Youth Development Insight

By Karen Beranek In the past year, each and every professional development session I've attended has had one thing in common: the topic of civil discourse! Everyone’s talking about the need for it, the lack of resources around it, and opportunities surrounding it. My colleague Jessica Russo started the conversation on this blog with her recent post, Youth programs can rescue democracy . It has elicited numerous heartfelt comments. I'd like to continue that conversation. Teaching young people how to talk with those who have a different background or view than they have is sometimes as simple as providing a safe place for them to do so. Here are some strategies. Group agreements From the Center for Adolescent Studies, this technique develops expectations for functioning with a set of group norms. Active listening From the U.S. State Department. It's a method in which the listener seeks to understand, suspend judgment and give full attention. Text Talk Revive Ci