Week 4: Ideologies

Angela C. Stanley

Week 4 Readings: I Know What I Believe: Using Theory to Prepare Youth Workers and Principles for Youth Development

My ideology: Civic

Quote	Reflection
“People don’t buy what you do; they buy why you do it.  And what you do simply proves what you believe.”  Youth development is complex, multifaceted and challenging work.  The “what” of youth work – skills and competencies – are critical to the professional training of youth workers.  And the “why” – the values, culture, theories of change that shape youth worker identities and ideologies – are equally vital. McKamey, Bogad, Clemons, & Restler	This resonates with me because I am a firm believer that what you believe will always shine through your actions.  The methods I decide to work with is a clear reflection of what I value.
Development is a process, not a goal. People continue to develop throughout their lifetimes. Therefore, promoting youth development is an enduring, overarching purpose, not a goal that is ever finally achieved. Hamilton, Hamilton, & Pittman	I am usually one to measure things with SMART goals (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-based).  However, this passage made me feel like the term “development” should both be in the same context as the term “goals,” and yet so far away from it.  I agree with this idea that development is never achieved; that there is no cap in development.  However, I still believe that you can measure development in terms of hitting goals.
The fact that all youth are developing and their development can be either enhanced or impeded by the opportunities available to them in their families, schools, and communities definitely does not mean that all youth need the same thing. Hamilton, Hamilton, & Pittman	I agree with this.  Youth are all unique individuals, regardless of any similar backgrounds they may have.  Nature is equally as important as nurture and I believe that it should be demonstrated in the way we address youth, youth problems, and youth solutions.
Development is not simply something that happens to a person; agency refers to the developing person’s active involvement in shaping the process of development, for example, by choosing challenging activities and seeking supportive relationships. This conception underlies the principle that youth are participants rather than simply recipients; they are responsible actors. This principle goes by many names, such as youth voice, participation, and empowerment. It is rooted in the rights young people have as citizens of a democracy and in what is most beneficial to their development (Convention on the Rights of the Child, 1989). Hamilton, Hamilton, & Pittman	Give youth the opportunity to make decisions and voice their opinions so they can grow, develop, and build autonomy, rather than sheltering them and then kicking them out to fend for themselves when they are 18.  How could they possibly understand the importance of responsibility if they were never taught it or never given the chance to experiment with making decisions, understanding repercussions to actions, and experience the results to the choices they’ve made?  Let them speak.
Adults in this framework aim to support young people as they engage in dialogue, conversation, and action within existing democratic structures (Roholt, et al., 2013).  Our students come to YD with a desire to make a positive impact and this focused, direct-action approach helps them feel like they can make a difference. McKamey, Bogad, Clemons, & Restler	At first, I felt like the idea of Civic Youth Development wasn’t the best for me.  I felt like I was leaning more toward the Positive role because I am so interested in holistic health and positive reinforcement.  As I read this passage, my first reaction was that it was undesirable in the sense that it limits individualism.  Structures are already predetermined and there is no ability for immediate self-expression, but rather only the ability to reform and change something existing.  This didn’t sit well with me.  However, the more I reflected on this passage, the more I began to align it with my future goals.  I would eventually like to become a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and work with student athletes in the realm of sport psychology.  This is an existing structure that I feel like I can progress with my own personal uniqueness along with the individuals I will hopefully one day be working with.  And so, I understand how this ideology gravitated to me, or vice versa.