SoL's Youth and Education Network Coordinator: Louann Reilly
Community Purpose:
The establishment of the Youth and Education Network (YEN) reflects SoL's commitment to support the development of schools and communities that learn. The general purpose of YEN is to provide a forum, incubator, and repository for individuals and organizations committed to using organizational learning principles and practices to provide rich learning experiences and development environments for young people. Our vision is to create a self-sustaining, global network that helps its members -- practitioners, researchers, consultants, business and community leaders, and students -- further youth leadership/personal mastery and school/educational reform consistent with organizational learning principles and practices, leveraging their knowledge and experience and connecting with others with whom they can collaborate and learn.
Membership Structure:
Membership in YEN is open to anyone interested in exploring and applying organizational learning tools, principles and values in support of youth development and, "communities that learn". Beginning in March 2003, individuals may register as members of YEN by joining SoL as a Connections member at the prevailing rate and indicating their interest in joining YEN. They will enjoy all the benefits of Connections membership plus the ability to learn about and connect with others through the features of the YEN community web site.
YEN community members participate at three general levels:
- Beginning: initial inquiry and awareness. The publication of the Fifth Discipline and the three subsequent fieldbooks, including Schools That Learn, continues to create interest. This interest can manifest in the desire to develop skills, find other like-minded colleagues, and to learn more about specific applications/cases.
- Experimentation: active application of tools and methods to specific issues of interest. While these tend initially to be local initiatives, we expect interest and opportunities to emerge that will foster collaboration among individuals and organizations.
- Stewardship for the network itself. It is envisioned that a small number of members will choose to become stewards for YEN out of their commitment to deepen the connections among community members, and create mechanisms for capturing and disseminating learning. A similar group of dedicated professionals have provided guidance for the initial shaping of the network.
Current Projects & Initiatives:
Work continues in designing the network in response to the needs and aspirations of interested individuals and organizations.
Events and Capacity Building Opportunities:
SoL Education and Youth Development Forum
A special event, the SoL Education and Youth Development Forum, was offered prior to the SoL Global Forum on June 10 - 11, 2003, in Espoo, Finland. In harmony with the purpose and theme of the Global Forum, this event was designed to bring together youth, educators, and other people committed to the development of youth in a setting where they could share their work and ideas, inquire and learn together about the futures they want to create, and expand and deepen their networks of relationships and opportunities for collaborative efforts as an active learning community. A leadership capacity building session for youth and adults interested in learning more about creating schools that learn was also offered in parallel with presentations from a variety of practitioners skilled in applying organizational learning principles and practices in youth development settings. The forum also provided opportunities to convene people from around the world in dialogue about key questions pertaining to the nurturing of learning and youth development in a global society.
People Involved:
The following SoL members served on the YEN Organizing Committee or have otherwise led YEN-affiliated activities:
Micah Fierstein
Carolyn Hendrickson
Sherry Immediato
Pat Parker-Roach
Linda Booth Sweeney
Louann Reilly
Tony Rollins
Sandra Seagal
Peter Senge
A growing number of individuals -- including educators in school districts and youth development programs, consultants, and leaders in business and non-profit organizations -- have expressed interest in connecting with YEN and sharing their experiences, knowledge, and resources.
Connections with Other SoL Fractals:
The Youth and Education Network is eager to build connections with other SoL fractals whose members are interested in youth leadership capacity development and who value inclusion of the voice of youth in their activities.
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