Date of Award
2003
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Education
Department
Fischler Graduate School of Education and Human Services
Advisor
Laurelee Carr
Committee Member
Dana Mills
Committee Member
Barbara Packer
Keywords
adolescents, boards and commissions, citizen participation, civic engagement, civic involvement, Civics, community, community service learning, comfort level, decision-making, governmental structure, hands-on experience, high school students, local government, participation, perception, public speaking, surveys, town government, town meetings, youth-adult partnership, youth involvement, youth leaders, youth participation, youth representation
Abstract
This applied dissertation was designed to increase the level of youth participation in local government. The youth in the community were not actively involved in decision-making processes within the governmental structure of the community. Except for the Civics teacher’s interest in having students observe town meetings, no effort had been made to involve youth in town government, or to establish a process whereby young people could voice their opinions about issues that effected them, and to have their opinions seriously considered. The goal of this applied dissertation was for young people to take active civic roles in their community.
The writer proposed the development of a youth structure of the town government using a youth-adult partnership model while working in conjunction with the high-school Civics classes. The solution provided an avenue for the Civics teacher to work in conjunction with town government to provide a hands-on experience for youth in town government, thus (a) furthering the students’ understanding of government, (b) promoting an interest in civic engagement, and (c) providing adults with a working example of the benefits of youth involvement in government.
The project resulted in 1 youth serving as an unofficial representative of a commission. A total of 50 students attended 52 meetings, with 11 youth voicing their opinion or asking a question. These activities were intended to help the youth develop a better understanding of the need to be actively involved in the civic operation of the community, and to feel more comfortable speaking out in public. A survey was administered to assess changes in perception and comfort level related to participation in local government. Results indicated that 28 youth felt their ideas and opinions mattered. Of the 56 participants, 41 recognized that youth representation on boards and commissions is a good idea, and 43 recognized that citizen participation in town government is an important component of a successful community.