Blog Post #4

Youth in Action views young people in their organization as the center of change! The young people are their leaders!  In Youth in Action, they recognize their students as having most of the power and control. I agree because the young people are the ones who are going to lead this country soon. Our responsibility as youth workers is to continue leading them to the right path so they can become the leaders they envision themselves to be.

In the organization, you are able to express yourself and find yourself. They want the youth to have different opportunities that involve engaging in activities, challenges, and be part of a healthy team! This organization wants everyone to learn from one another by participating in different activities with the “youth workers”. It is a great space for you to feel comfortable with yourself and explore your interest! I think this is how they are teaching       their students how to become great leaders. 

Autobiography

Nathali Rosa

Autobiography

Prompt: What is your Youth Development Autobiography

When I graduated high school, I knew that I wanted a career that involved working with students. This is why as soon as I started my first year of college I registered as an education major. I always knew that I wanted to work in a school setting. Now, I know that I want the chance to work with students who need more assistance, and resources outside of school. When I graduated high school and started my college courses it was not too easy keeping up with my classes. All the rules that the school of education had, held me back from continuing my degree in education. When I found out that youth development was an option for me I was thrilled. I decided to be a Youth development major my junior year! Not because things did not work out in my previous major, but I figured that I was made to be a youth worker. There was a point in my life when I knew that this was the best fit for me. I wanted to be more than a teacher. Working at the YMCA helped me make my final decision about my career. The YMCA let me take training that helped me learn more about working with youth. I was also able to learn more about the different types of opportunities that youth workers can be involved in. The different roles that I familiarized myself with were family engagement, director for an after-school program, enrichment specialist etc. All the different opportunities that I listed were all really interesting roles that I learned about. After learning about the different careers a youth worker can be part of I knew I made the right choice. I will always be thankful for being part of the YMCA because I learned more about myself. I learned, that I wanted to be involved in a student's life outside of the classroom. I think that kids get more resources from the after-school programs offer. As youth workers, we have a great opportunity, and that is to have the ability to build great relationships not only with the students but the families too.

I am really happy!!!! that I choose Youth development as my major. I know there are different great opportunities in the world that involve this major that I will be a great fit for. I know that there are a variety of choices that I can choose from when I do have more experience. In the long run, my goal is to create my own organization, and I think that all the help that I am receiving now from awesome Youth workers on campus will help me reach my goal.

Blog #3 "Shall We Play"

High school experience …

I started working with youth my freshmen year of high school at the Met high school.  At The Met, I interned at hope high school. At hope high school I got a chance to work with toddlers and infants. Hope high school was not the best fit for me because I did not get a chance to do what I really wanted to do. My advisor than placed me in a school setting, so I can plan lesson plans , go out in the community with the students. My second internship took place in Meeting street elementary school! At this school site, I was able to assist the teacher with lesson planning, read aloud, and explore the community with the kids.

College experience working with youth!

My freshman year of college I decided to apply to the YMCA. I worked at the YMCA for four years ... I recently decided to quit, so I can have a chance to explore different jobs related to the YMCA.  At the Y I was hired as a lead staff as soon as I started working there. It was a great learning experience working at the Y. I got the chance to build relationships with the kids, families, and teachers at Pleasant view elementary school. The Y was the only job I committed to all year long. I also had the opportunity to work with a few of my kids during the school year at summer camp ! During the school year the Y has a after school program. The after school program is a great opportunity for the kids to get out of their their shells, explore the community, join clubs , and build relationships.

Now, I am currently working as a behavioral specialist and direct support professional at Perspective Corporation. Perspective Corporation is a private agency that provides support to children  and adults with disabilities. I recently started working there at the beginning of the school year and I love it! I work with a child and an adult. When I work with the child I help her with her social skills, build relationships, school work, and much more. I also get a chance to take the child out in the community! When I work with the adult I am responsible to take him to his job sometimes, train him on how to take the bus,  career development questions, and social skills.

The “Shall we play” article states different main points such as passion, participation, and pleasure. The three main points that I listed are part of the youth work that I have been involved in. Also the three main points all play a role in the youth work that I’ve been apart of.

Blog Post 2

Blog Post #2

3 stereotypes

“Adolescents were awkward, vulnerable creatures, innocent victims of raging hormones, rampant insecurity, and fervent idealism (which often bordered on arrogance), characterizations that were apparently linked to puberty and a lack of experience”

The statement above is stated in the reading by Bogad,  “Framing Youth” writing “youth in social context. I think that  “categorizing” every adolescent in the statement is not appropriate. The adolescents are described as having “lack of experience”. This statement made me think about a childhood experience. My older cousins thought less of me because I was the youngest one out of them all. In reality adolescents know more than what people think that they do. As a youthworker it is important that we do not view adolescents that way.

#2. Author : Steinberg ,Redefining the Notion of youth.

(page 3) “No one likes teenagers. Only someone with something wrong inside wants to be around them that much.”

The statement above is a stereotype about teenagers. The statement is false , because it is stating that everyone thinks that no one likes teenagers. Of course, not every individual in the world thinks that! The statement is referring to every individual that do likes teenagers “having something wrong”. As youth workers, we can not have that mindset because that means we are “judging” without knowing. Assuming something about a teenager before knowing them is not “okay”, that means we are “judging a book by it’s cover.”

#3. “We come to know youth as incomplete, in-transition, finding themselves, hormone-driven,

emotional, in-experienced, and always in opposition to the adults in their lives.”

The statement above, was stated in Bogad’s article. I agree with the quote stated above because I think that most people view the “youth” as … incomplete, emotional, inexperienced etc. As youth workers we need to understand that the youth are still growing physically, emotionally and mentally. The youth may not always make the right decisions and they’ll continue to make mistakes , but that is part of life. In order for everyone to grow we have to continue making mistakes. Hopefully we’ll eventually learn from our mistakes at in some period in our life. That does not mean that youth are in-experienced and all over the place.  

Blog Post 1

Seven Characteristics

Youth Work

Educational Practices  

"Youth work" involves Educational practices!

Youth workers, are educators that help young people develop skills by helping them mentally and physically. For instance, they offer them additional support in after school programs, and in the community. It prepares students in the school systems to become leaders. When the young people are involved they are learning. Young people that youth workers serve daily are always learning! For instance, in after school setting the students are not only receiving extended help in their school work. In the after school program students are learning how to build relationships and engage with their peers too. When they learn social skills in the after school setting they hold that experience where ever they go.

Youth work is a social practice

Youth work is a social practice because it gives young people the opportunity to associate with their peers, Wood stated in the article. The organization that I previously worked in, the YMCA of greater Providence. A after school was held every day after school. This after school program allows students to interact with each other in different activities. This is allowing the students to not only learn about their interests but their peers too. 

Youth Work Actively challenge inequality and work toward social justice. 

It is important for young students to learn about what is going in the community. Youth workers can have young people learn about it by keeping them up to date with the news. Youth workers may connect with young people by challenging them and doing different projects. For instance, projects that may challenge them to learn about what is going on around them or in the world.

Where young people choose to be involved 

Young people choose to be involved in the community with youth workers. As stated in the article young people, are choose to engage in the community with youth workers. Young people choose to be involved because there is variety of different activities that are held by the youth workers.

Young work seeks to strengthen the voice and influence of influence

Youth work gives young people an opportunity to speak their mind. In the article it states that the youth workers influence the young people to use their voice too. (By empowering participation, active citizenship and engagement)

Youth work is a welfare practice

Youth work is a welfare practice that helps young people with low income families and not enough resources. It is important to have different organizations that is led by youth workers to give them the extended school time and additional resources.

Youth work works with young people “holistically"Youth work helps young people deal with problems that they may also have outside of school. Youth workers have the power to talk to parents and discussing goals that their like their child to achieve. .

About Me

Welcome! I’m Nathali Rosa

My name is Nathali Rosa ...

Below, I listed a few facts about me!

• Below I listed 10 facts about ME!I have two younger brothers Alex , and John. 
• I am the only girl (oldest)
• I am family oriented 
• Live with my parents

My GOAL: Graduate in 2018 ,with a degree in Youth Development and minor in Communication and Youth. Help my clients grow physically ,and mentally.

My mother!

My Family!

Best friend (Lisbeth)

Hobby: I love to read for fun! My two favorite authors are Cheryl Strayed , and Ta-Nehisi Coates. I like to go shopping, travel, dance , and draw too. (Even though I can not draw) ALSO, I love to watch movies and take pictures!

Born: Dominican Republic , and moved  to Providence when I was six.

Best friend (Kenyatta)

My homeland

Favorite rappers: J Cole , Lupe Fiasco, Nas and Tupac. (Love listening to R&B too)

Favorite Food: Pizza and Pasta!

Best friend's: My cousin Lisbeth, my mother and
Kenyatta.

Job: Behavior Specialist