Lifelines

Conference Overview: "Fostering Youth's Civic Engagement and Participation in Free and Democratic Societies" Other Articles in this Issue: Director's Welcome Interview: Fayneese Miller Conference Overview: "Fostering Youth's Civic Engagement and Participation in Free and Democratic Societies" Recommended Readings

"Fostering Youth's Civic Engagement and Participation in Free and Democratic Societies" served to complement and augment the activities of "Creating Citizenship: Youth Development for Free and Democratic Society," a conference hosted by the Stanford Center on Adolescence the previous year. This year's conference sought to evaluate current "best practices" for promoting youth's civic knowledge, engagement, and participation and addressed such topics as: Political Socialization and Engagement, Towards a Civil Society, the Role of Schools, the Impact of Service-Learning, Political and Civic Participation and the Transition to Citizenship. The following highlights some of their findings and recommendations in the areas of education, schools, programs, and research: 1.) Civic education should begin very early. Parents should model civically responsible behavior at home, an education that should continue in school. An improved K-12 civics curriculum should be inaugurated, one that is applicable to the real world and allows students to take on real decision-making roles. 2.) Research has shown some service-learning programs to be successful in engaging youth in civic activities. These positively evaluated programs should be widely disseminated. Participants in service-learning activities have exhibited a lower likelihood of engaging in risk behaviors, greater interpersonal development, increased ability to relate to culturally diverse groups, greater commitment to service, and increased motivation to learn n and to attend school than those who do not. While service-learning increases mutual respect between teachers and students, it also leads to more positive perceptions of schools and youth by community members. 3.) Design programs to reach out-of-school populations. Given the roles that schools can and should play in civic education, the rising trend of home schooling raises several questions still to be resolved. If it is the state's responsibility to teach and require civic engagement, what leverage does the state have in making recommendations in the private context of homes where parents control both the academic programs and social interactions of children? If control over education is shared among state, parents, and children, how should courts or society make decisions should these interests conflict with one another? 4.) Increase the use of technology to engage youth in political participation. As the influence of the Internet grows and Internet-use increases among youth today, it must not be overlooked or underestimated as an effective, educational tool in fostering political learning and youth civic involvement in times when young people spend hours "surfing the Net" . While the range of educational web sites available on the Internet is increasing, young people are often not aware of these sites; furthermore, these sites are often not technologically sophisticated enough to attract youth. Candidates, politicians, and civic educators should increase efforts to make political information readily available online through youth-centered outreach. 5.) Create opportunities for authentic participation. Youth need to be involved in activities to help them develop the skills they will need as adults. Studies of successful youth civic programs demonstrate that many of these programs share the common elements of integrated dialogue, discussion, and the presentation of ideas and exchanges of perspectives between youth and adults. While it important to mobilize youth who are already active to galvanize other youth it is equally important for adults to allow youth to run organizations, or to be a part of government in schools or other institutions they belong to. Active involvement provides opportunities for the greatest long-term development of appreciation of our political system and democracy. 6.) We need to re-frame adult's views of youth. Adults must be ready to listen and to give equal consideration to young people's view points. Youth are not just "recipients" of programs, but are "partners" and should be seen as assets to their communities rather than as deficits. Youth-adult partnership must be cultivated. Research shows youth are more receptive to adults who "get it," that is, adults who understand power-sharing, are tolerant and open to diversity on all levels, not just towards young people. 7.) We need to support the development of these efforts in emerging democratic nations. Measures to increase youth civic engagement need to be taken in education in both public and private sectors, and by leaders in educational technologies. The values and skills of teamwork and civil activity should be fostered in youth in their childhood and nurtured during adolescence through programs that encourage collective youth activity and offer young people real opportunities to change real societal situations, with close-by, supportive adults as role models. 8.) More research is needed on what is occurring in classrooms that focus on civic-related subjects. We need to look at new ways in which schooling can contribute to citizenship and incorporate a review of curriculum, textbooks, opportunities to investigate and discuss political issues, and school-based activities. The preparation of programs for youth for the practice of citizenship should be given high priority for schools, in collaboration with parents and their communities. For those who go on to university, there should be a committed faculty, a supportive administration, good community connections, and strong commitments to educating and encouraging students to vote. Especially, as students are not in their home community, and can easily be deterred from voting.