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If you have been contemplating deepening relationships and elevating the responsibilities and roles of young people in your school and want guidance to think through a process and ensure your success, please contact UP. The UP for Learning team would be glad to meet with you to discuss the alignment of our resources with your needs.
Recently, UP’s customized work has been on creating the Portrait of a Graduate and on building equity and belonging.
UP for Learning can facilitate the Portrait of a Graduate project in your school district. Stakeholders from across the community contribute to data collection by answering the central question: What are the most important characteristics, skills and experiences that graduates need to prepare them for success in learning and life? A youth-adult team made up of students from all schools (elementary, middle, and high school), community members, parents/caregivers, teachers, administrators, school board members, and the district leadership collaborate to understand the data and produce the portrait of a graduate.
Central to UP’s work with youth-adult teams is building youth leaders, equity, and student voice. UP will work with partners to tailor projects that address specific school dynamics and issues impacting school culture and climate. Click below for examples of how we use the Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR) process to collect data, examine results, and take action for long-lasting change.
UP for Learning has provided me an unparalleled opportunity to work on growth both in myself and within my community. I have developed as a leader and facilitator during a global pandemic, and I was able to do so through the support and kindness of those at UP for Learning. I would say that one major lesson I have taken from working with UP for Learning is that leadership is often mistaken for authority, while true leadership looks like uniting your community for the benefit of everyone.
This group, YATST, can make a big change. And if you stay with it, it can make a change in you
Being a youth and working alongside UP adults and other youth from around the state has been transformative. I’ve gotten countless opportunities for facilitation, experience, and growth. I’ve been given so many chances of connection with other students, teachers, and other adults. I can say confidently that I’m a much more comfortable facilitator and I’ve gotten so many tools to help along the way. Most importantly for me, I’ve learned how to reach towards things that I am passionate and care deeply about and that I am proud of.
Participating on this team was the BEST part of my school year. I began the year, quite literally, in August, during our first few days of inservice thinking - I don't want to be a teacher any more, this system is too broken - I think I need to quit my job. I thought this a lot as the year continued. I am ending the year knowing that I want to keep working with youth, largely because of this team and seeing a new way to do it, and I want to explore changing my teaching role and explore special education or alternative education as a new career pathway.
I love being a member of the program because the people and the older leaders are so nice and were welcoming and helpful... I was so scared that the program would be hard for me but they made sure that I got all the help I needed and now I am one of the facilitators in the program.
I used to be more of a strong leader, telling people what to do. Now that I’ve learned to facilitate, I help other people to work together.
Every time I attend or facilitate an UP for Learning event, I am reminded why I am a part of all this. I feel like I have never been in a place where I can listen, learn, share and have conversations that matter so much to me.
It is exciting to know that I am a part of a group that is going to improve the PLP for so many students.
Restorative justice practices changed my school experience for the better. Seeing the model for this practice, I believe that it could greatly decrease the amount of repeat offenses in students. I am wholeheartedly behind this project, and am excited to see it through.
I have learned that youth voices are an essential role in future school adjustments...I have personally learned new skills for observation that include taking in all opinions from different sides, and creating a middle ground...taking a leadership role, and considering all opinions on a matter, helps to open my eyes to a bigger picture and step outside of my own mindset. I will remember that all voices do matter.
My experiences with UP have been transformative, to say the least. I’ve gotten to learn in so many different ways and have become more confident in my facilitation abilities and speaking in front of other people. I’ve also had the chance to meet a lot of different people, both youth and adults and make connections that I wouldn’t have before.
Cultivating Pathways to Sustainability has given me the opportunity to expand my skills as a leader and share my passions about climate change with youth from Vermont and around the world. Facilitating and leading with other youth and adults has opened my eyes to the infinite ideas that come from this partnership and has made me want to create a similar relationship in my own school. In today’s world, the youth voice is becoming increasingly powerful and I think it’s important for youth to see people their age leading discussions or taking a role in projects alongside adults.
I’m a lot more confident now because of it. And there are other factors that play into that confidence. But I think it sort of stemmed from being a part of that group. I had never had anything like that before in my life really.
This group, YATST, can make a big change. And if you stay with it, it can make a change in you
I’m a lot more confident now because of it. And there are other factors that play into that confidence. But I think it sort of stemmed from being a part of that group. I had never had anything like that before in my life really.
Restorative justice practices changed my school experience for the better. Seeing the model for this practice, I believe that it could greatly decrease the amount of repeat offenses in students. I am wholeheartedly behind this project, and am excited to see it through.
It is exciting to know that I am a part of a group that is going to improve the PLP for so many students.
I used to be more of a strong leader, telling people what to do. Now that I’ve learned to facilitate, I help other people to work together.
My experiences with UP have been transformative, to say the least. I’ve gotten to learn in so many different ways and have become more confident in my facilitation abilities and speaking in front of other people. I’ve also had the chance to meet a lot of different people, both youth and adults and make connections that I wouldn’t have before.
I love being a member of the program because the people and the older leaders are so nice and were welcoming and helpful... I was so scared that the program would be hard for me but they made sure that I got all the help I needed and now I am one of the facilitators in the program.
Every time I attend or facilitate an UP for Learning event, I am reminded why I am a part of all this. I feel like I have never been in a place where I can listen, learn, share and have conversations that matter so much to me.
At UP for Learning, we believe we all must play our part in uprooting and rebuilding the systems behind inequities.
For our part, we commit to continuing our work to become an inclusive, anti-racist organization and community. We commit to continuing to listen, change and grow.
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