YCE Project-
Youth Civic Engagement Project--At a Glance
During the last academic year, a select group of MCC Bonner Leader Corps alumni provide young residents and recent immigrants to the area the opportunity to develop their own citizenship skills. They allowed them to identify a problem they wanted to address--guided and supported them so they could complete a research or action project--and taught delivered mini lessons about democracy and citizenship. to coach; not to command or create a script that they will be forced to follow. A few youth civic engagement projects are featured below--
The YCE Film Project
The Movie Project is a vehicle in which at risk children in the Middlesex County area can come together and identify a problem within their community. After the problem has been determined via the democratic process, the children then brainstorm ways to address the issue in a positive way. In addition to enhancing problem solving skills as a group, they also learn the basics of film production, script writing, storyboarding, etc.
Community Bridges Family Resource Book-Madison Park Elementary School
The youth civic engagement class at this site was comprised of upper-level ESL students attending Middlesex County College from a variety of countries (Egypt, Colombia, Korea, Poland, Russia, India and Pakistan). This team was assembled to help a local principal bridge a communications gap that existed between her staff and the parents of the children. Under the direction of Ian Boyd, the team translated all school policies and memos and produced a multi-lingual Family Resource Book. In addition, they organized a community meeting, during which they translated the principal’s presentation to those families in attendance.
Woodbridge Vo-Tech/Community Info Fair
The high school students at this site were motivated by a concern that members of their communities were not gaining access to important information regarding the various programs and services that are provided by local non-profit as well as public agencies. In response, they organized a community-information fair. Approximately 25 organizations participated in the event by providing employees to staff a table or providing materials that were disseminated by College students in the Bonner Leaders Corps.
Consortium & Support
The Youth Civic Engagement Project involves a consortium of higher education institutions, including Temple University, Georgetown University, and Middlesex County College. It is supported by a grant from the Corporation for National Service's Learn and Serve America Program.
