Youthbuild. Innovations. Inside YouthBuild Albuquerque Bus Advertisements Recruit Students and Gain Exposure in Community by Jill Bottomley

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1 Youthbuild Innovations Creative and Effective Practices from Youthbuild Programs ISSUE 8 AUGUST 2002 YouthBuild Albuquerque Bus Advertisements Recruit Students and Gain Exposure in Community by Jill Bottomley ON her way to work one morning, Director of YouthBuild Albuquerque May Sagbakken was sitting in her car at a traffic light reading the advertisement on the back of the local bus in front of her. Why shouldn t YouthBuild be on the back of that bus? she said to herself. Although there is no well-developed mass transit system in Albuquerque, New Mexico, there are some buses that run on the main streets of the city, and Sagbakken thought a bus advertisement campaign would be worth a try. advertisement ran on 10 buses. The second month they had 10 more posters printed and the advertisement ran on 20 buses. Since it was the summertime and business was slow, the bus company allowed the YouthBuild posters to stay on the buses for an extra two months. In total, YouthBuild Albuquerque spent less than $2,500 to run the advertisements on buses for four months. More than a year later, the program is still reaping the benefits of those advertisements. Before the advertisements ran, the program had difficulty recruiting a problem that many rural YouthBuild programs face. However, once the advertisements started running, there was a dramatic increase in the number of applicants. Once the bus advertisements started running, there was a dramatic increase in the number of applicants to YouthBuild Albuquerque. When she arrived at work that morning, she immediately called the local bus company and asked them about running ads. She discovered that the cost for nonprofits was half the regular cost. Sagbakken hired a graphic designer to create the advertisements and then had 10 posters printed. The first month the Sagbakken also believes that the advertisements have been able to reach a segment of the population that YouthBuild Albuquerque had not reached before. We are getting a lot of older youth now, she said. They are also getting applicants with higher initial test scores. We are getting ninth and tenth grade level now, where before we were getting seventh grade level, she said. continued on page 2 Inside Building a Youthbuild Program Leadership Development Successfully Managing a Youthbuild Program

2 Albuquerque bus advertisements continued from page 1 Students really bought into the idea that they could be role models for the community. It was very empowering for them. May Sagbakken, director, YouthBuild Albuquerque Additionally, these students were young people who had seen the advertisements and wanted to join the program on their own. Before the ads, when the program was relying on other methods of recruitment (such as referrals), we were not getting applicants that were as serious about turning their lives around. We found that working with students who come into the program on their own accord can lead to higher retention rates. The Marketing Approach The program chose to design the advertisements with an in-your-face approach. The advertisement stated: Are you a high school drop-out? Call Underneath was the word YOUTHBUILD in large letters, as well as the phrase, Building skills, changing lives. The program struggled with the language for the catch sentence, and some staff thought it might be too negative to use the words high school drop-out. Ultimately, however, they decided to use the phrase, because everyone knows what it means. It is a decision they do not regret. Besides the catch phrase and YouthBuild Albuquerque s phone number, the advertisement also features one male and one female dressed in construction clothes. Sagbakken said the YouthBuild students were excited about having the ads out in the community. Students really bought into the idea that they could be role models for the community. It was very empowering for them, she said. The program also hung one of the posters in the window of their building, so people could make the connection between the advertisements on the bus and the location of the program. Opening New Doors Running the bus ad campaign has opened new doors that Sagbakken would never have imagined. Shortly after the advertisements started running, local television stations and marketing companies called YouthBuild Albuquerque to gauge their interest in running spots on television and other mediums. One station asked if YouthBuild Albuquerque would be interested in being interviewed on its morning show. It turned out to not only be a good method of recruiting, but also a good method of educating the public (and possibly potential funders and partners) that YouthBuild Albuquerque exists and is doing good work in the community. The program plans to run the advertisement again. This time, it will cost less money since the advertisements are already designed. Now the program is exploring buying space on billboards in strategic areas around the city where they want to recruit from. YouthBuild Albuquerque, now in its fourth cycle, has renovated 20 apartments and built six homes. The program also has a large partnership with the City of Albuquerque Department of Senior Affairs. Through this partnership, the YouthBuild Albuquerque students have built more than 70 wheelchair ramps around the city. YouthBuild Albuquerque seems to be on to something when it comes to recruiting out-of-school youth. Now when Sagbakken drives to work and reads the advertisements on the buses, she notices advertisements for other charter and trade schools. We seem to have started a trend, she said 2

3 Building a Youthbuild Program by Charlotte Chung, YouthBuild USA communications manager and Michelle Quinn-Davidson, YouthBuild USA administrative manager of the Training and Learning Center More than 60 employees from 38 Youthbuild programs and 11 YouthBuild USA staff and consultants came together at the Fundamentals of Youthbuild conference April in Portland, Oregon. The four-day event was designed to be an introductory training to the fundamental concepts of a YouthBuild program. Coordinated by the YouthBuild USA Training and Learning Center, the conference was funded by the Department of Housing and Urban Development. This conference provided me with a good opportunity to meet other counterparts and learn what they are doing to handle retention and how they ensure the YouthBuild model is followed, said Development Coordinator Henry Iwenofu of the St. Louis, Missouri Operation Excel Leadership. Participants had the option to visit a construction site and tour a new home built by Portland YouthBuilders students. After visiting the construction site, attendees traveled to the recently purchased Portland Youth- Builders building in southeast Portland. The staff and students of Portland YouthBuilders enjoyed the opportunity to share practices, said Director of Portland YouthBuilders Jill Walters. It is interesting that what you do everyday is remarkable and new to others. We were able to present attendees with new ideas they could take home to their sites. Over the next few days, through presentations made by YouthBuild USA staff and consultants, participants gained a better understanding of YouthBuild history and the importance of leadership development. Workshops focused on managing a YouthBuild program, planning ahead for graduate resources, and building effective construction, counseling, and education continued on page 4 A house completed this year by Portland YouthBuilders. About YouthBuild Portland Length of Operation: Began as a pilot program in 1993 and started operating in 1995 Enrollment: Approximately 100 students each year Funding: Established with funding from HUD, Portland Public Schools and Meyer Memorial Trust. Portland YouthBuilders is an AmeriCorps program. Statistics: 72 percent of graduates achieve GED or high school diploma Average attendance is 91 percent Participants earn an average of 12 college credits 95 percent of graduates are placed in college or similar career path employment 100 percent of participants perform community service work each week, volunteering with 25 nonprofit community organizations Executive Director: Jill Waters Comments: YouthBuild Portland has a computer technology track where students refurbish computers, create custom built systems, learn software basics, and receive training in computer networking and Web design. The program also has strong community leadership support. Through a cooperative agreement with Portland Community College, students earn college credit and participate in coursework and support services designed to help transition to college. 3

4 Building a Youthbuild program continued from page 3 components. The conference wrapped up with a workshop on how to successfully integrate all these components into a YouthBuild program. One of the things I learned at the conference was the art of listening to students without giving feedback, said Iwenofu. If you do not provide positive or negative feedback about what they are saying, they will often open up to you. I am always looking for opportunities to find a better way to do something, and I have come away from this conference with more effective ways to interact with students. Workshop facilitators from YouthBuild USA included Director of the Training and Learning Center John Bell, Director of Program Development Peter Twichell, Alumni Organizer Rafiq Abdus-Sabur, Program Advisor David Burch, and Education Specialist Beverly West with assistance from Portland YouthBuilders Educators Marc Kottler and Eric Scott. Consultant facilitators included Director of YouthBuild Brownsville, Brooklyn Yaniyah Pearson, Senior Management Consultant Jerry Kolker, and YouthBuild graduate and Consultant Khepe-Ra Maat. To obtain any of the HUD program manuals used in the workshops, go to materialsform.html. The manuals are free for all HUD-funded Youthbuild programs. Leadership Development by Charlotte Chung, YouthBuild USA communications manager Good leadership is taking responsibility to make sure things go right for yourself, your family, your program and community. Developing leadership skills in young adults was the focus of the Centrality of Leadership workshop. The presenters, YouthBuild USA s Director of Training and Learning Development John Bell, and Director of YouthBuild, Brownsville Yaniyah Pearson focused on: Defining the role of leadership development in a YouthBuild program Identifying key elements of an effective leadership development approach Identifying the critical role of program staff in delivering the leadership development curriculum Describing ways to integrate leadership development throughout the program Learning specific methods for fostering leadership development Understanding the basic methods and structures for including youth in decision-making Everyone in your program can be trained in the centrality of leadership, said Pearson. Everyone has leadership opportunities in their programs, such as in peer counseling and tutoring. The workshop began with an overview of YouthBuild, followed by the elements of leadership, decision-making processes and creation, and implementation of policy committees. One of the highlights of the workshop was seeing one of the founders [John Bell] explain how YouthBuild started, where it is going, and why we are what we are, said Leadership Development Coordinator Henry Iwenofu, St. Louis, Missouri Operation Excel. The Centrality of Leadership workshop featured many role-plays and interactive experiences for the participants, including an adultism panel, where volunteers reflected on their experiences as young 4

5 The Leader Development Workshop: Point by Point Key Ideas about Leadership It s necessary It s natural It s about taking responsibility There is an infinite need for good leaders Elements of a Leadership Development Program Desired outcomes, skills, and competencies Staff attitudes, hiring, training Leadership development within each program component Youth involvement in decision making Leadership development training and workshops Leadership development experiences and opportunities Leadership opportunities after graduation Measuring and tracking leadership skills Obstacles to Youth Leadership Development Lack of vision and goals for youth as partners Lack of agency, director, staff support for leadership development Viewing young people as clients needing to be fixed Insufficient staff development for leadership development Lack of will or skill to share power Too much willingness to share power Disrespectful attitudes Ways to Foster Youth Leadership Examine agency s views about youth Emphasize respect for young people Shift youth/adult power dynamic Do staff training on youth leadership development Set leadership goals and objectives Ask youth opinions about everything Set up youth advisory group, act on their advice Look for opportunities for youth to practice leadership jobs, media, fund-raising, etc. Benefits of Leadership Development For the INDIVIDUAL young person: Strengthened self-confidence Increased skills Increased knowledge Counter feelings of powerlessness Wider doors open For the PROGRAM: Better program decisions when informed by young people More participant buy-in Improves attendance and retention Brings positive public attention to program, leading to more support For the COMMUNITY: Participants give back to the community Young leaders become positive force Youth become more engaged in community affairs people. They discussed what was great about being young, what was difficult about being young, and when they had felt disrespected or mistreated because they were young. At YouthBuild Brownsville, Brooklyn we have been able to integrate leadership very well into the program, said Pearson. We have leadership roles on the construction site where young people discuss problems and come up with solutions. In the academic class we have young people help tutor each other. We believe each one teaches one. Pearson says one of the ways they develop leadership at YouthBuild Brownsville, Brooklyn is by appreciating young people, which can offset negative treatment and low esteem. There are several ways to do this: Have the young person stand up and ask others to provide positive feedback. Ask the young person to give himself positive feedback. Tell the young person you like something about her and have her guess what it is. Have several people write appreciations about the young person. Put them all in a hat, then have the young person draw and guess who wrote each appreciation. Other ways that YouthBuild Brownsville, Brooklyn promotes leadership is by having young people facilitate meetings every morning. They also have an active elected policy committee, which meets directly with Pearson, and she often takes young people with her when she goes to hearings. continued on page 8 5

6 How to Successfully Manage a Youthbuild Program by Jill Bottomley Team Building According to Twichell, teams can be defined as a manageable number of people with complementary skills who are committed to a common purpose, performance goals, and approach for which they hold themselves mutually accountable. There are certain situations that lend themselves to a team strategy. Twichell suggested that participants ask themselves several questions when trying to decide if a team approach is necessary: Communication is one of the most important skills a manager needs to succeed Peter Twichell, director of program development, YouthBuild USA Giving new directors the management tools necessary to succeed was the purpose of the How to Successfully Manage a YouthBuild Program interactive workshop at YouthBuild USA s Fundamentals Conference. Presented by Director of Program Development Peter Twichell, and Director of Portland YouthBuilders Jill Walters, the two-day workshop covered management issues essential to a successful YouthBuild program: strategically managing partnerships and collaborations, building and maintaining a unified staff, integrating program components, developing a program culture that promotes youth development and transformation, achieving high outcomes, and using retention and attendance as management tools. That stronger management skills are needed in a youth development context was the premise of the workshop, which focused on the key objectives of management, the critical role of the staff team, successful environments, and HUD budget guidelines and monitoring issues. Team building, communication skills, and conflict management skills are some of the factors of good management, said Twichell and Waters. Does the task pose a compelling performance challenge? Does the task require collective work products, mutual accountability, shared leadership, and strong commitment? Can the organization support a new team? Can you change your leadership style? Within any team, there are four kinds of team players: contributors, collaborators, communicators and challengers. The three steps to building a successful team are building trust and commitment, cultivating creativity and collaboration, establishing discipline, and focusing on results. Communication Communication is one of the most important skills a manager needs to succeed, said Twichell. The real challenge here [in a YouthBuild program] is having four disciplines in one program construction, job development skills, academics, and counseling. All of these disciplines have their own language and management culture so, to be effective, there needs to be a shared language. One of the concepts discussed was the Johari Window, a graphic model of awareness in interpersonal relationships. When 6

7 there is a change in one quadrant, it affects all the other quadrants. (See sidebar.) Effective questioning is one form of communication. These tips were provided to help participants ask effective questions: Direct questions seek specific information. Open-ended questions stimulate discussion. Clarifying questions test perceptions. Peel-away questions reveal deeper layers. Leading questions project assumptions onto the listener. Another form of good communication is effective feedback. There are several forms of feedback, including peer-to-peer, supervisor-to-supervisee, and superior-tosubordinate (such as parent to child or adult to youth). Managers are regularly called upon to give consistent feedback to staff and students. Twichell had the following suggestions for providing effective feedback: Telegraph your intention and be respectful. Choose the proper time and place. Give specific descriptions of behavior. Explain the impact of the behavior. Test for understanding. Request a response and outline consequences. Review, test for agreement and close the deal. Conflict Management This part of the workshop identified the four main sources of conflict: 1. Misinformation or miscommunication 2. Real or perceived differences in values, beliefs, and cultures 3. Real or perceived differences in needs, wants, and desires 4. Poor organizational structure Each individual reacts to conflict differently. Participants were asked to complete a self-assessment on how they handle conflict. The five defined reactions to conflict include avoidance, accommodation, competition, compromise, and collaboration. continued on page 8 Not Known to Others Known to Others Known to Self I Area of Free Activity III Avoided or Hidden Area Quadrant I is the area that reflects the qualities that are known to both yourself and to others. These include physical characteristics such as hair color or eye color. Quadrant III represents things we know about ourselves that are hidden to others, such as one might know he/she cheats on his/her taxes, but others do not know that. The Johari Window Not Known to Self II Blind Area IV Area of Unknown Activity Quadrant II represents qualities and motivations that others see in us but that we might be unaware of in ourselves. For example, someone may perceive another person as a good listener, but that person might not see it in himself/herself. Quadrant IV is the area that is not known to self or others. Therefore, it holds the most potential for growth. 7

8 Manage a Youthbuild program continued from page 7 Inevitably, conflict will arise at a YouthBuild program. Twichell suggested several tools that can be used when conflict occurs: Effective communication Focusing on issues, not people Allowing for emotions Acknowledging the past but focusing on the future Setting ground rules Planning interactions Clearly articulating expectations, agreements, and outcomes Good will Humility and respect A commitment to win-win outcomes A toleration of ambiguity Self-awareness Humor There are eight steps in responding to conflict: 1. Deal with emotions related to conflict 2. Research the problem 3. Set a positive, future-focused tone 4. Use ground rules and facilitation techniques 5. Clearly define the problem 6. Brainstorm options 7. Choose the best option 8. Implement a plan, follow up and evaluate According to Twichell, participants responded well to the interactive format and planned on implementing some of the management strategies at their own YouthBuild programs. The role-plays were excellent, said Henry Iwenofu, coordinator of Operation Excel Leadership Development, St. Louis, Missouri. I learned about revealing hidden agendas people often come with their own frame of mind and/or biases to an issue. It is important to find a way to get those opinions in order to achieve program goals. Leadership development continued from page 5 I like the way that YouthBuild describes leadership, said Pearson. It calls for leadership not only in take charge young people, but it also finds leadership and encourages it in everyone from the most quiet person to the person who is president of the policy committee. Youthbuild Innovations August 2002 is published by YouthBuild USA under contract with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). This publication is intended to broaden the benefits of the HUD Youthbuild national training conferences by disseminating information from those events to participants who may not have been able to attend. highlights creative and effective ideas that emerge directly from conference activities and discussions among YouthBuild practitioners. YouthBuild USA President: Dorothy Stoneman Vice President of Field Services: Tim Cross Editor: Charlotte Chung Contributing Writers: Jill Bottomley, Charlotte Chung, Michelle Quinn-Davidson Layout: Marcia Levin How to Reach Us Editor 58 Day Street, P.O. Box Somerville, MA (617) Fax: (617) cchung@youthbuild.org 8