How to Solve Community Problems by Changing Policies: A Youth-led Teach-In

Submitted by Patrick Barrett on May 11, 2007 - 1:51pm.
login or register to post comments

This session will be on: June 29, 2007 - 1:00pm

It will be held at: Mezzanine Center room at the Atlanta Civic Center

View schedule

Organization Description

The Midwest Social Forum (MWSF) is an annual gathering of grassroots organizations, community activists, workers, educators, students, artists, and others committed to making a better, more just world possible. The MWSF provides an open space for exchanging experiences and information, strengthening alliances and networks, and developing effective strategies for progressive social, economic, and political change. The MWSF is committed to building a broad-based social movement across class, gender, race/ethnicity, generation, sexuality, ability, and geography. In pursuit of that goal, it seeks to embody a genuinely democratic process that assures the broadest representation possible. The MWSF is inspired by the World Social Forum and the similar principles on which it was established, most importantly its commitment to diversity, democracy, and politically non-sectarian dialogue and debate. Over the last four years, the MWSF has increased in scope, scale, and diversity, and in 2006, made its most significant leap forward. Last July, nearly 1,000 people gathered in Milwaukee for MWSF 2006, taking part in four days of caucuses, workshops, panels, training sessions, and cultural events.

Proposal Demographics

identify as women
identify as people of color
are 25 years old or younger

Session Description

HOW TO SOLVE COMMUNITY PROBLEMS BY CHANGING POLICIES: A Youth-led Teach-In
This 2-hour training will teach youth and adult participants how to organize urban youth, enabling them to turn community problems into legitimate policy issues. The training session will be facilitated by youth, age 20 and under. Youth and adult attendees will learn from youth the most effective strategies for organizing youth living in urban areas.

Participants will learn how to organize youth to:
a) identify and prioritize community problems,
b) create policy-based solutions to community problems
c) partner with advocates (community, legal, governmental, etc.) to successfully achieve policy changes

This training will focus on the biggest youth issues today, (i.e., Mayfair ID ban, cruising and MPS hand cuff) and will teach participants to become active in fighting against them through the civic process.

Methodology:
- After 50 mins of instruction and interactive discussion, participants will be split into teams.
- The teams will participate in simulated exercises that
will reinforce and deepen the lessons learned in the classroom
discussion. The simulation will last for 50 mins.
- The session will close with 20 mins of discussion.

Participating organizations:
Southwest Youth Collaborative, Chicago
Urban Underground, Milwaukee
Campaign Against Violence, Milwaukee


First Name

Patrick

Last Name

Barrett

Contact E-mail

pbarrett@ssc.wisc.edu

Proposing Organization

Midwest Social Forum

Organization Website

www.mwsocialforum.org

Position or Title

Member, organizing committee

Contact Telephone

608-262-0854

Alternate Telephone

608-215-7132

Event Day

Saturday, June 30th (Strategizing the Achieving of Another World)

Contact Address

8121 Social Science 1180 Observatory Drive

Format

Hands-on activities and role-play; small and large group brainstorm and discussion

Contact City

Madison

Keywords

Antiracism
Community organizing and local development
Education (see also Students & Youth)
Education, Right to
Students (see also Education & Youth)
Youth

Audience Number

50-100 people

Contact State

WI

Contact ZIP

53706

Person Reviewing

Rose Brewer