Shifting to Low Carbon Lifestyles
Global Youth Action Network - 5 levels of youth organising
Global Youth Action Network
5-LEVEL MODEL OF YOUTH ORGANIZING
Development and progress are limited by social divides. In order to combat fragmentation and maximize impact, youth movements need integration. Tens of thousands of youth organizations exist, but they are disconnected. A comprehensive strategy is needed to fully mobilize young people towards critical mass in order to leverage their collective potential and ensure their continued engagement as active citizens. In response to this need, GYAN developed a 5-level Model of Effective Youth Organizing, following 9 years of experience in the youth development field and inspiration from Integral Theory. (The theory is a concept developed by philosopher Ken Wilber that encourages planners to examine the internal and external dimensions of both individuals and their communities.)
Most youth organizations act on just one of these levels. GYAN aims to help organizations understand their "place in the model" and to plug youth into other "levels" and organizations, enabling a more integrated culture and system of civic participation.
The basic flow of young people through the model works as follows:
1. Awareness - Young people educate their peers and raise awareness about a given issue or problem.
2. Action and Recognition - They take action to solve problems in their communities.
3. Networking - They become aware of other efforts and plug into greater networks that extend beyond their communities. Information flows. New relationships form.
4. Collaboration and Trust - New groups learn from each other and build trust. Collaboration begins as groups form partnerships to increase their impact at a larger scale.
5. Participation in Decision-making - Democratically organized decision-making structures (representative or participatory systems), bring youth priorities to the political and social agenda.
5-LEVEL MODEL OF YOUTH ORGANIZING
Development and progress are limited by social divides. In order to combat fragmentation and maximize impact, youth movements need integration. Tens of thousands of youth organizations exist, but they are disconnected. A comprehensive strategy is needed to fully mobilize young people towards critical mass in order to leverage their collective potential and ensure their continued engagement as active citizens. In response to this need, GYAN developed a 5-level Model of Effective Youth Organizing, following 9 years of experience in the youth development field and inspiration from Integral Theory. (The theory is a concept developed by philosopher Ken Wilber that encourages planners to examine the internal and external dimensions of both individuals and their communities.)
Most youth organizations act on just one of these levels. GYAN aims to help organizations understand their "place in the model" and to plug youth into other "levels" and organizations, enabling a more integrated culture and system of civic participation.
The basic flow of young people through the model works as follows:
1. Awareness - Young people educate their peers and raise awareness about a given issue or problem.
2. Action and Recognition - They take action to solve problems in their communities.
3. Networking - They become aware of other efforts and plug into greater networks that extend beyond their communities. Information flows. New relationships form.
4. Collaboration and Trust - New groups learn from each other and build trust. Collaboration begins as groups form partnerships to increase their impact at a larger scale.
5. Participation in Decision-making - Democratically organized decision-making structures (representative or participatory systems), bring youth priorities to the political and social agenda.
Add a Comment
About
Photos
© 2009 Created by Adam Cade on Ning. Create Your Own Social Network
You need to be a member of LifeShift to add comments!
Join this social network