Youth Development Insight

By Sarah Odendahl "The need to attend to global citizenship education is essential" are the first words of a 2006 article from UNESCO . The article identifies that of the four pillars of education from an earlier UNESCO report, " 'learning to live together', remains the biggest challenge." One of Minnesota 4-H’s goals is to help youth develop global citizenship skills. A quick Google search identifies many other organizations - from Fulbright to National Geographic - that have learning opportunities with the same goal. How can youth workers across organizations help youth build these skills? Emerging research shows that youth’s personal sparks help direct them to growth, contribution, and connection. Youth workers who can harness the skills, interests, and special qualities of youth and connect them to desired learning outcomes see increased odds of success. My personal spark for theater arts is one I enjoy sharing with youth; it’s also one that can easily ...

By Sarah Odendahl Stop by the 4-H building at the Minnesota State Fair, and there’s a good chance you can catch part of a theatrical performance. Arts-In and Share the Fun performances take place throughout the state fair and showcase 4-H members participating in the performing arts project . As adults on the outside, it's easy to observe the skills that youth gain while participating in a theatrical performance: teamwork, confidence, and public speaking or technical knowledge. What’s harder to see are the internal changes and connections that performing arts can have on youth, whether they are performing or observing. Recent qualitative research out of Canada concludes that even watching live performances can have an impact on identity formation in teens. After watching a live play as part of a school trip “several students commented on how the artistic portrayal of a parental relationship inspired them to think more empathetically about their own families.” Youth were able to ta...