• The youth dominates the group by silencing less experienced participants. The person is always the first to speak, speaks often and at length, or always volunteers to speak on behalf of the group.



• The youth doesn't listen or give credit to the contribution of others. He or she often repeats what has already been said and seems unable to work in a group unless as the leader.



• The youth behaves in ways that suggests a sense of superiority. Youth who are accustomed to excelling or being "at the top of the class" may sometimes engage in dismissive treatment of other youth including youth staff. They may demonstrate a greater interest in connecting with adults or those they perceive to be in positions of power. More subtle behaviours include a tendency to speak and listen only to the facilitator as though they were in a dialogue rather than a group discussion.



• The person hijacks the learning process by using the program as only as an opportunity for personal achievement.

• The group is reproducing inequalities and structures of privilege and oppression. One of the functions of youth engagement programming is to create a safe space for youth. This requires disrupting traditional power dynamics so participants can be free to try on new roles and take on new challenges.



• The person is modeling a form of leadership that is oppressive and self-interested. This is antithetical to real youth engagement which is intended to develop citizenship and social responsibility.



• The person is inhibiting the learning process of others. By dominating the group, the youth is actually imposing his or her vision of the program onto the others. If the one person does not know how to give space and the other participants do not know how to take space, it falls on the facilitator to create space.

• Recognize and award collective achievements. It is important to provide positive reinforcement when youth cooperate and work effectively together. Emphasize the positive not only the negative.



• Refer to the social contract or anti-oppression training. A good social contract will have mechanisms for resolving disputes or managing problem behaviour. Hold the group accountable to the terms they have established for themselves. Refer to the anti-oppression training and encourage the participants to identify and unpack the power dynamics in the group. Have they put their anti-oppression training into practice?



• Change the dynamics of the group. Split the group into small groups or pairs, go around the circle, or use a talking stick so others will have an opportunity to speak and lead. By being explicit about your strategies you can help to convey who has the authority to speak and who needs to listen. For example, "In the following exercise on racism, only the people of colour will speak." Explore alternate ways for participants to express themselves - through art, music, or free-form expression.



• Talk to them. Consider what is this person's need? Do they dominate the group out of a desire for attention and recognition or are they stepping up because they believe no one else will? It may be that the young person feels the group is moving too slow or that the group discussions are ineffective. Talk to the youth about their perception of the program. How might the program be better fitted to suit their learning objectives?



• Challenge them. It is difficult to challenge attitudes in the abstract but you can challenge statements, actions and behaviour. If the youth has acted in a derogatory or disrespectful manner, name it. Help them examine what has happened and what is motivating this behaviour. Relate it to the social contract, or the lessons learned in the anti-oppression training.



• Build their capacity to enable others. Youth who are widely recognized by adults as "achievers" or "leaders" are often rewarded for winning or out-doing their peers. As a result, they may lack the skills to work effectively with other youth even when they want to. Talk to the youth about this dynamic. Explain that even the most effective leaders actively build their interpersonal skills. Provide strategies and techniques that help the youth better engage and enable others.



• Let them work alone. The youth may believe they would gain more from the program if engaged in individual work or had more individual attention. Is there a way of accommodating them in the program? In many ways the youth is "missing the point" by working alone. But that is the very lesson that they need to learn so let them learn it - in their own time and on their own terms.

1. What qualities does society value in a leader?



2. Who are the leaders at school or in their community? What kind of qualities do their peers (youth) value?


Consider qualities like looks, popularity, "cool". Do qualities like race, class, gender or sexual orientation matter?

1. Are you a leader? Why or why not?


Write your answer on a cue card.


2. Turn the card over and . . .


If you think you are a leader, write down what you could do to help others in the group to be leaders. If you didn't think you were a leader, write down what you need the group to do so you could be a leader.


3. Reconvene as a group. Share and discuss.

1. Is helping others lead themselves an important quality in a leader?
2. What qualities do they value as a leader? How is it the same or different from what society values?

>>>> Chapter 9

InvolveYouth 2: A guide to meaningful youth engagement is broken into section chapters on the web. See the Chapters list for links to all chapters. You can also download the PDF of this document. You will need to have the latest version of the  FREE Acrobat Reader on your computer to view. To order a printed copy of the guide send an e-mail to safety2@toronto.ca or call 416-397-0442.