Students Advocating for Youth

Format

Poster Presentation

First Presenter's Institution

North Carolina State University

Second Presenter's Institution

North Carolina State University

Third Presenter's Institution

North Carolina State University

Fourth Presenter's Institution

North Carolina State University

Fifth Presenter's Institution

NA

Strand #1

Social & Emotional Skills

Strand #2

Academic Achievement & School Leadership

Relevance

The Students Advocating for Youth program builds life development and self advocacy skills in at-risk youth in grades four through eight.

Brief Program Description

This poster session will give attendees an understanding of how "SAY" (Students Advocating for Youth) 1st-year college students are trained to work one-on-one as advocates and mentors in an afterschool setting with disadvantaged 4th and 5th graders. 2nd-year students do the same with middle school students. Target audience will include anyone in the field of education, particularly higher education, who wishes to link pre-service teachers with with public schools regarding issues faced by youth at-risk.

Summary

Students who are current participants in the Students Advocating for Youth Village at North Carolina State University will share how they became youth advocates for at-risk youth and the benefits those youth have by participating in the program. SAY advocates are trained to build year-long relationships with individual youth, many of whom are on free/reduced school lunch plans. This advocacy takes place at the youth's school once a week and focuses on a number of improvement areas: self esteem, leadership, goal setting, self awareness, discovering a passion, and finding one's 'voice.' SAY advocacy is based upon a strength model and does not involve tutoring.

Evidence

Pre/Post-testing assessment of 4th and 5th grade youth participants has shown increases at all three partner schools over the last five years in these 12 categories:

I am confident in myself in my classes and schoolwork

I feel that I am a confident person at home and in other places outside of school

I feel supported and encouraged at home

I feel supported and encouraged by adults at school

I listen to everyone’s opinion

I can communicate my ideas clearly

I am responsible

I enjoy being a leader at school

I finish jobs or tasks given to me

I know how to set goals for my future

I know what steps to take to accomplish goals I’ve set for myself

I know I will be successful in the future

Biographical Sketch

Presenters will be 2-3 undergraduate students from NC State University who participate in SAY Village. (These students will be signing up later this fall to attend the conference).

Keyword Descriptors

youth advocacy, life skills, self-advocacy, finding voice

Presentation Year

2018

Start Date

3-6-2018 4:00 PM

End Date

3-6-2018 5:30 PM

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Mar 6th, 4:00 PM Mar 6th, 5:30 PM

Students Advocating for Youth

This poster session will give attendees an understanding of how "SAY" (Students Advocating for Youth) 1st-year college students are trained to work one-on-one as advocates and mentors in an afterschool setting with disadvantaged 4th and 5th graders. 2nd-year students do the same with middle school students. Target audience will include anyone in the field of education, particularly higher education, who wishes to link pre-service teachers with with public schools regarding issues faced by youth at-risk.