve all the problems of their youth, then they are doing their job. Not so.

If possible, let the youth find solutions and implement solutions to thngs they are experiencing with gentle support to help when needed. One activity I have done in the past is have the young people in my group make a list of things they would like to change in their community. Then, have them narrow that list down to things that specifically pertain to them. Then, from that list, pick one thing that they find most urgent to address. From there, they are to brainstorm and develop an outline of how best address this problem. From this activity, they learn critical tools of how to strategize and goal-set. Frome there, you, in tandem with them, develop a timeline to address this issue.

Over the course of this timeline, the youth will struggle, fail, start again and plateau. However, this process is a crucial part of youth development. Youth will appreciate their success more if they worked hard to accomplish it. Our role is not to do the work for them. Instead, we are to be supports, the cheerleaders who urge them to go on, give advice when solicited, step in when appropriate and be a shoulder to lean on when things get tough. Don't cheat them out of their triumph by doing all the work!