hamilton youth engagement initiative : year in review 2012-2013

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HSCI—OPIRG MCMASTER

The Hamilton Youth Engagement Initiative (HYEI) brings together groups of high school youth with older peer mentors. These mentors facilitate a program which focuses on an applied learning of civics and community engagement.

The 2012-2013 school year saw the exciting pilot of HYEI in a classroom setting. Despite all the hurdles and challenges the program faced, we were immeasurably fortunate-enough to be supported by incredible passion from our mentors, energy from our students, and dedication from our associated teachers and education consultants.

The Year in Review report introduces the reader to HYEI, provides an evaluation of the program’s development, and finally, recommends how the program should grow in the upcoming year and beyond.

The past year’s achievements include:

• Pilot of 6-session program with 3 classes and a youth community group, reaching over 80 youth (not including mentors)

• Further collaboration with HWDSB to open classrooms as a setting for the program

• Recruitment, training, and management of team of 40 volunteer mentors

• Trial of mentor position as a placement in a credited, university field placement course

• Building of foundations for recruitment of mentors from Mohawk College

Contact Information:

Hamilton Youth Engagement Initiative (HYEI),

a project of the Hamilton Students’ Community Initiative (HSCI)

Coordinators: Alex Ramirez and Nathaniel Loranger

[email protected]

THE HAMILTON YOUTH ENGAGEMENT INITIATIVE | 2012-2013

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Sponsoring body:

Ontario Public Interest Research Group (OPIRG) McMaster

MUSC 229, McMaster University

1280 Main Street West

Hamilton, Ontario, L8S 4S4

The Hamilton Youth Engagement Initiative (HYEI) seeks to encourage and facilitate youth civic engagement through the development of mentoring relationships between younger and older youth. Young people have vast potential to actuate community growth and lead social development; however, many youth need an environment that nurtures these values and gives them relevance.

Rooted in the principles of inclusive and collective participation, HYEI pursues effective, creative and sustainable solutions to its goals. Being collaborative in nature, HYEI is a process that not only focuses on revitalizing youth civic engagement, but also acts to garner and strengthen collaborative partnerships in the City of Hamilton’s community- and social-development sectors.

The ultimate goal of this project is to lay the foundations for a revitalization of youth civic engagement – both across the City of Hamilton, as well as provincial and national systems.

We envision a Canada where young people are active in, passionate about, and dedicated to, the civics of their communities.


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Acknowledgments HSCI would like to give a special thank you to all the people who

helped ensure that the Hamilton Youth Engagement Initiative would continue to flourish in 2012-2013.

Sabrina Arrizza

Hamilton Students’ Community Initiative (HSCI)

Krista Brodersen, Carolyn Craven

Westdale Secondary School

Alice Smith

Sir Allan MacNab Secondary School

Mike Des Jardins, Scott Sincerbox,

Kristen Armstrong, Mark Currie

Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board (HWDSB)

Cecilia Irazuzta, Randy Kay

Ontario Public Interest Research Group (OPIRG) McMaster

Milé Komlen

Hamilton Centre for Civic Inclusion (HCCI)

Brian McHattie, City Councilor—Ward 1

City of Hamilton Municipal Government

And to all the people who participated in the program as students or mentors!


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Table of Contents :

Introduction 6

Strategic Themes 7

Methodology 8

Participating youth 10

Engagement Sessions 12

Curriculum Connections 14

Project Examples 16

Program Evaluation 18

Program Recommendations 24

Future Developments 26

Supporting Literature 27


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introdu

ction

I t has been recognized that the civics

component of the Ontario Grade 10 Careers and Civics curriculum falls short in its pursuit of student engagement: many students report a strong disinterest in the delivered civics materials 1*. Further, youth are rarely invested in the development and shaping of their cities 2, 3, 4, despite being a prominent denomination of the Ontario population 5, 6. Decreased social trust 3, 7, greater mobility and less community connectedness 7 are degrading young people’s ownership of their cities. HYEI strives to tap into the critical period of maturation and learning that people undergo during their late teens 2, 5, 8, a period characterized by the adoption of distinct, personal perspectives and susceptibility to influence of peers. The program builds a forum for youth to act upon their visions of social development.

Y outh should not be viewed as problems needing fixing, but as incredible assets to

the development of communities 5, 9, 10.

* Note: Throughout this report, where appropriate, citations will be made to

supporting research literature.

T he Hamilton Youth Engagement Initiative is supported by a number of themes that work

as organizational pillars and ethical parameters in the conduct of our engagement strategy. These are presented on the following page.


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strategic themes

Engage - HYEI engages all involved persons in an active, participatory and inclusive environment. Connect - HYEI connects visions by fostering environments of collectivity and cooperation. Change - HYEI encourages direct participation in community-oriented initiatives for positive changes to communities and surrounding environments.

An integral component to this youth engagement strategy is support of youth autonomy. People have an innate capacity to identify, prioritize and suggest solutions to social issues according to their unique sets of experiences and means of personal expression. HYEI mentors work within the strict parameter of facilitation, rather than representation, to ensure the contributions of participating youth are free from manipulation of interests. Young people do not lack the desire to become civically engaged, but rather, the right opportunities and resources 14.

In developing a youth-led strategy for youth engagement, it is essential that the process be introspective, flexible, and welcoming of change. Hence, the value we place in HYEI’s reflective and organic nature is immense. Our methodology is not immutable. It is shaped by the experiences of our mentors and participating youth, guidance of education professionals, and insights of research literatures.

At HYEI’s core is an integral model of simple, but powerful, practices. By striving to maintain this fundamental, we maintain the Hamilton Youth Engagement Initiative as a program that is accessible and whose vision is tangible. Furthermore, the program acts to link youth-serving organizations, youth-led groups, and civic engagement groups 16, a role that is often missing from youth engagement 9. In effect, we work to ensure the sustainability of the program for future cohorts of youth 3.


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metho

dolog

y T he Hamilton Youth Engagement Initiative

structures its engagement sessions between youth and mentors around a specific learning model. One might question why a teacher could not deliver the engagement session material without the external assistance of HYEI mentors. Indeed, some teachers may already cover similar discussions and activities in their lesson plans 24. The strength of the HYEI model is the environment in which students learn. In the HYEI program, youth work collaboratively with peer mentors: older youth who act as facilitators and role models in the process. The potential for youth-with-youth informal learning, as well as the smaller ratio of students to mentors, allows students a much greater capacity to participate in classes and make personally-meaningful contributions. Moreover, this increased capacity for students to participate ensures that each individual’s voice is recognized and valued 13.

In following with Ontario curriculums 21, the inquiry model of learning is practiced throughout the program, thereby increasing opportunities for students to develop their self-directed learning capacities and explore intellectual engagement with their studies.


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Research shows that during adolescence, more than any other developmental stage, youth look to their peers for support, guidance, and perspective. An effective means, then, of motivating high school students to pursue positive growth of their communities is via the influence of other youth.

Establishing a peer mentorship relation between secondary school students and post-secondary students (adolescent youth with matured youth) engenders a sense of togetherness. This relationship focuses on the creation of a safe environment for youth to identify issues/interests pertaining to their surrounding communities with individuals to whom they can relate 19.

Mentors work with youth in decentralized, collaborative groups. Through the process of collective dialogue, participating adolescent youth develop strategies and policy recommendations for social change with complete autonomy. In a mutually-beneficial relationship, high school students are supported in their ambitions for community success, while our mentors will reconnect with their younger selves and reflect on personal growth. In many cases, the mentors are just slightly farther “down the road of life” than the youth they work with, and so everyone involved stands to gain something from the relationship. Informal learning activities can be effective techniques to include in dynamic approaches to education processes 7, 19. Informal, collaborative projects focusing on both practical and theoretical disciplines encourage students to share their personal perspectives, and in extension, explore these perspectives through dialogue and research. Drawing on this concept, the HYEI provides an opportunity for both secondary and post-secondary students to identify, discuss, and debate community issues. Such informal activity encourages youth to collectively share their concerns, learn from each other’s different perspectives, and take the steps necessary to participate in local decision-making 7, 20. The use of decentralized focus groups proves to not only generate engaging, youth-led discussions, but also results in an enhanced education experience for the post-secondary students, making this youth-with-youth engagement strategy truly unique in its ability to foster genuine learning experiences.


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Particip

ating

you

th

Post-secondary

The 2012-2013 HYEI mentor cohort comprised McMaster

undergraduate students who were either voluntarily participating,

or acting as mentors for a field placement credit in the Political

Science 3PR3 course. In accordance to agreements made with

the school board regarding ethical code of conduct, mentors

were required to provide a police reference check prior to

working with secondary school students. Between November

and February, a total of 32 training sessions were hosted for

mentors to familiarize themselves with the engagement session

plans. HYEI mentors were assigned to school locations and were

responsible, as teams, to prepare for each engagement session

and communicate with their partnered teacher, while relaying

progress and feedback to the coordinator team. At the start of the

classroom sessions, 37 mentors had remained with the project

and attended a satisfactory number of training sessions.

Secondary

Four groups of youth participated in the HYEI program, three of

which were in the classes of teachers who worked with HYEI.

More than 80 youth made up these four groups. The involved

groups were:

Voluntary Basis

• NGen Youth Centre After-school Focus Group

Mandatory Class Requirement

• Sir Allan MacNab Secondary School Grade 12

Canadian & World Politics

• Westdale Secondary School Grade 10 Canadian History

• Westdale Secondary School Grade 11 Genocide Studies


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12

enga

gemen

t ses

sions

B elow is an outline of the 8 week program developed in

consultation with the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board for the 2012-2013 year. Please contact HSCI for the complete 2012-2013 Engagement Session plans.

Session Title Key Objectives and Themes

1 Introductions to

communities

• Development of relations between mentors

and students

• Establish classroom norms

• Explore various interpretations of

community

• Identify values and themes of community

• Examine the roles youth can have in

building communities

• Reflect on the need for the HYEI program

2 Identifying and

categorizing issues

• Learn how to work in a group-based setting

• Learn how to identify and categorize

empirical information

• Identify real-world, pertinent issues

3 Tutorial on prioritizing

and consensus building

• Practicing tolerance and collaboration in

exploring perspectives

• Reaching agreement amongst opposing

perspectives

• “Finding the gray in a black and white

situation”

4 Collectively

prioritizing identified

issues

• Practicing procedures for reaching

consensus

• Prioritize issues needing attention from

youth


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Session Title Key Objectives and Themes

5 Tutorial on effective and

diverse methods of

synthesizing research

• Explore fundamental questions that drive

research and narrow focus

• Explore advantages of consulting diverse

range of sources

6 Recommending solutions • Distinguish between broad/abstract/

ambiguous solutions and practical/specific

solutions

• Explore Hamilton-based resources

pertinent to projects

• Developing practical solutions to issues

• Practice developing clear language to

present work

7 Drafting a basic policy

recommendation

• Exploring the language of policy, and the

use of the language to empower youth

• Practice concise and cohesive writing and

communication

• Develop culminating policy

recommendations

8 Overview of collective

recommendations

• Review all that has been accomplished in

only 8 weeks

• Reflect on the power of community

engagement and social change

• Opportunities to communicate advocacy

positions


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curricu

lum c

onne

ction

s A s recommended by a public school board

teacher, HYEI seeks to trial its engagement sessions within the Grade 10 Civics curriculum 21. It should be recognized that this strategy is not an attempt to change the curriculum. Instead, it is intended as a tool teachers might employ to better help their students make connections between the learning material and their personal lives. It is a way to enhance the engagement and empowerment of students with the curriculum.

T he engagement sessions are designed to give students a foundation in the theory,

skills, and experiences needed to make meaningful, positive changes in their communities. In essence, the program intends to empower youth to become purposeful, informed, and active citizens through civic participation.


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Informed Citizenship

Overall Expectations

• Demonstrate an understanding of the need for democratic decision making

• Explain what it means to be a global citizen and why it is important to be one

Specific Expectations

• Democratic Decision Making

• Rights and Responsibilities of Canadian Citizenship

Purposeful Citizenship

Overall expectations

• Demonstrate an understanding of the beliefs and values underlying democratic citizenship and explain how they guide citizens’ actions

• Describe the diversity of beliefs and values of various individuals and groups in Canadian society

• Analyze responses at the local, national, and international levels, to civic issues that involve multiple perspectives and differing civic purposes


• Democratic Beliefs and Values

• Diversity of Beliefs and Values

• Responses to Civic Issues

Active Citizenship

Overall Expectations

• Apply appropriate inquiry skills to the research of questions and issues of civic importance

• Demonstrate an understanding of the various ways in which decisions are made and conflicts resolved in matters of civic importance, and the various ways in which individual citizens participate in these processes


• Inquiry Skills

• The Resolution of Public Issues and Citizenship Participation


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proje

ct ex

ample

s W hat follows is a sample of the themes, community issues, and solutions that one class of students

researched for their projects during the HYEI program.

Group Theme: Specific Issue: Proposed Solution: Importance:

Accessibility Students with

disabilities

segregated to one

section of the school

due to design.

Implementing

wheelchair lifts that can

access all floors.

Will allow for students with

disabilities to be integrated

with the rest of the student

population, which can

encourage their social

development.

Education Education is lacking

in providing

students with

sufficient job

opportunities.

Implementing more

French classes into the

high school curriculum.

The benefits of knowing

two languages, especially

the ones that are official to

Canada, can increase

opportunity for jobs.

Environment The condition of the

Hamilton harbor

front.

Increasing awareness in

the media and through

school programs to

clean up the harbor

front.

Having a clean harbor front

can invite more

development for activities

(such as paddle boats) and

can increase tourism in

Hamilton.

Social Issues Racialization and

discrimination at

border checkpoints.

Border officers should

receive new training

that will teach them

about diversity.

Can limit personal

instances and experiences

of travelers being targeted

based on race, sex, or

religion.

Government There are not

enough students

voting.

Students need to be

targeted more during

electing campaigns, and

there should be no

school on voting days

so that students have

more reason to go vote.

Students make up a large

part of the population and

can greatly affect the

outcomes of the elections if

they were to participate

more.


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prog

ram e

valua

tion

Methods of Evaluation

1) Mentor written evaluations

Mentors were to complete written evaluations of their experiences in the program using a template supplied by the coordinators. They were to complete these evaluations both before the start of the engagement sessions with students, and after the sessions finished. The pre-evaluations were completed together during scheduled training sessions and so had ~70% completion rates. The post-evaluations were to be completed online, and had ~23% completion rates. This lower rate can be attributed to 1) the online template submission, and 2) lower mentor engagement during the final exams and summer months. It should be noted that mentors were very diligent about providing detailed, constructive responses.

The mentor evaluation templates measured the mentors’ experiences of the program and their thoughts on how the program should best be developed in the future, including Likert Scale and open-ended questions. Reviewing the data, the scale-based responses did not provide much further insight than that already gained from the qualitative, open-ended responses.

2) Engagement session exit cards

At suggestion of one of the program’s partnered teachers, exit cards were developed for each engagement session as a means for students to track their progress through the program. Each exit card included questions with scale-based responses to gauge the level students achieved in the session’s objectives. Similarly to the mentor evaluations, alongside the scale-based questions were open-ended questions asking students to expand upon their perceptions of the program.

Unfortunately, the quality of data gained from the exit cards leaves much to be desired. Although their inclusion in the engagement session format is important, their delivery during this year’s program was lackluster. The material quality was low due to: 1) variation in distribution between the three classes, 2) variation in whether the exit cards were completed during classes, or as homework, and 3) variation within and between classes about what the expectations were for completing work.


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Methods of Evaluation cont.

3) Transcripts of evaluation focus groups

Recognizing that the exit cards did not provide sufficient or satisfactory responses from the participating students, HYEI scheduled follow-up focus groups with each of the three classes after the completion of the six week program to obtain more reflections from the students. The class teachers were included in these focus groups. HYEI applied for and received a Support Grant from OPIRG in order to supply each focus group with snacks and show how much HYEI appreciated the continued participation of its partnered classes.

Because the focus groups were hosted during class time, attendance was largely representative of the regular class groups. Being a semi-structured interview style, it allowed the opportunity to probe for and clarify the perceptions students and teachers had of the programs. Although it is possible some students may have felt intimidated by speaking their opinions in an open forum, others praised this practice for its intimate, relaxed feeling, opportunity to take a participatory role in HYEI’s development, and debriefing aspects.


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prog

ram e

valua

tion

W hat follows is a presentation of the qualitative themes that arose in the

evaluation process. Where appropriate, responses have been supplemented with research literature. Quotations are presented as they were given to the evaluators. They have only been edited to make sense in the context of the following presentation, without altering the respondent’s intentions.

Overall, mentors gave very positive reviews of the program

coordinators and their volunteer management. Save for a few

lapses, email communications were prompt and regular, keeping

mentors on track. However, email communication seemed archaic

and a new mechanism would be appreciated. The program was

well organized, much more so than the 2011-2012 year.

Mentors valued having many different training times available during the week. The

focus on active learning of the engagement sessions helped to best prepare mentors.

Because the program had a rolling recruitment of mentors, some of the veteran mentors

found there was too much repetition in the training sessions. Efforts should be made to

include even more time to simulate sessions and discuss the troubleshooting of possible

scenarios that may arise.

Above all, mentors spoke highly of their opportunity to take an active role in the

development of the program. The encouragement of collaboration, equal contributions,

and coordinators’ openness to feedback all helped enhance the program’s engagement of

older youth. For the future, though, it should be clearly communicated when training

would focus on learning the material, and when it would focus on developing the

material.

A special note should be made about the program’s youth-led nature, which was not

lost on the mentors 14. Some commented on how they approved working with similarly-

aged coordinators.

1) Mentor management and training

“I enjoyed the passion of the coordinators and their dedication

to excellence.”


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“The reason I got involved with HYEI was precisely because of what it stands for. I wish I had had more exposure in high school to avenues of change

regarding community issues. Also, my careers and civics course was a waste of time. I think the goal of the program is both attainable and worthwhile. “

Undoubtedly, the opportunity to work closely with a high school class is one of the main attractions for people seeking to be mentors in the program. Mentors enjoyed this experience and believe in its objectives. As discussed earlier in this report, the relationship of mentor and student goes far beyond a unidirectional exchange. As one mentor explains:

“One thing that I really enjoyed surprised me and that is working with students/youths. Going into this, I thought that we are there to essentially teach students to become more active in their communities. Instead, as the

weeks progressed, I noticed that we are not teaching, instead it was more so a collaborative effort to engage students to participate in civic duties. For

this reason, I enjoyed working with youths. “

A number of mentors also mention their capacity to personalize their experiences, perceiving HYEI as an environment that allows for mentors to share and build their respective assets. Whether it was students, mentors, or teachers, all agreed that the program should work to bring together people with similar interests and passions.

2) Mentors’ experiences of engagement sessions

The most striking experience students had when working with mentors was the shift in power dynamics in both the class, as well as the place the students generally have in their communities:

“You could continue to talk with the mentors about other things: university, their experiences… Teachers can talk down to students, so the

mentors spoke at the same level as the students… they have a similar frame of reference as you, so it is easier to connect with them.”

Mentors could share personal perspectives on not only on career paths 5, but also community matters. All youth involved valued the opportunity to hear a diverse selection of opinions on subjects 22. From the very first engagement session with HYEI, students spoke positively of the recognition mentors gave their opinions5. Mentors should be sure to not accidentally ignore or disregard student contributions, though, as this alienates the class.

During one focus group, students were right to point out that the mentors have certain power advantages over the students due to the mentors’ post-secondary education, and that mentors should always remember to not let this power negatively affect the dynamics in the class 22, 23.

3) Students’ experiences of peer mentors


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prog

ram e

valua

tion

Students in all three focus groups were unanimous is support the HYEI program’s informal, discussion-based inquiry learning model.

The discussion-based environment was instrumental in drawing out students’ opinions on community issues, while creating safe spaces for students to share personal experiences. Discussions about local events were well-received, and flourished as most everyone felt they could give input. A number of

students and mentors spoke to the difficulty for groups to stay on topic, reflecting the organic nature of the discussion groups. These sentiments reinforce the need for mentors to be experienced discussion facilitators, and how HYEI will depend on returning mentors in the 2013-2014 year to pass-on their skillsets.

HYEI’s greatest transition in the 2012-2013 year was its move from voluntary sessions to a classroom setting. A topic often discussed by the mentors was the range of engagement levels seen in the classes. Some students were very attentive through discussions, whereas other students seemed to put very little interest in the sessions. This in part can be attributed to the unclear structure and expectations of the sessions, and objectives of the program. How the HYEI program would fit into student evaluations was not well-defined for classes, and in turn, students would be able to get by without doing any “real” research.

The mentors wonder if age plays a role in this, and that younger youth simply may not have reached the maturity level necessary to become passionate about civics. Consequently, students may not have any incentives to participate in sessions. The Grade 12 class also voiced this possibility. In all of the evaluations, respondents were questioned as to what education level a program like HYEI would best be applied. The Grade 12 group spoke to the possibility that earlier education levels would simply not be impelled to take ownership of the learning. Very interestingly, however, the Grade 10 class strongly argued for the program’s suitability to the age group. The potential that ageism exists in debates of youth engagement - even within the hierarchy of high school cohorts - is quite intriguing.

Nonetheless, reflections on student participation could be very encouraging:

“You could observe the confidence growing from day one to the last day. It was very empowering.”

4) Class participation and performance

“I now know how to lobby for the help of the city government.”

“Encouraging students to cooperate with one another to discuss their concerns… promoting collaboration and activism.”

“Giving back to the community in an appropriate manner for university students.”

Program participants provided a wide assortment of responses to what they thought the outcomes of the program were. This begets the central question of what youth should be gaining from a program about civic engagement and social change. Participants discovered the ease of putting their needs into communicable language, only to uncover the more intimidating challenge of actually seeing that recommendation through to reality. Some felt that a policy recommendation is ineffective at creating change. In certain cases, due to the nature of the issue a group was focusing on, it could be difficult finding feasible and realistic solutions to be communicated through a policy recommendation. Such an obstacle can discourage students. It would be helpful for students to present their work to authorities such as organization leaders, city councilors or even the school student government. But without a real-world outcome or closure, students will feel doubtful about their efforts 14. Mentors and teachers suggested possibly limiting class projects to school-related developments, so that students have a greater opportunity to present their work to administrative powers and see their recommendations put into practice.

Finally, a strategy for sustainability of youth engagement must be devised. The HYEI classroom program can serve as a beginning for many youth, but will not be enough for continued civic participation. Once students leave the resource-rich environment of the class and program, they will face many challenges in maintaining their engagement 25.

The content of the engagement sessions will require the most review and reimagining for the upcoming year. Most all participating youth felt as though the first four sessions were too drawn-out, leaving the last two sessions to be rushed. As a result of the slower pacing in the earlier sessions, some students may have not felt challenged and in turn, became disinterested. Moreover, students wished to receive more communication about the program’s organization, goals and objectives 12, 24.

Students did agree that they started to think more about their communities, municipal government, and the aspects of their city that they would want to see change. By focusing on topics that were relevant to their immediate lives, students had reason to engage in the program. Many agree that the purpose of the program should be for the program to give students the inspiration and framework necessary to create change, and then let the class do the rest 14.

The use of technology to supplement sessions must be reviewed. Mentors suggested increased inclusion of a variety of media to pique the inquisitive nature of students. Online participation was also discussed as a necessary component of this generation’s learning processes. Mentors did experiment with the use of tablet computers during class as a research aide, but the devices almost always served as distractions.

5) Experiences of engagement session content and structure


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Students in all three focus groups were unanimous is support the HYEI program’s informal, discussion-based inquiry learning model.

The discussion-based environment was instrumental in drawing out students’ opinions on community issues, while creating safe spaces for students to share personal experiences. Discussions about local events were well-received, and flourished as most everyone felt they could give input. A number of

students and mentors spoke to the difficulty for groups to stay on topic, reflecting the organic nature of the discussion groups. These sentiments reinforce the need for mentors to be experienced discussion facilitators, and how HYEI will depend on returning mentors in the 2013-2014 year to pass-on their skillsets.

6) Students’ experiences of informal, discussion-based learning

“I like how our group shares all of their ideas and how it makes me notice

things that are going on in the city better.”

“I now know how to lobby for the help of the city government.”

“Encouraging students to cooperate with one another to discuss their concerns… promoting collaboration and activism.”

“Giving back to the community in an appropriate manner for university students.”

Program participants provided a wide assortment of responses to what they thought the outcomes of the program were. This begets the central question of what youth should be gaining from a program about civic engagement and social change. Participants discovered the ease of putting their needs into communicable language, only to uncover the more intimidating challenge of actually seeing that recommendation through to reality. Some felt that a policy recommendation is ineffective at creating change. In certain cases, due to the nature of the issue a group was focusing on, it could be difficult finding feasible and realistic solutions to be communicated through a policy recommendation. Such an obstacle can discourage students. It would be helpful for students to present their work to authorities such as organization leaders, city councilors or even the school student government. But without a real-world outcome or closure, students will feel doubtful about their efforts 14. Mentors and teachers suggested possibly limiting class projects to school-related developments, so that students have a greater opportunity to present their work to administrative powers and see their recommendations put into practice.

Finally, a strategy for sustainability of youth engagement must be devised. The HYEI classroom program can serve as a beginning for many youth, but will not be enough for continued civic participation. Once students leave the resource-rich environment of the class and program, they will face many challenges in maintaining their engagement 25.

7) Outcomes

“Because of the small group format, regardless of how slow things went, [the students] still take

ownership of the process”


24

reco

mmen

datio

ns

R eflecting on the experiences of all those who participated during the 2012-2013 year, as well as consulted research

literature, the following recommendations are proposed for the HYEI program’s continued development into the 2013-2014 year.

1) Volunteer management & training

a. Establish an online, private forum with non-anonymous accounts for mentor communications.

b. Couple each engagement session with a mentor meeting to allow appropriate time for mentor teams to prepare.

c. If following a rolling recruitment schedule, ensure those who have been trained will train the new recruits, decreasing some repetition.

d. Place more focus on simulation sessions and troubleshooting scenarios

2) Engagement sessions & materials

a. Clearly communicate program goals and structure to students from beginning

b. Condense material of sessions 1-3 to focus on creating outline for student projects

c. Review how HYEI teaches civic engagement to students, and whether a broader selection of advocacy & activism tools should be introduced to class

d. Match mentors with student groups based on social change interests 26

e. Focus sessions 4-6/8 on preparing student projects and exploring the obstacles to social development

f. Develop/obtain visually attractive materials for students 12


25

3) Student evaluation

a. Tie student participation and effort to evaluation

b. Clearly communicate expectations of students and how their class evaluations are tied to the program.

c. Increase number of student presentations to improve ac-countability.

4) Technology

a. Develop a more welcoming graphic theme to tie HYEI me-dia together

b. Invite students to participate in discussion forum for their projects, which will also nurture interschool collaboration 23

5) Program evaluation 15

a. Encourage mentors to do evaluations together, or have students do evaluations with mentors, as a means of en-couraging completion rates

6) Outcomes

a. Connect student projects to their mandatory high school service hours

b. Consider limiting student projects to school-related initia-tives

c. Connect students to existing social change initiatives in Hamilton

7) Sustainability 11, 27

a. Develop a governance structure for HYEI.

b. Secure financial support for program.

c. Develop a collaborative youth network in Hamilton

26


• Involve wider audience of youth: more schools, more mentor sources • HYEI hopes to involve a broader range of mentors in the upcoming year, including students from Mohawk and Redeemer College, older youth not attending post-secondary education, and youth who were students of the program in 2012-2013. • Pilot incorporation of HYEI into Grade 10 Civics • Plan adaptation of HYEI model to Grade 10 Careers • Establish HYEI’s governance system and succession plans • Increase inclusion of youth in their communities’ decision-making processes


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1) Lau, S., & Lau N. (2009). Inspiring Citizenship. Ontario Student Trustees’ Association. Retrieved July 2013 from osta-aeco.org

2) Flanagan, C., & Levine, P. (2010). Civic Engagement and the Transition to Adulthood. The Future of Children, 20 (1), 159-179.

3) Jenkins, K. (2005). Gender and Civic Engagement: Secondary Analysis of Survey Data. CIRCLE Working Papers, 41, 1-16.

4) Ballantyne, R., Connell, S., & Fien, J. (2006). Students as catalysts of environmental change: a framework for researching intergenerational influence through environmental education. Environmental Education Research, 12 (3-4), 413-427.

5) Ontario Ministry of Children and Youth Services. (2012). Stepping Stones – A resource on youth development. Retrieved July 2013 from children.gov.on.ca

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