Category Archives: youth

Youth Media and A New Framework for Activism


Posted by ajlovesya

This weekend I spoke at the Digital Waves Youth Media Festival in NYC.  Let me just say that if you want perspective on your career and values talk to young people. I find there is an emphasis on having tangible ways to find and create the career and life you want.

I did youth radio in high school through Radio Rookies, a New York Public Radio initiative that provides teenagers with the tools and training to create radio stories about themselves, their communities and their world.  In reflecting on my experiences in that program, I realize I was equipped with a framework for changing the world that emphasized confidence, connection, and action.

1.  Own your experiences: Oddly enough I see this more in adults than in young people, but this unfortunate belief that we shouldnt share our experiences because we don’t believe they matter.  In order to take effective action, mobilize, and connect with your community you have to believe that your voice is important.

2.  Be willing to listen to the stories of others: I was encouraged to talk to family, friends, and neighbors about issues I normally wouldn’t discuss.  Through reaching out I was humbled by people’s willingness to open up to me and I gained greater perspective on the reasons for people’s actions and beliefs.

3.  There’s no issue too big that you cant act on: I’m sure many of us have heard of childhood obesity, but how many of us have heard from young people struggling with obesity? People talk about becoming a post-racial society, yet how many of us have heard from young people who are cultivating their identities during this change? Through youth radio we were trained to use our most powerful weapon, our voices, as a way to act on important issues.

To help young people reflect, connect, and act I shared the following resources:

What would you share with young people in journalism for changing the world?  What’s your framework for activism?


The Best and Worst Moments of My Nonprofit Career


Posted by ajlovesya

Katya Andresen is hosting this month’s Nonprofit Blog Carnival and the theme is “highs and lows of your nonprofit career.”  While I didn’t participate in the carnival and have fewer years in public service than those who did, I love topics like this because they are reflective and I walk away with a different understanding of my experience and the experiences of others.

Let’s start with the bad. The fact that I tend to come in with a million and one ideas and can be a bit impatient means that I have had plenty.  My lowest  moment was when I was tutoring as an undergrad in my education program.  My placement was in the classroom of a first year teacher in an inner city school in Philadelphia.  I spent one day observing and another working with a small group of students.

It was an incredibly difficult situation.  The students had to be read to, which didnt work as none of them were listening.  Meanwhile next door a teacher was constantly YELLING at the students.  There was noise, security guards were making rounds, kid getting up and leaving… a nigthmare.

So when I got my students I told myself I was going to be different.  Not like these stuffy teachers who have no connection at all with the students.  Students were going to respect me because, I’m cool.  (yep…my thoughts). While the students were nice, we didnt get  much work done.  I was so busy trying to be a cool friend that we spent a bunch of time yapping about TV and friends instead of focusing on work.

By the time I tried to assert some authority it was too late–time with Ms. Allison was time for relaxing, a break from class.   And instead of talking to the teacher and getting some help I spent time fussing with the kids, getting frustrated with them and myself.  And of course, the guilt would kick in  that I am supposed to be helping these kids but I wasn’t.  I just wasted their time and mine.  And my ego wouldn’t let me ask for  guidance.

What I learned: Nothing is as easy as it seems.  When you start some place new it is easy to see everything that is wrong. What’s hard is getting to the root of that problem.  In this case, I saw the issue as people not being nice enough with the kids without realizing that more is necessary when it comes to teaching and that my role wasnt just to be their friend.  Additionally, when you see the problem, it is easy to think that you are the one who can fix it, ignoring others or your own shortcomings.

Now for the good. My highest moment was when I started a “Career Day” program for low-income teens I was working with in North Philadelphia.  I was running a leadership training program and during the mid-year review, the students said they wanted to go out, meet people, and learn about different opportunities.  When I mentioned spending a day with someone in a field they were interested in, they LOVED it.  So I called up board members, alumni of my college, and friends and asked if they would host a student for a day who was interested in their career.

The response was overwhelming.  So many people were eager to participate and we had a range of opportunities for the students to choose from: an art consultant who helped cities and companies with design, an architect with his own firm, an attorney, an art teacher with a video and music production company, a college professor, and many many more.

It went wonderfully and the kids and adults had an awesome time.  Just by asking I saw how much people wanted to give of their time and how these students were so eager to learn. Additionally, a few students were offered summer internships :)   It is the highlight of my (brief) career thus far.

What I learned: Listening is key.  I made it a habit to constantly solicit feedback from my students to ensure that they had a hand in planning the program and that the activities we did were both fun and educational.  By asking, I also acknowledged that while I knew of activities beforehand, I didnt know the students and needed to be flexible to accommodate them. I also learned that  people will give if you ask!   The worst a person can say is no and even then, ask if they know of anyone who can help.

And of course, a little  patience and humility dont hurt.

I’d love to hear from some of my fellow nonprofiteers so I’m tagging Rosetta, Kevin, Colleen, Eric what are your nonprofit high and low stories?

Do you all have a high and low nonprofit story?  Share!

Thanks to Allison Fine’s post for inspiring me to participate.

Photo Credit: images.com


Supporting Youth Entrepreneurship in Michigan: Meet Kelly Steffan


Posted by ajlovesya

At the 80 Million Strong for Young American Jobs Summit I had the privilege of meeting Kelly Steffen, entrepreneur and student at Michigan State.  Through the organization she helped create–Spotlight Michigan–she is tackling the state’s brain drain (when college grads leave the state) while encouraging more young people to be entrepreneurs.  Please read and share!

Tell us about yourself!

spotlight MI picI am a rising senior at Michigan State University and majoring in International Relations and Economics. I’m interning in Dc this summer at the US forest Service- International Programs. However, the more you could focus on the company than on me would be great. I work hard for the organization but it takes the brain power and hard work of a few other individuals as well.

Tell us about your organization.

The company is called Spotlight Michigan and was started in a class at Michigan State called “Michigan Futures Seminar” run by two professors and through the Michigan Center for Innovation and Economic Prosperity (MCIEP). The class was given the question, “How do you develop an entrepreneurial culture in Michigan” From there we set forth with various studies, including a comparative  study to various cities we traveled to across the United States. Spotlight Michigan was thus born on a long road trip from Charleston to Raleigh.

The company is now run by 4 (myself included) Michigan State students that continue to profile various innovative students and businesses in Michigan. We hope to highlight these people and organization that “have it right” and to show that good things are still happening in Michigan and the state still has a potential to be great and thrive economically. We also work to host events to connect the vast entreprenuerial resources in the state to young adults. Something the company has really noticed is that Michigan does have a lot of great resources for entreprenuers, however, first, young adults have little access or knowledge to these and secondly, a lot of the resources in the state overlap on services and could be much more efficient if they all worked together. Instead they almost compete and thus don’t provide the best overall service to the state.

In the next few months we hope to develop more of a service type branch where we act as a consulting service for young students who want to open their own commpany. We also hope to create an “entreprenuerial match-making service’ where we can connect young adults with developed businesses either for jobs or as a mentor service. We also hope to act as a student liason on some of the board of directors for a lot of the economic developers in the area to make sure they keep student’s interest in mind.

Overall Spotlight Michigan believes that entrepreneurship, especially young adult entrepreneurship is the only way to turn the dismal state of the economy around. We’ve seen the failure of the big auto industry and know that Michigan must diversify its economy to small businesses and cannot rely on any one big industry anymore. Also, Michigan has a GREAT university system and thus high knowledge students are its best asset. So striving for a growing entrepreneurial young adult population seems the obvious best step.

What was the inspiration behind starting it?

The inspiration for the company came from 12 students sitting around and looking at the statistics like 54% of Michigan university graduates leave the state and its 15.4% unemployment and the fact that a family leaves Michigan every 8 minutes. The group of us realized that we cannot just let this go on anymore and need to step up and take action and put all of our research and knowledge into legitimate action. We just couldn’t watch these things get worse and worse and realized we HAD to do something.

What were the challenges in starting your own social change organization and how did you deal with them?  What have been your biggest successes?

The biggest challenge originally was learning how to work with the 12 students that founded it. We all had competing ideas and everyone was a leader in their own right. We figured this out by really making an effort to sit out and listen to everyone’s ideas. Certainly fights arose but I like to think that overall we worked pretty well collaboratively. However, now the real challenge is how to tackle such a vast problem in the state in a cohesive manner. Like I said earlier there are A LOT of entreprenuerial resources in the state and Spotlight Michigan is really trying to get everyone to talk together. It’s hard to organize that. Hopefully,

We have had a lot of successes however. I am constantly blown away by the opportunities we get. We were asked to speak at the Michigan legislature to the higher education appropriations committee to show the real benefits of increasing funding for higher education at a time when the budget is completely shot. We also presented at the National Summit for Research this year. I wasn’t there, but my colleagues were and it was a huge honor for us to be asked to present.

What resources have been helpful in creating and maintaining this organization?

We’ve gotten A LOT of community support. People have never hesitate to meet with us, to tell us about new opportunities, etc. The president of Michigan State, Louanna Simon, has been really supportive and opened a lot of opportunities for us. Our two original professors have also been great mentors.

Why did you attend the 80 Million Strong Summit?  What did you learn?

I attended the 80 million strong conference because the overall message of it is great. In these scary economic times, young adults are overlooked SO MUCH. All this legislation is geared towards big companies, experienced workers, etc. None of it is directed at the future of this nation! It can be so frustrating sometimes when you hear this great group like at 80 million strong just shouting for a chance to be heard and seen so they can make a difference and the majority of this nation’s leaders continues to overlook them still. Young adults are dying to make a difference in this world but their efforts are so frequently frustrated. It’s ridiculous. I learned that we have to continue pushing to be heard but learned that there are people, like yourself, as passionate about me at changing this.

What are some solutions to the youth unemployment crisis and how does your organization if at all, address this issue?

I addressed this a lot in number 2 but entreprenuership, like we’re promoting, opens new opportunities and jobs for not only themselves, but their peers. It also adds unique value to society and a new way to get things done. To me, it’s key to changing the scary statistics.

How do you balance going to school while running an organization?

I haven’t quite had to face this problem yet. Because it started as a class for credit last semester and then developed more over the summer, I haven’t yet faced the difficulties of balancing running a company and keeping up with school work. However, I am worried about it next year, mainly because I’m so passionate about this it is much easier to work on Spotlight Michigan things than it is to study for calculus. It’ll definately be a balancing act… I’ll let you know if it turns out okay.

What advice would you give to a young person wanting to start an organization?

GO FOR IT!!!!! If you have a good idea, talk it out with a few friends and don’t be afraid to ADAPT your idea. After that, just start googling resources that you think might help you. Trust me, they are probably out there. While young is the time to start an organization and take a chance! You have way much less to lose now than when you’re 35 and have a mortgage and a family.

How can people get involved?  How can people contact you?

If anyone wants to get involved with Spotlight Michigan or to work for similar goals in the state, please please please contact me at steffenk@spotlightmichigan.com so we can discuss how to work together. Also, check out t www.spotlightmichigan.com and submit your own ideas and comments on the articles. Also, if anyone has their own idea and wish to write an op-ed, let me know! We’re really trying to get more guest authors!


Social Change Rockstar: Meet Wendi Oppenheim


Posted by ajlovesya
from opp-guide.org

From Opp-Guide.org

A few months ago on twitter I came across the Opp-Guide, a web based nonprofit that allows young people to explore and rate volunteer experiences. I love the idea of young people becoming more involved in community service and sharing their views so I asked Wendi Oppenheim, the executive director of the organization, for an interview.

If the idea behind the Opp-Guide doesn’t wow you, maybe Wendi will. She is a 10th grade honor student who started the Opp-Guide to Community Service 5 years ago. In addition to winning a $10,000 social media grant from Best Buy/Ashoka she also is the only sophomore sitting on the board of Alliance For A Healthier Generation, a joint-venture between the American Heart Association and the William Jefferson Clinton Foundation to get young people interested in healthier more active lifestyles.

Tell us about your organization:

I created and developed about five years ago, the Opp-Guide to Community Service, Inc. an on-line resource for youth to learn about service activities within their community. Modeled after the Zagat Guide which rates restaurants, the Opp-Guide “rates” service opportunities. Specifically, students complete an objective questionnaire and write reviews about their volunteer experience, thus enabling other youth to find compatible service activities of interest to them.

The Guide’s mission is to empower, educate, and motivate youth to volunteer and make a difference within their communities. Many schools require community service for high school graduation. Further, under the present Obama administration, service is encouraged not only for older students but also for middle-school students. The Guide tries to bridge the disconnect between youth who do not know where to volunteer and volunteer organizations seeking volunteers.

We were originally in print form which we sold to area high schools, libraries, adults, and youth, the proceeds of which were distributed to Hurricane relief efforts. After becoming a 501c3, we went on-line in order to capture a greater number of people as well as to expand to other communities.

What was the inspiration behind starting it?

The inspiration in forming the Guide was to close the gap between students and youth not knowing where to volunteer and matching them with compatible volunteer activities so that they would continue volunteering throughout their adulthood. By providing youth with the ability to review their service experience (which we verify and then post on-line), others receive candid, witty, and honest insight as to a particular volunteer activity.

We originally came up with this idea when we realized that other students do not know where to volunteer and that many youth view volunteering as “mandatory” as opposed to actually enjoying themselves.

What were the challenges in starting your own nonprofit and how did you deal with them?

Getting initial funding and publicity. We were fortunate in preparing and successfully obtaining seed money from youth based service organizations. After becoming a 501c3, we were able to seek private foundation resources. As for publicity, we have been using a wide range of internet based social modes to “spread” the word.

What resources have been helpful in creating and maintaining this organization?

The internet and partnerships with other nonprofits as well as youth based ventures have helped sustain us.

How do you balance going to school while running a non-profit?

It has been challenging having to contend with a rigorous academic schedule as well as other extracurricular pursuits; however, having a strong Board and being able to organize time are helpful!

What advice would you give to a young person wanting to start a nonprofit?

Although it may be a bit overwhelming when you may consider the amount of time and effort that a nonprofit needs in order to exist (as well as funding to be able to sustain itself), as long as you are passionate about what you are interested in, you will be successful!

If you are interested in learning more about the opp-guide or helping out you can send an email through their website.


Get Help on Volunteering from These Awesome Groups on Twitter


Posted by ajlovesya

Yesterday I blogged about how the biggest issue in service is giving people the tools to figure what kind of service is best for them.  No matter where you are or what you do we can all make the world a better place but the trick is figuring out how.

In addition to the idealist.org handbook being an excellent resource, on twitter there are tons of people and organizations sharing information on volunteerism from a variety of perspectives.   Whether you are a busy mom looking to volunteer, a student wanting to volunteer abroad, a current volunteer looking for inspiration, or an organization looking to recruit and retain volunteers, there is something on twitter for you.

I made a list of folks on twitter that I enjoy following and find helpful.   If you want to find more check out wefollow.com or look through who your favorite people on twitter are following—it’s  a great way to find new people.  Enjoy and share!

General News:

  • For updates on volunteer opportunities, issues affecting volunteerism, how volunteerism is changing communities follow @servecommunity
  • How are our politicians, celebrities, and companies encouraging service?  How service is making news?  Learn more about that by following:  @TheNewService @national service

Long-Term Service:

  • If you are interested in spending a year or two in a service program you can learn more about challenges and joys of such programs as well as some great opportunities by following:  @peacecorps @americorps @cityyear

Finding Opportunities:

For High School and College Students and Educators:

For Non-Profits

For Busy People:

  • Need tips on coordinating volunteer activities to fit in your busy schedule?  Check out @volunteerspot
  • You can volunteer from your phone.  Really!  Check out @extraordinaries
  • Want to volunteer with the family?  Follow @VolunteerFamily

For Inspiration:

  • Are you currently volunteering and need inspiration or to connect with fellow volunteers?   Follow @volunteerwords @ServiceCircle
  • To see first-hand how people are serving their communities in meaningful ways check out @volunteernation