tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8870492126959061342.post7264572828921802162..comments2024-03-26T11:50:32.354-05:00Comments on Youth Development Insight: Ways to make youth programs more inclusiveUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8870492126959061342.post-10578515681295959782023-11-14T14:39:23.744-06:002023-11-14T14:39:23.744-06:00Thank you so much for your response, and I am so g...Thank you so much for your response, and I am so glad that you are interested in making your programs more inclusive. If you give me a bit more context about your program (where it is, what communities is it seeking to engage, etc) I would be happy to share some resources. Kathryn Sharpehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06875039923921709325noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8870492126959061342.post-6586304025582806522023-11-10T10:54:35.597-06:002023-11-10T10:54:35.597-06:00Wonderful blog. I really enjoyed reading it and al...Wonderful blog. I really enjoyed reading it and also enjoyed reading the intriguing comments that bring up so many great points and issues. I am part of a development program and I am looking to gain more diversity in one of our youth programs. Do you have any suggestions on how I can include these groups that often get excluded?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8870492126959061342.post-52428206130891088262015-07-23T16:59:58.410-05:002015-07-23T16:59:58.410-05:00Heidi, thank you so much for sharing this experien...Heidi, thank you so much for sharing this experience and the important questions that it raises. It is an interesting observation that in the very effort to be respectful of one group's religious activities, we might be missing an opportunity to serve people who are not part of that group. I think this raises a few issues. First of all, if we continue doing what we have always done, we will get the same people participating, since they are the ones this schedule works for. While we want to be sure to continue serving them, your post also highlights the opportunities we have to ask ourselves, “Who is not here? Who else could get involved? What changes would we need to make to reach them?” These questions are at the heart of working to become more inclusive. Kathryn Sharpehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06875039923921709325noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8870492126959061342.post-17315700057717989742015-07-21T12:56:47.654-05:002015-07-21T12:56:47.654-05:00Thank you, Kathryn, for sharing your experiences a...Thank you, Kathryn, for sharing your experiences and research on such a powerful and profound topic. <br /><br />In my experience in the northeast part of the state, I have noticed that many of our program staff members and volunteers will not (or are at least very hesitant to) schedule any activities and events on Wednesday nights for fear of competing with religious educational activities sometimes scheduled by (some) Christians at that time. <br /><br />I understand the importance of accommodating schedules of our communities' young people. At the same time, I often wonder if, by doing it this way (totally avoiding Wednesday nights), we may be missing another group of youth that may be very open to programming at this time - and may find a richer sense of belonging with other youth who are not engaging in religious education at that time (whether they be from a different religion, not religious, or etc.). It's a wonder that, when uttered, is often met with a sigh and a comment such as "Well, it just won't work in THIS community." Do we really know until we reach out past our usual audiences? Heidi Haugenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06963971466753338518noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8870492126959061342.post-61024511943057055892015-05-21T15:31:10.871-05:002015-05-21T15:31:10.871-05:00Thank you, Margo, for raising these very important...Thank you, Margo, for raising these very important questions. You are so right that as we embark on asking questions of existing structures and practices in order to be accommodating, we run up against questions about preferential treatment, whether for religion or other issues. We definitely need to be aware as we make changes that in our efforts to be welcoming to new audiences, we are conscious of the impact those changes will have on our existing participants, as well. And yet the resistance to change in any organization often comes from people liking the comfort of traditions, and also sometimes from the position of someone in a place of privilege resenting when they feel they are losing their privilege. <br /><br />As part of the U of M and with our equal opportunity commitment, we do have a responsibility to make sure our activities are accessible to all. I like to look for ways that we can adapt our programs that will benefit many different participants, often in unexpected ways. Your idea of a "Moment of Gratitude" or a moment of silence would allow each person to practice their own person tradition (whether a prayer of their own religion or a moment of quiet reflection for those who do not practice a religion and who otherwise might feel alienated by a prayer). Similarly, a quiet room or space at the State Fair, for example, can serve as a prayer space, a place for non-religious reflection and rest, or a haven of sanity for a young person with autism who may feel overwhelmed by the sensory stimulation of the fair. <br /><br />What experiences have others had in addressing the diversity of religious beliefs and practices, while maintaining a program that is welcoming to non-religious youth, as well? <br />Kathryn Sharpehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06875039923921709325noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8870492126959061342.post-4764874766876264522015-05-21T09:31:39.593-05:002015-05-21T09:31:39.593-05:00I REALLY struggle with how we, as a system, accomm...I REALLY struggle with how we, as a system, accommodate religious beliefs in our programming. As our funding comes from government sources, and because we want to be inclusionary, how are we ensuring we are not seen as endorsing or favoring a particular religion? Many of our 4-H traditions incorporate a Christian prayer before meals. As I have tried to offer this option using a “Moment of Gratitude” as an alternative, I have been criticized for infringing on people’s right to express their religion. And as I’ve had informal educational dialogues, I have been in communities that are dominated by Christianity where some (albeit a minority, but a vocal minority) are adamant about maintaining their ability to practice their religion. It is such a personal and emotional issue; it’s not been a battle I’ve picked. <br /><br />Did you hear comments, or did you have conversations, as to how we are accommodating to other religious beliefs in our youth programming? What is our responsibility to accommodate religious beliefs?Margo Bowermanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05173788936472731505noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8870492126959061342.post-57634992837340317662015-05-20T17:21:34.388-05:002015-05-20T17:21:34.388-05:00Thank you so much for your reflection, Jennifer. ...Thank you so much for your reflection, Jennifer. I agree with you that it is essential for us to consider the confluence of both structures and practices in a holistic way. One of the real benefits of this is that they tend to have quite different timeframes for change--whereas a structure might require a much longer horizon for meaningful change, our practices can often be transformed in a much shorter period of time. I see our colleagues discovering this on a regular basis (and many of these examples are highlighted in the videos). These changes in practice then being evolving the overall organizational culture, and they can help to illuminate the ways in which the structures could or should evolve, as well.Kathryn Sharpehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06875039923921709325noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8870492126959061342.post-5174638562042350092015-05-20T15:44:45.629-05:002015-05-20T15:44:45.629-05:00Thanks for your thoughtful blog. I was especially...Thanks for your thoughtful blog. I was especially drawn to your point:<br />Dominant-culture structures that are in place must be examined and possibly changed to <br />create accessibility for non-dominant members.<br /><br />Structures that have been in place for a long time can create ways of doing things that may likely also need to be examined. This way structures and practices can get looked at together. I have been in many program-related meetings over the years where this question inevitably comes up – why are we doing it this way? I think it is a good question because it begs for reflection and examination and often leads to some kind of positive change. Thanks for sharing your experience and resources.<br />Jennifer Skuzahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01533527908673299404noreply@blogger.com