FORGET FACILITATORS & FORGE AHEAD AS CO-PILOTS

Facilitator is one of those clinical and impersonal terms. The neutral role of adults who are involved in youth-led advocacy does not jive with reality. Instead of passive passengers, adult allies act as co-pilots who offer information, teach specific techniques, suggest alternative routes, and also really enjoy the ride even when it’s turbulent while young activists sit at the controls and steer the plane.

Effective community change is complex and requires a potent mix of viewpoints, experiences, ideas, strategic approaches and skills. Usually adults contribute another field of vision and pool of contacts. They participate in coalition meetings with other organizations involved with related issues, read lengthy listserves, track upcoming legislative hearings, and discover other potential opportunities for youth advocacy. For example, students trying to change out-of-school suspension policies can benefit from crucial intelligence provided by adult allies who are free during the school day to monitor the board of education and perhaps community forums on No Child Left Behind.       

Ben Kirshner, Assistant Professor at the University of Colorado-Boulder School of Education who used to teach in San Francisco’s Mission District, does an outstanding job describing this delicate dance between young activists and adults in a chapter entitled “Apprenticeship Learning in Youth Activism” in BEYOND RESISTANCE! This book which maintains a concentrated focus on marginalized youth of color is the first in a series published by Routledge (http://www.routledge-ny.com).

Kirshner outlines a cycle of collaboration where adults may start in the cockpit but then wind up in the back of the airplane. This three-step process can happen in one meeting or over the course of several weeks and occur repeatedly at different stages of a community change campaign.  

1)    Modeling – Storytelling with examples of successful advocacy campaigns are shared by adults, perhaps showing a videoclip of a short speech followed by a discussion about which arguments or strategies seemed the most effective.

2)    Coaching – At this juncture young activists develop speeches and then rehearse followed by feedback from peers and adults. Roleplays are another important and interactive way to practice how to respond to distracting or gotcha questions.  

3)    Fading – As youth take center stage, perhaps at a press conference or before the school board, adults vanish into the audience and relish the production.

Drawing from a case study, Kirschner writes that adults “did not adopt a neutral or facilitative role, as is often the case in constructivist, student-led approaches…Sometimes youth learned indirectly—through observation or adult actions or through participation in collegial interactions with adults.”

These and other techniques of youth-led adult-supported advocacy are described in our 150-page manual entitled MAXIMUM YOUTH INVOLVEMENT that is designed for those with more responsibility than facilitators but advisors, mentors, collaborators and yes, co-pilots!  For more information about ordering this Mega-Planner Toolkit ($35 + $6 shipping) includes our action handbook for young activists entitled YOUTH! THE 26% SOLUTION, talk with us in person at 1-800-KID-POWER or just email us.