Foundations of Youth Civic Engagement
- Civic engagement is defined as the various ways individuals work together to improve their communities and solve problems 25s.
- Research into youth civic engagement acknowledges that such efforts are often rooted in lived experiences and responses to oppressive forces 35s.
- Tufts University is situated on the ancestral homelands of the Massachusett and Wampanoag tribes and was founded using land and funds derived from Ten Hills Farm, a former slave plantation 42s.
- Personal experiences, such as growing up in a majority-white town without seeing representation of one's own identity in political office, can lead young people to feel that their voices do not matter 1m15s.
- Joining youth organizing groups can provide young people with civic education, valuable skills, and the essential validation from adults that their experiences are significant 1m35s.
Barriers and Benefits of Civic Participation
- According to a 2022 national poll by CIRCLE, 85% of youth lack direct access to high levels of civic information or safe spaces for community engagement 1m55s.
- Youth who have access to civic spaces demonstrate levels of civic action that are 20 percentage points higher than those who do not 2m6s.
- Youth civic action is considered necessary for a functioning, representative democracy and contributes to community resilience 2m12s.
- Research by Suzuki et al. and Connor et al. indicates that engaged youth, particularly youth of color, often experience negative effects on their mental health 2m25s.
- Strong community support can help counterbalance the negative mental health effects associated with civic engagement 2m35s.
Defining Political Homes
- Political homes are proposed as a solution to low levels of youth civic engagement, serving as spaces where young people can imagine, participate in, and build better futures 2m55s.
- Political homes are characterized by accountable relationships between young people and supportive adults, a concept rooted in the work of Black communities in the United States 3m5s.
- Research at CIRCLE aims to define political homes and identify how organizations can foster healthy civic engagement through the analysis of interviews with leaders and surveys of individuals aged 18 to 29 3m15s.
- Organizations that serve youth should function as "political homes" to foster active citizenship and community engagement 0s.
- By helping young people build efficacy and develop their voices, organizations can cultivate future volunteers, members, and leaders 10s.
- It is a misconception that political homes must be inherently political organizations; survey data indicates that political parties represent only a small fraction of these spaces 22s.
- Youth identify a diverse range of environments as political homes, including sports teams, religious groups, art groups, volunteer organizations, and Discord servers 35s.
Creating a Sense of Belonging
- There are five common elements found across these varied political homes, the first of which is creating a space for belonging 55s.
- A sense of belonging is established by honoring a young person's whole self, including their lived experiences, hardships, and accomplishments 1m5s.
- Inclusivity is particularly vital for marginalized youth, such as queer individuals who may lack supportive communities in their home towns or states 1m20s.
- Organizations foster community by maintaining inclusivity, hosting bonding events, and encouraging friendships that extend beyond the organization itself 1m45s.
Developing Political Identity
- The second element of a political home is the development of political identity, which involves exposing youth to diverse viewpoints in a safe environment 1m58s.
- Political homes help youth build skills for engaging with news, legislation, and community issues, often by establishing norms or guidelines for debates and conversations 2m10s.
- Engaging in structured debates allows young people to practice critical thinking and arrive at their own conclusions regarding complex issues 2m25s.
Career and Life Preparation
- The third element is career and life preparation, which involves providing opportunities for youth to plan for their futures 2m45s.
- Practical support in these homes includes resume building, mentorship, college application guidance, financial aid assistance, and job search help 2m52s.
- Providing this support promotes equity and economic mobility, particularly for youth who systematically lack access to higher education or high-paying career opportunities 3m5s.
- Access to mentorship and guidance regarding professional development, such as resume structuring, helps mitigate the stress young people experience regarding their future careers 0s.
Meeting Basic Needs
- Meeting the basic needs of youth is a fundamental requirement for effective political engagement, as it is difficult for individuals to focus on creating change when they are hungry 13s.
- Organizations can support basic needs by providing food, transportation, and financial compensation, or by acknowledging that political participation may require sacrificing time from paid after-school employment 33s.
- When financial resources are limited, organizations can still support youth by providing mental health resources, training, and encouraging the use of mental health days to counteract the negative toll of civic engagement 53s.
Developing Youth Voice
- Developing youth voice distinguishes a political home from a standard membership organization by affirming that a young person's beliefs matter and acknowledging their whole self 1m23s.
- Political homes foster youth voice through low-barrier entry points, leadership pipelines, and the integration of youth perspectives into all organizational aspects 1m40s.
- Mechanisms for incorporating youth voice include utilizing feedback forms, fostering peer-to-peer communication, establishing youth boards, and ensuring organizations are partially or entirely youth-led 1m52s.
- Having one's voice acknowledged and appreciated can increase self-confidence, leading to greater civic engagement and personal development 2m15s.
Evaluating and Implementing Political Homes
- Because it is difficult for a single organization to excel in all five elements of a political home, youth should have access to multiple organizations to form an ecosystem that addresses their various needs 2m27s.
- The five core elements of a political home are: a space for belonging, developing political identity, academic and career support, meeting basic needs, and developing youth voice 2m43s.
- Organizations can evaluate their own performance by assessing these five themes to identify areas of strength and areas requiring growth 3m0s.
- Using the campus club Jumbo Vote as an example, an organization might find it is strong in developing political identity and youth voice, while identifying a need to improve in areas like career mentorship or providing mental health resources 3m10s.
- Organizations often struggle to balance their primary work with the need to foster social bonding, which is essential for creating a sense of belonging among members 0s.
- Every organization possesses unique strengths and areas for improvement when evaluated against the criteria of becoming a political home 12s.
The Impact and Future of Political Homes
- Participation in various political homes can facilitate personal growth, helping individuals transition from feeling insecure about their identity to feeling proud and empowered 23s.
- A political home functions by acknowledging a young person's entire identity and providing them with the necessary tools to advocate for the issues they care about 36s.
- The importance of political homes lies in the fundamental human need for individuals to feel seen and valued 45s.
- Approximately 85% of youth currently lack access to a political home, highlighting a significant need for action to support young people 51s.
