Advanced Topics in Micro and Macro Social Work

This Mini-Course is for SW students interested in youth-programming in community-based settings, with a focus on older youth (adolescents). Participants will be introduced to “youth-driven” practice -- a conceptual approach rooted in positive-youth development that specifically focuses on practices and structures that foster youth voice and decision making. The youth-driven approach recognizes that youth traditionally lack the power to make decisions and participate in society as partners with adults. In a youth driven approach adults partner with youth by using developmentally appropriate interaction practices that empower youth, through the development of specific program and organizational structures, and by offering youth support to take on greater leadership roles.
In this course students will explore the theoretical pillars of youth-driven practice which include intrinsic motivation, developmental needs of adolescents and youth-adult partnerships. Furthermore students will consider and apply practices and strategies that can be employed in a community-based setting to support adolescents to develop socio-emotional competencies and 21st century skills. Socio-emotional competencies are those skills necessary for youth to understand and manage their emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions. Twenty-first century skills refer to core competencies that people need to thrive in today’s world, including collaboration, critical thinking, problem-solving, communication, as well as planning and reflection.
Students will also examine current theories in positive youth development and youth empowerment. They will consider and apply these theories to how youth programs and youth-serving agencies can most effectively create structures and systems to support youth voice, choice and decision making. Finally students will consider a curricula framework, including active learning strategies, that they can apply to sharing some of the practices or theory they learned from the mini course with youth they serve or colleagues in a community-based organization.