Looking for experiences training youth

[Michael Herman]

hello chris,
my most relevent experience is written up and posted online
at
<html://www.globalchicago2000/mha/stories/youthaction.html>.


in short, we did an afterschool open space with 35 kids ages
12-22, inviting them to prepare themselves and their peers
to be participants in some larger community movements that
were taking place in their hometown of racine wisconsin.  we
did three sessions and finished a little late, throwing off
the schedules of several moms waiting outside in mini-vans!

anyway, the kids did great work, of course, and went on to
organize all kinds of things, staying in open space mode for
their "governance".  they also went to several conferences
to tell their stories and to teach others of open space.  at
least one other group that we know of also began using open
space as a result of hearing the racine stories.  the main
things needed to support this were, as usual, a question
that seemed to matter, to get things started.  then, some
adult support in providing logisitical support, assurances
that they really could continue to go identify and go after
the things they thought were important, some encouragement
and financial support to go to these conferences and learn
more about their story by telling it to others, and someone
to keep the moms in the parking lot from coming inside and
stealing their kids away before it was over!

a more recent experience with 80 youth and 20 local village
employees at the 26th annual youth-in-gov't day, but the
first in open space, was only two sessions long, with lunch
in between.  even so, the second session felt like the
second day.  we seemed to get that day-two sort of bounce in
the afternoon session and seemed that a real flow occured in
all sessions, and they all seemed to be dealing with the
same core issues and all with different languages.  it made
me think later that maybe 18-year-olds are in such a state
of transformation already, that being able to check out and
check in faster is just standard procedure for them, so they
didn't need all night to think it over.

anyway, in both of these groups, the kids seemed to 'get it'
really quickly and then just need assurances and supports to
stay in this mode, that the real world could really work
this way.  which doesn't tell you much what to do with your
3 half days, but i hope some of this proves useful.  good
luck with them.  michael

--

Michael Herman
...inviting results in evolving organizations

Michael Herman Associates
300 West North Avenue #1105
Chicago IL 60610
312-280-7838 voice/fax
mailto:mherman at globalchicago.net

The Global Chicago Network
http://www.globalchicago.net

Michael Herman Associates
http://www.globalchicago.net/mha