Unlocking the spirit of protest and community activism in marginalized young people through creative youth development

• In Event: Centering Youths' Perspectives and Experiences in Policy and Social Justice

Proposal

Every young person has the innate potential to become an active agent of change, but not all have the same opportunity to unlock it. Civic engagement, activism and protests then become an act of a few, while many are limited by the lack of space, support and opportunities. The International Youth Foundation with Burberry Group plc and The Burberry Foundation is implementing a new project, Burberry Inspire, to equip under-resourced youth to unlock their creativity and become catalysts for change in their lives, their communities and beyond. Nine youth-serving NGOs in eight cities—Tokyo, Seoul, Hong Kong S.A.R., London, Milan, New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco— are implementing Burberry Inspire programs targeting marginalized youth, including inner city, low-income, ethnic and gender-based minorities. Each organization uses the Creative Youth Development (CYD) framework defined by the Creative Youth Development National Partnership, developing a range of programs that promote activism through creative activities and work products. Using the CYD framework in education unleashes in young people a strong sense of identity, community, and civic engagement and activism.

Relevance. Creativity is vital to resist, create and transform. Consequently, it has been used in protests throughout history. At the heart of the project is a commitment to respect the diversity of young people’s lived experiences, value their perspectives, elevate their authentic voices, and support their creative development and expression. Creative expression takes different forms; young people elevate their voices through creative arts, STEAM-based learning, or leadership development programming, and provide innovative solutions to serious challenges faced in their communities or across the globe. Creativity—of all varieties— improves a young person’s self-confidence, their connection to self and others, and their individual and collective action. CYD can be a powerful tool for education to become a catalyst for change.

Need addressed. In the words of one young South Korean participant “Without creative thinking and expressions, we will have no choice but to live monotonous lives within the framework set by our society. As a result, it could diminish young people’s creative thoughts and prove detrimental to the development of society.” By developing creativity and engaging in opportunities to learn and produce, young people 1) gain greater self-confidence and other foundational life skills critical for success in life, 2) acquire information, connections and motivation needed to further educational and career plans, and 3) become empowered to play a positive role in their communities. The 9 organizations target marginalized groups, with less access to such opportunities, such as inner city, low-income, ethnic and gender-based minority youth.

Advice offered and sought. Discuss CYD as an evidence-based framework and connect the creative process and products to youth-defined problems and priorities, activism, protest and desired social change through impact stories.

Impact assessed. The project assesses participants ability to demonstrate creativity through the expression of a feeling or idea; skills and knowledge to plan and execute community action; engagement in community action; changes in self-efficacy, self-confidence, problem-solving and communication; and aspirations for a pathway to a livelihood.

Authors

• International Youth Foundation Lynda Gomez de la Vega, International Youth Foundation

• Linda Fogarty, IYF

• Adam Yockey, IYF