Conferences

Tuesday, January 15, 2008
1:45 pm - 2:45 pm

Breakout Sessions - choose one to attend
Program Track - choose between 2 topics Session 1 Topic: Youth Engagement Councils in SW Minnesota Session 2 Topic: Experiential Education and Youth Engagement	Research Track Session 1 Topic: Research Panel Improving Youth engagement work: Where is the ‘good’ research and how can I use it? Session 2 Topic: Program Leader Panel Nuts and Bolts: Research and Evaluation as the foundation to your program	Workforce Track - choose between 2 topics Session 1 Topic: Renewal Through Self Reflection Session 2 Topic: Listen Up!
Session 1: Rhonda Brandt The Youth Engagement Councils bring together young people and adults to analyze their community's youth development opportunities and develop recommendations for improvements. Through focus groups, interviews, and other means, the Councils identify local barriers to youth engagement and examine current community assets and areas for improvement. Each council develops recommendations for engaging more young people in positive activities and keeping them engaged. These recommendations may involve new collaborations between existing programs or the creation of new initiatives. Join us as we learn from Rhonda Brandt the Youth Development Coordinator for Worthington Community Ed. about Youth Engagement Councils. The goals of the YEC. The value of having these councils in these three rural communities Helpful information on how to bring youth and adults together to work on community projects, projects that have evolved and the impact that the initiative has on these communities.	Session 1: “Improving Youth engagement work: Where is the ‘good’ research and how can I use it? This session will focus on what youth programs can learn and use from current research. The panelists will discuss what can be found in current youth engagement research, the usefulness of good research and how research is vital to program improvement. Researcher Panel Presenters: Peter Rode, Minnesota Department of Health Jodi Dworkin, Assistant Professor in the Department of Family Social Science, Minnesota Extension Nicole LaVoi, Associate Director of the Tucker Center for Research on Girls & Women in Sport Richard Chase, Consulting Scientist, Wilder Research	Session 1: Leigh Combs, Family & Children‘s Service Renewal Through Self Reflection Learn creative ways of self care through this experiential session. With over 20 years of working in the human services field, Leigh will share with participants methods and activities she has found vital for staying healthy and renewed. Learn creative ways of self care through this experiential session. With over 20 years of working in the human services field, Leigh will share with participants methods and activities she has found vital for staying healthy and renewed.
Session 2: Eric Billiet *Session information: (NOTE: This is a 2 part session – conference attendees should plan to attend both sessions at 1:45 and at 3:00 p.m.)* THE GARAGE is a community center / music venue operated by the City of Burnsville. It is a safe environment where teenagers can excel! It strives to be a place where young people can just be themselves and have access to the resources and tools they need to accomplish their goals. Young people want to do extraordinary things, but for kids with interests in creative arts, music and dance, the world often leaves them without a place to excel; a place where they can get the encouragement and support they need to do the great things we know they are capable of. Eric will be discussing how THE GARAGE implements research on Experiential Education and Youth Engagement into policy, procedures, and programming. The discussion will focus on how to move research into practice, both the struggles and rewards.	Session 2: This session will focus on how program leaders have used research and evaluation as an integral part of their program improvement plans. Panelists will discuss how their programs have found youth engagement research to be helpful, how they have identified research approaches that balance research with program goals and how they obtained funding for evaluation. Program Panel Presenters: Wendy Wheeler, President and a founder of the Innovation Center for Community and Youth Development Al Ickler, Manager of Community Education Programs for Minneapolis Schools. Delroy Calhoun, Center Director for Loring Nicollet Bethlehem Community Centers Inc. Jenny Wright, Director of the Minneapolis Beacons Network	Session 2: Dr. Verna Price Listen Up! There is an art, a calling, and inspiration and specific techniques for teaching today’s youth. They are longing for educators who will give them phenomenal respect, challenge them to the core and demand academic success. Discover what you should be doing and should not be doing to effectively lead and teach today’s youth.