This course introduces students to the theories and methods of Participatory Action Research (PAR). Building on skills in social research acquired at Level 1, students will be exposed to techniques utilized when promoting youth involvement in the research process. Researchers using PAR assist in the generation of ideas, information and understanding that will be used to inform social change. Students therefore will pay attention to Models of PAR, Ethical issues related to working with child participants (under 18 years old) and Social Justice (youth with special needs) among other issues pertinent to the PAR research process. Students will be required to demonstrate proficiency in research design and proposal writing. Students will also examine their acquired skills through the exploration of case study work.
This course exposes students to the actual implementation of a Participatory Action Research (PAR) Project. Building on theoretical knowledge of PAR from Part 1, students will be expected to carry out a PAR Project with youth in an area of interest they have chosen. Student Researchers, with the supervision of the Course Coordinator and the support of a Site Supervisor will co-construct an understanding of an area youth are interested in improving/changing and conduct a PAR Project that will lead to improvements for youth. Students will be required to demonstrate proficiency in research design, proposal writing and project management through logic models.
This yearlong course includes both a taught and a fieldwork component. In Semester 1, the taught elements of the course will raise students’ consciousness of youth in various life, work, and developmental contexts such as:
- institutions (educational, correctional, residential, health), making distinctions among types of institutions and routes to institutionalisation
- community settings, including contexts related to community development, crime and violence; and faith-based activities
- the family context, including issues related to supporting parenting processes
- settings in which ethnic, racial and religious minorities are found, and
- setting in which youth with different abilities are found.
Students will identify and assess factors which impinge on youth development and learn skills to mitigate negative impacts and maximise positive ones in the various settings explored.
In Semester 2, students will be required to implement a short project with young people to address a primary concern raised in a context or setting of their choice. Students will use participatory methods to:
· research and identify concerns and problems in the chosen setting;
· develop an action plan;
· implement and evaluate their actions and interventions;
· report on the outcomes of the intervention and reflect on their role in the process.
Students who are employed in the youth sector may pursue a project related to their professional role, provided permission is provided from both the academic and work supervisors.
Competencies:
YDWCYP0594: Coordinate and assess delivery of services to youth with special needs
YDWCYP0614: Design, develop and support the implementation of community youth development programmes
YDWCYP0664: Coordinate the implementation of youth development work projects
YDWCYP0684: Develop and implement protocols and procedures to safeguard the welfare of young people in youth development work
YDWCYP0714: Manage the promotion of healthy lifestyles among youth
YDWCYP0734: Network with other stakeholders to ensure sustainable national parenting education strategy
This course will introduce students to the role, purpose and principles of advocacy in youth development. Students will learn how to conduct analyses of policies and legislation which address (or do not address) youth issues and to develop an advocacy agenda around gaps and weaknesses in existing frameworks, paying attention to the principles of equality, equity and human rights. Students will learn and apply advocacy skills using verbal and written communication tools in public education and awareness raising, networking and lobbying, paying attention to the differences in types of audience and the varied purposes of advocacy. Special emphasis will be placed on learning how to support youth and build their capacity to advocate for themselves and for others.
The course requires practical application of skills to the legislative and policy arenas. Having explored legislative and policy frameworks in the Caribbean related to the human rights and constitutional protection of children and youth, economic and social rights, juvenile justice, family law, children and youth policies, and the actors and stages of the legislative and policy formulation process, students will be expected to engage in a critical analysis of the National Youth Policy, where it exists in their country or other primary policy documents which govern youth development and to develop a Strategic Plan for networking and advocacy towards the revision and updating of legislation and policy.
Competencies:
YDWCYP0564: Apply advanced advocacy skills
YDWCYP0574: Develop networks to support the national youth development agenda
YDWCYP0584: Develop and implement national youth policy
YDWCYP0644: Develop a strategic plan
YDWCYP0684: Develop and implement protocols and procedures to safeguard the welfare of young people in youth development work
YDWCYP0764: Design, develop and support the implementation of new opportunities for the development of young people
YDWCYP0343: Promote equality of opportunity, participation and responsibility
YDWCYP0363: Plan and conduct high-level meetings
YDWCYP0493: Work as an effective and reflective practitioner
This course will provide students with the opportunity to apply advocacy skills to activities using advanced information communication technologies (ICTs). It will explore strategies for partnering with mass media organisations and will encourage students to strengthen their verbal communication and writing skills through introductions to effective use of social marketing, public presentations such as roundtable/panel discussions, media interviews, press releases, newspaper features and letters to the editor. Students will be expected to prepare a communications strategy for a selected stakeholder, using participatory and ICT methodologies.
Competencies:
YDWCYP0564: Apply advanced advocacy skills
YDWCYP0574: Develop networks to support the national youth development agenda
YDWCYP0764: Design, develop and support the implementation of new opportunities for the development of young people
YDWCYP0704: Develop communication strategy to support youth development work
YDWCYP0343: Promote equality of opportunity, participation and responsibility
YDWCYP0493: Work as an effective and reflective practitioner
Students will learn and apply skills in providing support for mental, emotional and spiritual health by providing youth with direct, non-clinical counselling, advice or professional referrals. Students will be able to identify and respond to the special needs of youth with psychological, emotional or spiritual challenges, identify the symptoms of mental health challenges and develop professional attitudes necessary in working with youth suffering grief, loss and trauma.
Competencies:
YDWCYP0594: Coordinate and assess delivery of services to youth with special needs
YDWCYP0684: Develop and implement protocols and procedures to safeguard the welfare of young people in youth development work
YDWCYP0714: Manage the promotion of healthy lifestyles among youth
YDWCYP0744: Design, develop and support the implementation of programmes to enable young people to address their circumstances
YDWCYP0493: Work as an effective and reflective practitioner
This course will introduce students to the principles and methods in conflict resolution and mediation in order to enable them to support an agenda for peace in the Caribbean region. Students will engage in a study of the significance of peace to national and regional development. They will be trained as advocates for peace and as mediators, with skills in training youth as peer mediators. Practical application of mediation skills will be required through a mock training of a small group of youth in mediation and conflict resolution.
Competencies:
YDWCYP0564: Apply advanced advocacy skills
YDWCYP0674: Promote a culture of occupational health and safety in youth development work
YDWCYP0684: Develop and implement protocols and procedures to safeguard the welfare of young people in youth development work
YDWCYP0714: Manage the promotion of healthy lifestyles among youth
YDWCYP0724: Manage implementation of youth peace building agenda
YDWCYP0343: Promote equality of opportunity, participation and responsibility
YDWCYP0493: Work as an effective and reflective practitioner
This course will assist students in building the requisite skills in strategic planning and programme management in the youth development sector. Students will be introduced to the stages of the planning, programme and project cycles and will learn how to conduct activities in each. Special attention will be paid to research and project identification, programme formulation and design, implementation using results-based management (RBM) and monitoring and evaluation. Students will be required to write specialised project documents which demonstrate their understanding of tools for effective project and programme management. They will also conduct an evaluation of a youth-serving project or programme, as a group exercise.
Competencies:
YDWCYP0594: Coordinate and assess delivery of services to youth with special needs
YDWCYP0614: Design, develop and support the implementation of community youth development programmes
YDWCYP0624: Optimise resource mobilisation opportunities to support youth development work
YDWCYP0634: Manage research projects
YDWCYP0644: Develop a strategic plan
YDWCYP0654: Plan, coordinate and review service delivery in youth development work
YDWCYP0664: Coordinate the implementation of youth development work projects
YDWCYP0684: Develop and implement protocols and procedures to safeguard the welfare of young people in youth development work
YDWCYP0744: Design, develop and support the implementation of programmes to enable young people to address their circumstances
YDWCYP0754: Coordinate the implementation of youth development programmes
YDWCYP0764: Design, develop and support the implementation of new opportunities for the development of young people
YDWCYP0493: Work as an effective and reflective practitioner
This course will raise students’ consciousness of youth in various life, work, and developmental contexts. Students will be introduced to the theory and practice of community development, with particular reference to the work of critical consciousness, appreciative inquiry and positive youth development theorists. They will examine how other people have worked in communities, and their theories about their work. There will also be an examination of institutions, community settings as well as settings in which ethnic, racial and religious minorities exist.
