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An Analysis of Youth Empowerment Through Group Involvement University of Massachusetts Amherst ScholarWorks@UMass Amherst Doctoral Dissertations 1896 - February 2014 1-1-1991 An analysis of youth empowerment through group involvement. Andrea "Ange" DiBenedetto University of Massachusetts Amherst Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.umass.edu/dissertations_1 Recommended Citation DiBenedetto, Andrea "Ange", "An analysis of youth empowerment through group involvement." (1991). Doctoral Dissertations 1896 - February 2014. 5064. https://scholarworks.umass.edu/dissertations_1/5064 This Open Access Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by ScholarWorks@UMass Amherst. It has been accepted for inclusion in Doctoral Dissertations 1896 - February 2014 by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks@UMass Amherst. For more information, please contact [email protected]. FIVE COLLEGE DEPOSITORY AN ANALYSIS OF YOUTH EMPOWERMENT THROUGH GROUP INVOLVEMENT A Dissertation Presented by ANDREA "ANGE" DIBENEDETTO Submitted to the Graduate School of the University of Massachusetts in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF EDUCATION February 1991 Education Q Copyright by ANDREA "ANGE" DIBENEDETTO 1991 All Rights Reserved AN ANALYSIS OF YOUTH EMPOWERMENT THROUGH GROUP INVOLVEMENT A Dissertation Presented by ANDREA "ANGE" DIBENEDETTO Approved as to style and content by: Dedicated to Seth Kreisberg, who truly lived the meaning of empowerment. & To my mother, Gloria, who taught me to stand up for what I know is true. IV ACKNOWLEDGMENTS To all who care and believe in the empowerment of others— especially the young people of the world. My deepest appreciation to Jack Wideman. He loved, supported and gently guided me through this process. His belief in my work sustained me. Thank you. To Ed Harris who was so willing to pick up the pieces after Seth Kreisberg passed away. He was continually challenging my direction and supported my thinking. And to Marion Rhodes whose clear and helpful feedback directed me. I am also deeply appreciative for the unconditional support, love and amazing technical assistance I received from Carol Batker, Barry Pritzker, Bill Clements, and Cindy Hardy. And to Chris Mangan who understood what I felt and guided me to express it. My first insights and understanding of the empowerment process came from the incredible relationships that were developed with THE SOURCE members, and their parents. This dissertation was made possible by the willingness and openness of youth that I interviewed. These teen-agers shared their personal stories about their transformation from oppression to empowerment. Thank you for all your wisdom and honesty. Thanks to my support group Mary Ellen Sailer and Edith Gonsal for the laughter and the tears. We were amazing. To Bailey Jackson and the Social Issues Training Project-- comrades in the fight for social justice and change. V Many thanks to my family of origin, for the strength created by our Italian working class family. You taught me to persist in the struggle for success. To my father Michael, to Teri, Nicky, Marie, Paul, Tony, Joelle, Tom, and Libby. And to my family of creation, whose collective energies, sincere love, inspiration, laughter, and encouragement supported my spirit-- Susan Kahn, John Ungerleider, Atta Kurzman, Felice Yeskel, Ana Lizano, Elizabeth Hancock, Margaret Kelsey, Don McKay, Veda Andrus, Cari Sipowicz, Roxane Olevsky, Donna Bourassa, Khandi Bourne, Katja Hahn d'Errico, Bob Bureau, Jerry Koch-Gonzalez, Donna Mellon, Madeline Peters, Elissa Mirabelli, and Francesca Mirabelli, and Julian Martinez. Above all, I thank you Jim Johnson, my partner, for your unbelievable patience, emotional support and unconditional love. You are a gift and I could not have done it without you. And to the Goddess... VI ABSTRACT AN ANALYSIS OF YOUTH EMPOWERMENT THROUGH GROUP INVOLVEMENT FEBRUARY 1991 ANDREA "ANGE" DIBENEDETTO, B.A., UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA M.Ed., UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS Ed.D., UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS Directed by: Professor John W. Wideman The intent of this study was to explore directly from the statements of youth themselves how teens experience youth empowerment through participation in youth groups. This study was based upon an analysis of youth as a group oppressed by adultism. Empowerment is the essential process by which this oppression is overcome. Through the personal accounts of a sample of eight youths who belong to six diverse organizations, a deeper understanding has been developed of what are the essential ingredients for the empowerment of youth. The study used qualitative research methods to explore in depth the experience of youth through interviews conducted by the researcher. A methodology which encouraged youth to reflect and enter into a dialogue was selected to be consistent with the empowerment process. The analysis of the data was completed in two sections. The first section consists of participants' profiles which summarized personal stories prior to group involvement and significant experiences with the group that lead to the youths' empowerment. In the second section an inductive analysis of the data was made to discover emerging themes in the youths' experience of the empowerment process. This research concludes that incorporating three components in a youth empowerment model--emotional nurturance, intellectual challenge, shared power with adults--results in a successful formula for the transformation from disempowerment to empowerment. The empowerment organization provides emotional nurturance, consisting of safety, closeness and appreciation, expression of emotions, conflict resolution and the acceptance of diversity. Such emotional nurturance lays a strong foundation and creates a positive organizational climate. In this climate, intellectual challenge is developed: youth receive sophisticated training and education which builds critical analysis and fosters the development of their voice. Through this combination of intellectual and emotional growth, many aspects of the youth developed individually and as group members. Emotional nurturance and intellectual challenge are set in a context of shared power which includes a non-authoritarian relationship with an adult leader. Youth have the opportunity to experience and exercise power which helps them to choose where and how to take action. This results in increased self esteem and empowerment. • • • VI11 PREFACE I always felt out of place, but a magic moment came along, and I felt like I belonged somewhere. THE SOURCE was that MAGIC. IT SAVED MY LIFE. Andy Mckenny member of THE SOURCE I knew Andy Mckenny as a member of THE SOURCE 1980-1984. THE SOURCE was a youth program which I developed and implemented during that time. Working with THE SOURCE was indeed a magical time. The teen-agers and I created a multi-faceted program in an atmosphere of love and caring that influenced each of us. We lacked the terms to define it but essentially we ran an empowerment program. In retrospect my work at THE SOURCE motivated me to pursue my graduate studies and to write this dissertation. Through this research I have arrived at the understanding of what we did at THE SOURCE and how we did it. IX TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS. v ABSTRACT. vii PREFACE. ix LIST OF TABLES. xiii LIST OF FIGURES. xiv Chapter I. INTRODUCTION . 1 Background of the Problem. 3 Statement of the Problem . 5 Purpose of the Study. 6 Significance of the Study. 6 IK LITERATURE REVIEW. 8 Introduction . 8 Overview of Theories of Oppression . 8 Youth Oppression. 14 Historical Overview of Adolescence. 14 Overview of Youth Oppression . 15 Ageism. 17 Adultism.•. 18 The Manifestation of Oppression in the Family . 20 The Manifestation of Oppression in the Educational System . 23 Adolescent Developmental Theories. 25 Empowerment. 27 Youth Empowerment. 33 Summary. 38 III. METHODOLOGY. 40 Introduction . 40 Method/Design of the Study. 40 Subject Selection . 40 Interview Process . 42 X Interview Questions . 44 Analysis of the Data. 44 Significance of the Study. 46 Limitations of the Study. 46 IV. LET THEIR VOICES BE HEARD. 48 Introduction . 48 Group Descriptions. 48 Susan's Story. 53 Theresa's Story. 61 Juan's Story . 69 Madeline's Story . 75 Martin's Story . 79 Chris' Story . 89 Carol's Story. 94 Mike's Story . 100 V. DISCUSSION AND FINDINGS. 106 Analysis of Their Stories. 106 Adultism. 107 Getting Involved in a Youth Group. Ill Adult Leadership. 114 Experience/Exercise of Power . 117 Education and Training Development of Skills and Critical Analysis. 119 Safety, Closeness and Appreciation . 123 Expression of Opinions and Emotions Conflict Resolutions. 126 Acceptance of Diversity. 129 Developing a Voice. 131 Taking Action. 133 Philosophical Assumptions. 136 Organizational Structure . 138 The Youths' Perception of the Empowerment Process. 141 Youth on the Facilitation of Empowerment. 142 Testimony that Empowerment Works: Impact on Self-Esteem . 144 VI. SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS, RECOMMENDATIONS, AND IMPLICATIONS. 148 Summary. 148 Conclusions. 153 Recommendations for Future Research. 157 Implications . 159 xi APPENDICES 161 A. WRITTEN CONSENT FORM—YOUTH PARTICIPANT. 162 B. WRITTEN CONSENT FORM--LEGAL GUARDIAN . 163 C. BACKGROUND INFORMATION OF PARTICIPANT. 164 D. INTERVIEW QUESTIONS GUIDELINES . 165 BIBLIOGRAPHY . 168 xii LIST OF TABLES Table 3.1 Personal Demographics 43 xi i i LIST OF FIGURES Figure 6.1 Youth Empowerment Model 155 XIV CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION Many young people experience the pain and frustration of feelings of disempowerment.
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