Teen volunteers learn independence and leadership

Students educate CommonBond residents on recycling

What’s the difference between an average teenager and a teenaged leader? NeighborWorks member CommonBond Communities  believes engagement and independent problem-solving are critical elements of helping young people develop into leaders serving their communities. In St. Paul, MN, its efforts help bridge cultural, economic and age gaps among residents, including those with low incomes and first- or second-generation residents from East Africa.

Four years ago, CommonBond conducted a community needs assessment and determined that teen residents of its larger rental properties would benefit from stand-alone services. At three locations, the organization set up programs within its Advantage Centers, locations used to hold meetings and deliver resident services.

For younger teens, CommonBond staff runs the Teen Outreach Program and, for older teens, the team facilitates a competitively selected Teen Advisory Council to plan events.

The main areas of focus for the teens are community engagement, academic success, and college and career planning. Students participate in group service-learning projects, such as a recent recycling education event the teens organized to increase awareness and understanding among building residents. They also host events that bring residents of all ages together, such as their popular food festival, a potluck organized by the teens that features culturally diverse dishes from the building’s adult residents. Other activities have included a free community carwash, a neighborhood cleanup and games for younger students at the building’s National Night Out event.

To promote academic success and college and career planning, ongoing support designed to help students succeed at school and afterward is offered. CommonBond’s Advantage Centers include several computers that students can use for schoolwork, and participants are encouraged to support each other when reearching academic questions. CommonBond also offers regular homework assistance and even a kitchen where older students can prepare healthy snacks. Students participating in these programs have a 90 percent high school graduation rate, but CommonBond staff encourages them to think beyond to the careers that interest them and how to get there. 
 
A major goal of these efforts is to improve the ability of teens to live independently and choose the direction of their lives. If they are positive voices, they can break down barriers between newer and older residents, mediate cultural conflicts and overcome economic disadvantages.

Ultimately, this will mean a more peaceful neighborhood that appreciates diversity and also shares a sense of togetherness and belonging.