Youth Voices Workshop - Facilitator’s Guide

This Facilitator’s Guide provides an overview on how to organize your Youth Voices workshops.  Each workshop will be different according to the participants and the community it is held in.

Overview of Adobe Youth Voices:

Adobe Youth Voices was developed to give low-income and underserved youth the opportunity to develop skills that will increase their potential to become active and engaged members of their communities and familiarize them with new technologies and skills.  Through multimedia tools and training youth will have the chance to express their ideas, thoughts, and aspirations.  

?	Adobe Youth Voices Website-  www.adobe.com/go/youthvoices 

"Adobe Youth Voices infuses learning experiences with technology, enabling teens to think more creatively, communicate effectively and work collaboratively - all critical skills for success in the 21st century.” ~Bruce Chizen, Adobe CEO

TakingITGlobal’s Adobe Youth Voices Project:

Brief Overview: With support from Adobe, TakingITGlobal will hold two youth media arts competitions, and although targeting specifically underserved youth in 10 countries it will have an online contest component that will be worldwide.  The goals of this project are:

?	To empower youth in underserved communities to create artistic creations through digital art, photo journalism, or multimedia projects;
?	To provide youth with the technological tools to make a positive impact in their communities and around the world and enhance their technical skills;
?	To leverage these breakthrough learning experiences in order to foster cross-cultural dialogue and understanding, with a special emphasis on outreach to marginalized and underserved youth.

The two competitions that have been chosen by TakingITGlobal to run are:

?	Climate Change:  Its Impact on Our Communities and Our Strategies for Sustainable Living (Contest #1)
?	My Culture, Your Culture:  Understanding Conflict and Fostering Unity across Cultures (Contest #2)

Winners of the two contests will be announced in the fall of 2007 and spring of 2008 [proposed dates].  

Targeted Countries: TakingITGlobal Coordinators will facilitate workshops in the following countries: Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China, Egypt, Kenya, Russia, Mali, South Africa, and Sweden.

Facilitation of Workshops: TakingITGlobal will work with local partners and coordinators in the aforementioned countries to organize workshops on helping youth there develop digital media skills as they develop their contest projects.

Workshop and online contest participants alike will engage primarily in digital art, as well as more traditional art forms like photography, visual art, and creative writing. 

Role of TakingITGlobal:

?	Leverage its global networks to promote the contest to youth web sites and youth-driven organizations;
?	Content produced will be launched on TakingITGlobal.org’s Global Gallery;
?	A digital presentation of the youth artwork will be created for presentation before national and International conferences, beginning with the World Youth Congress in August 2008;
?	TIG Magazine, a print publication of the artwork, will be distributed to participating organizations and at the World Youth Congress.

Role of Partnering Organizations:

?	Assistance in the recruiting of underserved youth locally (10 to 15 youth in each workshop);
?	Capable of providing 5 working computers to participants
?	Mentor and encourage these youth in the thematic and technical aspects of their online contest entries;
?	Use Adobe and other software provided to sustain youth multimedia activities during and beyond the project;

What coordinators will need to run the workshop:

1.	5 copies of Adobe Photoshop Elements 
2.	Basic How-to Guide to Photoshop Elements 
3.	At least 5 computers with internet access
4.	Basic system requirements for the software [Intel4 with 1.3ghz processor, 1.5GB hard drive space, etc.]
5.	Camera [to take photos of the workshop participants – digital camera is ideal]
6.	Scanner (not required but ideal) in order to digitize artistic submissions 
7.	Flip-chart/Chalkboard/Whiteboard [not absolutely required.]
8.	Paper and Pen to keep track of the discussion.
9.	Photos [taking some ‘stock’ photos ahead of time may help if there are time restrictions for the workshop. They can be provided with a digital camera or by collecting photos through sites like Flikr.]
10.	Name Tags for participants 

Some suggestions for Coordinators

1.	Choosing an organization to host the workshop where the participants can potentially have access to the Adobe software after the workshop is over.
2.	If you and the participants have the time to spare, adding additional time to let the participants go out with the digital camera and collect their own images. Or if participants have their own cameras, or cell phones with camera, encouraging them to snap pictures if they have time before the workshop itself. 
3.	If you have any friends or colleagues who would be willing to assist you the day of the workshop, you might find it helpful to have a few extra people to encourage/direct the discussion and also help guide participants through the software.
4.	Visiting the organization where the workshop will take place a few days before and checking that the software, and any other devices like scanners or cameras, are running properly to avoid last minute technical problems.

What Participants will need for the workshop:
1.	Any creative work of their own they would like to incorporate: drawings, writing, paintings, photos, etc.

Workshop Outline

1.	Introduction
2.	Introducing the themes
3.	Discussion
4.	Basic introduction to software and creation of TIG account
5.	Creating images!
6.	Summary and Reflection
7.	Goodbyes

 
1.	Introduction
[Power Point and PDF versions of the Introduction will be provided to workshop facilitators to help them introduce TakingITGlobal and the Youth Voices Project.]

•	Introduce yourself and TakingITGlobal, and explain how you became involved in the project.
•	Invite participants to create name tags and have each person introduce themselves in a creative way 
o	i.e. one word that represents you or how you’re feeling, or their favourite colour), and perhaps explain why they were interested in becoming involved in the workshop. 
o	One suggestion for introductions was to have the participants take each other’s picture (if there is only one digital camera, it can get passed around) and then introduce the person whose picture they took (this is a good way to get pictures of all participants as well.)
•	Introduce the Youth Voices Project and mention the other countries where workshops are being conducted (Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Mali, Egypt, Kenya, Sweden, South Africa, Russia, and China).  Explain that all participants will be reflecting on the same theme(s) and how they relate to them as individuals as well as how the themes relate to their own communities. 
•	Explain what participants will be gaining from the workshop in the short term. Eventually the images produced by all the workshop participants will be placed alongside each other in Global Gallery collections on the TakingITGlobal website, as well as in two TIG Magazine publications.  Show examples of impactful GG images [provided in PowerPoint presentation].
•	Explain the ultimate goal of the workshop(s). 
[To create with purpose and utilize digital media tools as a means of exploring and expressing their perspectives on the contest themes: Identity & Culture, and Climate Change issues.]
•	The project will produce: 
Youth who are more familiar with the use of digital media tools
A connection among project participants around the world 
Two Global Gallery collection contests, two TIG Magazines, and images will be featured at international/national conferences, beginning with World Youth Congress 2008 in Quebec City.

2.	Introducing The Theme(s):

Climate Change:  Its Impact on Our Communities and Our Strategies for Sustainable Living My Culture, Your Culture:  Understanding Conflict and Fostering Unity across Cultures 

•	Why these two themes?
[Broad themes were chosen that would be relatable to youth all over the world, during discussion each theme can be narrowed down to more specific topics that relate to each community in which the workshops will be held.]
•	Identify some specific issues connected to these themes, before the workshop, that are relevant to the country/community the workshop is being held, in order to help the participants relate to the themes.
	
3.	Discussion
[A significant amount of the time should be devoted to discussing the themes, but facilitators should follow a time-line to ensure enough time is also left to create images. Decide how much time you will give for discussion, and then keep an eye on the clock! Write down the ideas/words produced during Discussion on the chalkboard/whiteboard/paper in order for participants to look back on them for inspiration while they create their images.] [Coordinators will be provided with some basic background materials for both themes in order to familiarize themselves.]

•	Brainstorming! [Always a good way to get a discussion going.]
-Everyone shares ideas/words related to the theme - Can break up into small groups or do it together.
•	Arranging everyone in a circle facilitates discussion.

•	Possible Discussion Questions for either theme:

How would you explain to someone from the other side of the world how (Climate Change, or My Culture, Your Culture) is relevant to your life?
Is there something country specific related to the theme? An event, a piece of legislation, an organization, etc., that connects the participants own country/community/experience and the theme at hand?
	What do you understand about the themes?
	How is it important to you? If not, why not?
		
[*Feel free to add/change questions! These are just suggestions.]
My Culture, Your Culture Workshop Discussion Questions
		
o	What about your culture would you most like to share with people of other cultures?
o	What do you think other people understand about your culture?
o	What do you think is misunderstood about your culture?
o	How much of one’s Identity is defined by Culture?
o	What are some examples of conflict between different cultures?
o	What are some examples of cooperation between different cultures?
o	Do you think cultural relations in your community could be improved? How?
o	What do you think your role, as youth, is in increasing cultural understanding and cooperation?	
o	Why do you think that this is an important issue to be discussed globally?

	
Climate Change Workshop Discussion Questions
		
o	What is Climate Change?
o	Why is it important globally?
o	Do you feel Climate Change is important in your community? Why, or why not?
o	What are the effects of Climate Change? Have you experienced them?
o	Is the environment an important issue in your community? Why, or why not?
o	Are there projects in your community devoted to protecting the environment?
o	What do you do as an individual to protect the environment? 
o	How do you think you can take action on Climate Change?
		
		

4.	Basic Introduction to Adobe Photoshop Elements and Creation of TIG Account
•	Help them create a TIG account so they can upload their images at the end of the workshop.

•	Basic How-To Guide to Adobe Elements 5.0 will be provided to help Coordinators guide participants through the process of creating and manipulating images.


5.	Creating Images!

[Participants need to create original works of art and can use a variety of mediums including photography, paintings, drawings, charcoal, pastel etc.  Images will need to be digitized before they are manipulated.]

•	Digital Image techniques presentation and time for participants to develop their submissions.
•	Participants are encouraged to provide a written explanation of their work.


6.	Summary and Reflection: 

Coordinators will help participants upload their photos to the Global Gallery Youth Voices contest collection.
	
What are participant’s general feelings about the workshop?
	What do they hope people who view their creations will think/feel/learn from them?
	What did they think was particularly beneficial about the workshop?
	What changes/improvements would they recommend?

Completion of workshop feedback form by all participants. [*feedback form will be provided]

7.	Goodbyes

Things to Consider
•	Discussing with participants the long-term impacts of the project. [Will they have access to the software in the future? Will they continue with artistic endeavours? Are there any particular issues discussed in the workshop that they will continue to learn about/take action on?
•	What is their next step from here? Do they have any plans to take further action along the two themes?


Make sure participants know where to find their images on TakingITGlobal, and that they can remain updated on the other aspects of the project: i.e. the outcome of the contest, the TIG Magazines, and the conferences their images will be shown at. If participants do not have regular access to the internet, discuss alternative ways of staying in contact: phone, text messages, message board, etc.

Participants should have some way to contact the Coordinator.

Coordinators should double check that they have contact information and a photo of each participant.

After the Workshop

•	Coordinators will need to ensure that winners of the competitions are contacted and receive their prizes, as well as any other important information relating to the project or their images.