Attendees at Thursday’s Youth Worker Café learned how to better empower children in the community.
Juanita Mejia-Goodwell, a field representative from Indiana Youth Institute, talked to about 30 people at JC Bodyshop, 2008 E. 38th St., about how youth workers can make a difference in a child’s life.
The first step is for people who work with children to change their mindset about their job. They aren’t superheroes, she said.
“Youth workers get involved to save kids,” she said. “That cannot lead you to do the work. You can be let down. You can’t fix all their problems. You don’t have that much control.”
What workers can do, however, is recognize children’s strengths and empower them. Then hopefully they can fix their own problems. Many people get burned out in the line of work because they have unrealistic expectations.
After youth workers change their mindset, they then need to focus their attention on building relationships with the children they’re around. That is more important than trying to come up with programming for the kids.
“Everyone is an asset builder,” Mejia-Goodwell said, noting they don’t have to be educated to do so.
For example, bus drivers, she said, are just as important as teachers when it comes to interacting with students. They are the first people many kids see in the morning, and a bus driver’s mood can affect a child’s day.
“We have a real impact in kids’ decision,” she said.
In addition to her work with IYI, Mejia-Goodwell also coaches high school girls in sports. All of her players have graduated from high school and gone off to college.
“I know it’s because I come from the assets approach,” she said.
She discussed the 40 Developmental Assets and encouraged youth workers to use them when working with children.
“It’s not just a list, but a way of thinking,” she said.
Half of the assets are external — things the youth workers can control, like showing support for a child. Others are internal assets, though, which the youth controls.
She said nobody should be surprised by the 40 assets.
“These are things we should do every day, but sometimes they’re not being delivered,” she said.
Students surveyed in Indiana reported they had about 19 of the assets, on average, Mejia-Goodwell said.
As a 12-year supporter of the 40 Developmental Assets, she said Grant County has taken many positive steps in spreading the word about the program. She cited work by Project Leadership and Marion Community Schools, Headstart programming and training within the community.
She also recognized Family Service Society Executive Director Connie Rose, who is retiring at the end of the year. IYI presented Rose with The Inspirer Award for her work.
Rita Mack, also a field representative for IYI, said others in the state look to Grant County for ways to build the 40 Developmental Assets, thanks to the work of Rose, as well as Project Leadership.
“She just has done so many things,” Mejia-Goodwell said. “Asset building starts with a driver, and she was just one of the attendees at the initial meeting.”