CommonAction

Freechild Institute for Youth Engagement

Freechild Institute for Youth Engagement

Nonprofit organization

The Freechild Institute for Youth Engagement is a nonprofit organization focused on creating connections between adults and young people through programs, technical assistance, publications, training, and curriculum. Adam Fletcher is the executive director, and the institute is located in Olympia, Washington.[1] The School Library Journal has said Freechild's website is, "By far the largest repository of projects, ideas, and organizational links, this resource provides more than adequate information to help students brainstorm ideas in order to start their own initiatives."[2]

History

Fletcher started the organization as "The Freechild Project" in 2001.[3] The organization changed its name to Freechild Institute for Youth Engagement in January 2018.[4]

Activities

The mission of Freechild is "to advocate, inform, and celebrate social change led by and with young people around the world, particularly those who have been historically denied the right to participate. They provide examples and resources to youth and their adult allies."[5] The group advocates "radical democracy."[6]

Freechild believes it is completely unethical to exclude young people from participating in the actions that affect them most. Their programs include service-learning, topic-specific workshops and activist group incubation. The group consults with local and national nonprofit groups in strategic planning, capacity building and product development with youth empowerment at the center of their priorities. They also perform networking services through conferences and online communications.[7]

The organization is coordinated by one full-time staff member, offers activities through a network of trainers, and is advised by youth and adult experts from across the US.[8] The website SoundOut.org is one of their projects.[9] The director of Freechild also talks with the media about youth.[10][11]

See also

References

  1. [1]
    Mullahey, R. (2007) "The FreeChild Project: Youth-led Social Change", American Planning Association. Retrieved 17 June 2008. Archived July 6, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
  2. [2]
    "Web Site Reviews: September, 2005", School Library Journal. Retrieved 17 June 2008. Archived July 8, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
  3. [3]
    "The Youth Voice Movement: A New Vision for the Future, or a Lost Dream of the Past?" National Youth Leadership Council. Retrieved 17 June 2008. Archived September 28, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  4. [4]
    "Freechild Project is now the Freechild Institute for Youth Engagement", Freechild Institute for Youth Engagement website. Retrieved 15 August 2018.
  5. [5]
    "About Us", The Freechild Project website. Retrieved 17 June 2008.
  6. [6]
    David E. Lowes. (2006) The Anti-Capitalist Dictionary: Movements, Histories, & Motivations. p 235.
  7. [7]
    "Youth and the Web: Adam Fletcher from the Free Child Project". Netsquared, a project of TechSoup.org. Retrieved 17 June 2008. Archived July 5, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
  8. [8]
    "Freechild Project." MediaRights.org. Retrieved 17 June 2008. Archived July 17, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  9. [9]
    "Youth organizing and school reform." WhatKidsCanDo.org. Retrieved 17 June 2008.
  10. [10]
    Bohan, Suzanne. (16 November 2006) "Youth community activists size up a toxic threat." Oakland Tribune. Retrieved 17 July 2008.
  11. [11]
    James, Geofferey. "The Teen Ticket: Are Teenagers Old Enough to Vote?" Edutopia. Retrieved 17 July 2008. Archived August 8, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
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