Raising the Next Generation of Community Leaders: A Participatory Research with Teenagers of the Near Westside Neighborhood of Syracuse, NY

"RAISING THE NEXT GENERATION OF COMMUNITY LEADERS" IS A PARTICIPATORY RESEARCH PROJECT OF SYRACUSE'S NEAR WESTSIDE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT ENGAGES TEENAGERS AS CO-RESEARCHERS TO INVESTIGATE, CREATE NEW KNOWLEDGE AND DEVELOP ACTION PLANS TO ADDRESS AN ALREADY IDENTIFIED SIGNIFICANT ISSUE: THE FACT THAT NEIGHBORHOOD YOUTH ARE "GROWING UP QUICKLY" AMIDST A BACKDROP OF POVERTY, GUN VIOLENCE AND DRUG SALES, AND HAVE FEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR GROWTH AND SKILLS-ORIENTED ACTIVITIES, RELATABLE MENTORS, LEARNING JOB SKILLS AND EARNING A GOOD WAGE. AS CO-RESEARCHERS, TEEN MEMBERS DEVELOP AND OWN THE PROCESS TO IDENTIFY, INVESTIGATE, BETTER UNDERSTAND AND COMMUNICATE THE ISSUES THAT ARE AFFECTING YOUNG PEOPLE'S LIVES AND DEVELOP PLANS FOR ACTIONS THAT PROVIDE PATHWAYS FOR POSITIVE GROWTH AS INDIVIDUALS AND AS COMMUNITY LEADERS. OBJECTIVES INCLUDE: 1) BUILDING A TEAM OF TEENS AND MENTORS TO CRAFT AND CREATE A FRESH PARTICIPATORY APPROACH THAT NONE OF THEM WOULD HAVE IMAGINED OR DEVELOPED WITHOUT THE OTHERS; 2) INVOLVING TEENS WITH DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS AND ACADEMIC RECORDS TO EXPERIENCE HOW THE PROCESS PROVIDES OPPORTUNITIES FOR GROWTH; 3) EXPLORING ALTERNATIVE METHODS OF ENGAGING TEENS IN THE POSITIVE LIFE OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND WAYS THEY CAN CONTRIBUTE TO BUILDING CIVIC INFRASTRUCTURE. OUTCOMES INCLUDE FORMATION OF A YOUTH COMMUNITY IMPACT TEAM THAT WILL WORK IN COLLABORATION WITH PARTNERS; TWO OR MORE ADDITIONAL ACTION PROJECTS THAT COMMUNICATE POSITIVE CHANGE, TEEN LEADERSHIP SKILLS AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT; AND YOUTH PARTICIPANTS WITH CHOICES STEMMING FROM THEIR PARTICIPATION FOR CONTINUED EDUCATION AND HIGHER WAGE EMPLOYMENT.