Developing citizens and communities through youth environmental action

Abstract

Although several studies have examined learning outcomes of environmental action experiences for youth, little is known about the aims motivating practitioners to involve youth in action creating positive environmental and social change, nor how practitioners perceive success. This research explored through phenomenological interviews practitioners’ purposes for using an environmental action approach. Practitioners in this inquiry, who engaged youth in action addressing a range of environmental issues in varied programmatic and community contexts in the US, expressed multifaceted aims motivating their educational practice. Interpretation of practitioners’ stories with respect to their purposes and perceptions of success contributed to a conceptual framework relating environmental action to the development of citizens and sustainable communities. Whereas others have described the stages and learning outcomes of environmental action, this inquiry illustrates the potential of environmental action for concurrently realizing individual and community level impacts.

Keywords:

• environment
• action
• youth
• citizenship
• participation

Acknowledgments

Funding for this research was provided by the Cornell University Agricultural Experiment Station federal formula funds, Project No. NYC‐147459, received from the Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service, US Department of Agriculture. We thank co‐researchers Gretchen Ferenz, Steve Hamilton, Mike Simsik and Jamila Simon for valuable contributions to this study, as well as three anonymous reviewers for improvements to the manuscript. We are greatly indebted to the practitioners who shared their practical experiences and insightful reflections on facilitating youth environmental action.

Notes

1. ‘Collards’ is the common name in the USA for Brassica oleracae var. acephala. This dark green leafy vegetable is an important ingredient of traditional cooking in the southern US and increasingly grown in the northern US as well.

2. In two organizations, the lead author had opportunity to interview multiple staff facilitating different action projects or different components of the same project with youth.

3. The ‘Six C’s’ refer to competence, confidence, connection, character, caring and contribution. Each ‘C’ reflects a collection of related assets. For example, competence includes social, cognitive, academic and vocational competence. Confidence refers to an internal sense of self‐worth and positive self‐efficacy.