Youth Engagement Tactical Project

Linden’s Youth Engagement Tactical Project: Linden Park Additions

Margo Geppert Vasilia Yakumithis

Linden Neighborhood Development Studio Table of Contents

Background…………………………………………………….page 1

Proposal Aims………………………………………………….page 1

Proposal Location…………………………….…………………….page 2 Funding…………………………………………………...page 2 Park Addition...………………………………………….page 3 Youth Engagement...……………………………………page 3 Administration & Operation………….…………....page 4 Partners……………………………..……………………...page 5

Introduction Children across the United States have reduced their use of neighborhood parks and increased their video game and television time. Playgrounds and informal play have also seen less participation. There are several articles about the reasons behind these trends: car traffic, plastic play equipment, and limited play flexibility. While these reasons may not seem good enough to overcome children’s natural desire to play, they hit a key issue: parks are often designed by adults, not children. Our proposal aims to help address the Linden’s youths ask for additions to their parks and to provide research back addition ideas. Parks and the additions listed in our proposal primarily to boost creativity, use, and provide an outlet for energy and collaboration. Child across the country are being diagnosed with ADHD and ADD, with more and more behavioral diagnosis. The additions to our park aim to provide help and outlets specific to those children’s needs as well.

Educational inequity, housing insecurity, and food insecurity are the three key avenues that drastically change a child’s life; all three can be combated by putting the opportunities in the hands of the family or child. Giving opportunities to learn the skills to be creative, build a project, and grow their own food can be empowering and freeing experiences. Youth engagement projects can effectively empower the community to come together and support their children, and therefore one another.

It is truly heartbreaking all the resources and care the Linden community has been neglected of and denied access to for decades. However, with the support from Linden and the structure of its schools, opportunity and connection can grow in the community. With planner-minded programming, youth engagement tactics can allow these youth to foster sustainable ways to improve their communities.

After asking Linden youth their opinions on their community they gave the following feedback: Likes Change Friends close Violence Parks (play, games, swing, cell service) More libraries Bike riding Make Money Family dollar More parks (swings and trees) Walking Pet store Ice Cream store Free iPhones Education Closer hospital Affordable food Buildings closer together Garden for fruits and vegetables Toys R Us

Background Groups that provide youth programming in Columbus, Ohio include SURGE, All THAT, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Godman Guild, LiFE sports, several church groups, and many other organizations. The addition of programing and evolving these groups in our park addition will contribute to the park additions implementation, success, and malleable longevity. CAP4Kids provides an extensive list of active youth programs in Columbus1. Based upon observation and research, trends from effective programs have emerged. Most models target education, relationships, community, health, and creativity as being vital to youth development. Effective programming has multiple factors that contribute to its success. One component of effective youth programming is to create safe after-school gathering spaces. By looking at local and national examples of effective youth programs, a few places in particular stand out as safe gathering spaces. These include libraries, community centers, churches, and sports leagues (recreation facilities).

Another component of effective youth programming has to do with activity. Youth.gov theorizes that two vital assets for youth are learning/doing and attaching/belonging. It seems to be more effective to have youth doing something interactive and/or structured. These activities can include design and construction (as seen in MOOS)​2​, art programs, sports, community service, and mentoring. In addition to being fun, these programs are often educational and serve as a creative and constructive emotional outlet. Projects with physical components may lead to a better sense of community ownership and accountability for the youth involved. Involvement with the community can help to build trust between youth and adults/other youth.

Another trust-building exercise is to give youths responsibilities. Allowing children and teens to help design the programming that they are going to be participating in is another way to give the youth responsibilities while allowing them to have ownership over their actions.

Potentially the most important factor leading to the success of youth programs is sustained engagement. This means that instead of attending one or two classes, a youth would be actively engaged with programs for several sessions or potentially several months or years. Sustained engagement generally leads to more permanent changes in behavior and a more successful adult life.

Proposal This is a proposal for an interactive youth program that will serve children and teens in the Linden community. The program will help engage youth by having them become actively involved in their community and form new skills, both physical and psychological.

1 2​

http://cap4kids.org/columbus/mentoring-leadership/ http://www.wearemoos.org/#intro

Goal Engaging youth to provide community programming that will develop values, foster collaboration, and instill a sense of pride and place. Our proposal aims to provide a framework of youth engagement programs that inspire hope, collaboration, confidence, and a sense of community.

Location The location for this proposal is the South Linden neighborhood in Columbus, Ohio. South Linden is bound

by Hudson Street to the north, Joyce Avenue and Conrail Road to the east, Bonham Avenue and Conrail Railroad to the south, and I-71 to the west.

Local children have identified Linden Park as a gathering place that they frequently visit. Therefore, programming proposals for the purposes of this report would take place in Linden Park.

Funding Funding for the program will come from multiple sources in order to foster financial stability.

Large funding sources may include The Ohio State University, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, the City of Columbus, and other large institutions (ex. Columbus Art Museum, Columbus Zoo, etc.). Other funding sources may include donations from local businesses and private donations. The Family & Youth Services Bureau provides an updated list of foundations and corporations with grants available for youth and family services2. With help from local entities with grant writing experience, the youth program may be able to acquire grants to help fund programming and activities.

Park Addition 2

https://ncfy.acf.hhs.gov/funding

The neighborhood should be made aware of the project and structures- but most importantly how much work has been put in by the children to make the projects come to life. This will hopefully minimize vandalism or theft- as they projects would be seen as positive community contributions made by the community they know. Studies reaffirm that longevity in success comes from connection.

The creation of an adventure playground would be a great opportunity for Linden’s youth. An adventure playground incorporates play, risk, and freedom for children by letting them play in a park designed by them kids themselves. Adventure parks allow youth to build play structures out of wood and other materials, have moveable parts that can cater to each kids, and are adaptable through time. The materials are left in an area with no direction, allowing children to use their imagination to create whatever they want. These parks involve risks without hazards; hazards (nails sticking out of wood, for instance) are typically removed by park workers, volunteers, or the children’s guardians. Adventure playgrounds allow children to engage in risky behavior, but instead of being harmful, the behavior is constructive. It can also help them to develop skills (such as using tools) and test their physical limits.3 Current parks do not allow for the creativity, freedom, and safe space to make mistakes (and rework a mistake) that an adventure park would provide to youth.​4 Projects that allow the youths in the neighborhood to make their mark on the park could include art projects. Tile benches could be created using tiles that are hand painted by youth in the neighborhood. Going a step further, the tiles could reflect what the youth like about Linden, or what makes them feel at home there. These benches, and other similar art projects, can help foster a positive relationship between youth and their community, as well as giving the youth a sense of ownership in their neighborhood.

Another project could be to install permanent chalkboards in parks or at bus stops. The creation and installation of the chalkboards would be a project, but post-installation, they would serve as a creative outlet for everyone in the neighborhood.

Some chalkboards could have prompts (see picture below), and some could be blank. If something inappropriate or negative is written on

3 4​

https://www.newyorker.com/culture/cultural-comment/what-it-would-take-to-set-american-kids-free https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2015/01/play-freely-at-your-own-risk/373625/

the chalkboard, it can be easily erased or painted over.

Youth Engagement Both schools, community groups, students, and parents will need to be involved to insure the most success in these programs. Linden McKinley, Hamilton STEM,

Administration & Operation It is prudent to initially partner with one of the groups listed by CAP4Kids. This would allow the youth program to incubate until funding is acquired and programming is established, after which the youth program could separate into its own entity.

Once the youth program is established as its own organization, it will be operated by a small group of adults that live in or are involved in the Linden community. This will jump-start trust building between the administration (adults) and users (youth). The administration will preferably be comprised of adults that have experience with children, education, and/or leadership. It is possible to partner with the Leadership Academy to recruit leaders for the youth program.

If possible, teen leaders should also be established as intermediaries between the administration and the youth. This allows them the opportunity to establish organizational skills, develop leadership skills, and foster relationships with their peers, adult leaders, and the wider community.

Partners Potential partners for a youth program should include entities that are well-connected to the neighborhood, that have implemented successful youth programs previously, or that can provide funding for the program. The Ohio State University has well-established youth programs, such as LiFE sports, and is also well-funded. Nationwide Children’s Hospital often contributes money and resources to local neighborhoods. They have volunteer and educational resources for children and teens as well. St. Stephens and United Way are well-connected to and involved with the Linden community, and provide an assortment of successful programs. As mentioned previously, partnering with a youth program such as the ones listed by CAP4Kids would provide the support system needed to aid park additions and help begin a new youth program if need be.