Prompt: What is my relationship to technology and in what ways can technology help me as a youth worker?
As much as I use technology on a daily basis, I can honestly say I could do without a good amount of it, or at least a lot of the updates and advancements in it. I know I have a pretty strong relationship with technology, but I often times find myself wishing that I didn't. When I am hanging out with my friends and realize each of us in the room is looking down at our phones for a significant period of time, it sickens me, even though I am guilty of the same. When I am at work and have to leave my cell phone in my car because they aren't allowed on the grounds, I find myself wondering too much about who may have called, text, emailed etc., or looking for it to occupy down-time (probably a large reason they aren't allowed to be on our person). So many different environments and times that I am using my phone or wishing I could and I really wish it wasn't that serious. It still seems crazy how relaxing and enjoyable four months in a foreign country was not having an iPhone at hand every and any second I need or want it.
Another negative factor for me in regards to technology is such a common use in classrooms now (this class for example as far as the syllabus goes). I am the type of person that learns and works best when on the paper in front of me. I hate reading off the computer and trying to complete anything other than a paper on the computer. Regardless the amount of pages, I will always print out any readings or pages electronically provided by professors.
Although I do find negatives in today's technology, I do agree that it can be very helpful in many ways. As far as being a youth worker, I believe it could be helpful in various ways as well, benefits varying in the type of work and environment you are working in. If you are someone not familiar in working in largely diverse communities and are unsure of terminology and way to discuss such topics, you can find articles, lesson plans, curriculum etc. in talking about these strategies. If you are in a teaching environment requiring lesson plans and activities, there are places online that you can find templates and/or helpful tips and guidelines.
Aside from using technology to search for help and resources, it can also be largely used to deliver information and materials to the population you may be working with. If you are working with visual learners, being able to show pictures and graphs that you may not be able to draw can be a big help. Technology gives us options; options we may have not had in the past that could greatly help people. For example, robotic prosthetics, giving more people the opportunity to take part in many taken for granted every day activities. There are countless areas of life where technology can come in handy and be very helpful, but we cannot ignore the negative effects it can have as well; I just fear that technology will eventually take over and it will be too late for us to turn around and be more selective in the areas of advancement.
Tuesday, September 16, 2014
Wednesday, September 10, 2014
Did WE Hold the Power?
In reading this article about YIA, I liked the fact it gave us a little more history behind the organization, but also included excerpts from members on the various topics mentioned. One of the first statements I felt I agreed with a lot was from Adeola Oredola in saying that, "youth are consistently better at taking the lead than most adults I know." I feel this is very accurate in the sense that even in a setting with very young children, I have seen them work together and also act as leaders without even realizing it. Also, having been a class officer of my student body in high school, I first-handedly took part in taking the lead. Thinking back to this makes me realize that when you have someone that is directly affected by the decisions being made and is personally experiencing the events taking place, they seem to have more effective input because it's something real to them that they are living and see and feel what could be beneficial or not.
Something else I can relate to, although very different circumstances in regards to reason for doubt, is the expression from Nwando Ofokansi, "like what I'm not supposed to be capable of saying or doing because of my age, or the perceived lack of beauty and intelligence among my race." As I said, I cannot directly relate to the reason for doubt due to race, but in my case, I have always been doubted by the members of my family. The lack of success and "greatness" my mother has achieved in the eyes of my family has reflected on the person I am "supposed" to be. In their eyes I wasn't supposed to go to college, I wasn't supposed to make the Dean's List, I wasn't supposed to earn a scholarship and study abroad, I wasn't "supposed" to do a lot of things I have accomplished and still aspire to. Thankfully, although it took time, I met people in my life along the way that provided me with the guidance and push I needed, along with support and the belief in me that I could be something great, the belief I never experienced from my family or even really had in myself.
As a youth, it is difficult to express your opinions and really stand up for what you believe in for numerous reasons. There are countless factors that keep us from doing so and many youth have a difficult time stepping out of the "destiny" or future others see/predict for them. I feel all of what YIA stands for and their mission is incredible and crucial to youth in society today. The idea of school curriculum being more relevant to the lives of students and them providing input and ideas is great and could be very powerful.
Most importantly, how crucial it is to stand beside one another. Fight as a force, join together for support and a louder voice. Not to say one person can't make a difference by themselves, but it sure does make a more powerful movement with peers behind you every step of the way. I see the world becoming a more unified movement in the future because the youth that are beginning it now will soon be our older population, carrying the importance of young voices with them and spreading it worldwide.
Something else I can relate to, although very different circumstances in regards to reason for doubt, is the expression from Nwando Ofokansi, "like what I'm not supposed to be capable of saying or doing because of my age, or the perceived lack of beauty and intelligence among my race." As I said, I cannot directly relate to the reason for doubt due to race, but in my case, I have always been doubted by the members of my family. The lack of success and "greatness" my mother has achieved in the eyes of my family has reflected on the person I am "supposed" to be. In their eyes I wasn't supposed to go to college, I wasn't supposed to make the Dean's List, I wasn't supposed to earn a scholarship and study abroad, I wasn't "supposed" to do a lot of things I have accomplished and still aspire to. Thankfully, although it took time, I met people in my life along the way that provided me with the guidance and push I needed, along with support and the belief in me that I could be something great, the belief I never experienced from my family or even really had in myself.
As a youth, it is difficult to express your opinions and really stand up for what you believe in for numerous reasons. There are countless factors that keep us from doing so and many youth have a difficult time stepping out of the "destiny" or future others see/predict for them. I feel all of what YIA stands for and their mission is incredible and crucial to youth in society today. The idea of school curriculum being more relevant to the lives of students and them providing input and ideas is great and could be very powerful.
Most importantly, how crucial it is to stand beside one another. Fight as a force, join together for support and a louder voice. Not to say one person can't make a difference by themselves, but it sure does make a more powerful movement with peers behind you every step of the way. I see the world becoming a more unified movement in the future because the youth that are beginning it now will soon be our older population, carrying the importance of young voices with them and spreading it worldwide.
Friday, September 5, 2014
In a Nut Shell
Salutations, readers! My name is Alicia and I am a 25 year young, "super-senior" YDEV major here at RIC. As I cross the stage in May of 2015 I will have completed my sixth year at RIC. Unfortunately, it took some time for me to finally decide where to create the foundation of my successful future that lies ahead; however, with my final change of major to the Youth Development Program, I am confident I have chosen the perfect beginning to my journey.
After working in a number of different environments with youth of all different demographics, I realized my true passion, natural connection, and where I wanted to go with it. I have grown to be most passionate about working with adolescents coming from broken homes, underprivileged communities, inner city areas, and lacking support and guidance in their every day life. Although I do enjoy the classroom setting, I now find it more crucial to have stability, motivation, and positive influences outside of the academic aspect. I feel many things in life are like a domino effect, this being one of them. If a child or adolescent (or a person of any age in other aspects) lives within an environment lacking moral support, life skills guidance, motivation, positive influences etc., I believe those outside factors can potentially reflect on the academic career of a student; more often than not in a negative way.
With this being said, I feel the skills I have developed over time and through experience, along with the compassion and desire to help that I possess, this field of work is where I can make the most impact on the lives of youth in need. I look forward to getting to know everyone and learning of your greatest aspirations with youth development!
Below are a few pictures from my study abroad trip in Costa Rica. This event was called La Fiesta de Sonrisas which was a Christmas party held at my university for 300+ children from surrounding communities suffering from poverty. It was an amazing and very rewarding experience!
After working in a number of different environments with youth of all different demographics, I realized my true passion, natural connection, and where I wanted to go with it. I have grown to be most passionate about working with adolescents coming from broken homes, underprivileged communities, inner city areas, and lacking support and guidance in their every day life. Although I do enjoy the classroom setting, I now find it more crucial to have stability, motivation, and positive influences outside of the academic aspect. I feel many things in life are like a domino effect, this being one of them. If a child or adolescent (or a person of any age in other aspects) lives within an environment lacking moral support, life skills guidance, motivation, positive influences etc., I believe those outside factors can potentially reflect on the academic career of a student; more often than not in a negative way.
With this being said, I feel the skills I have developed over time and through experience, along with the compassion and desire to help that I possess, this field of work is where I can make the most impact on the lives of youth in need. I look forward to getting to know everyone and learning of your greatest aspirations with youth development!
Below are a few pictures from my study abroad trip in Costa Rica. This event was called La Fiesta de Sonrisas which was a Christmas party held at my university for 300+ children from surrounding communities suffering from poverty. It was an amazing and very rewarding experience!
Even in other countries in different languages young girls create and sing hand clap games!
Face painting is universal too!
When a child whom you've never met and can't even fluently communicate with gives you a hug and smile as if you've known them forever and have missed them dearly...an indescribable feeling!
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