Youth Political Education and Civic Engagement Workshop

FUREE and Drive Change will be hosting a full-day workshop for youth on political education and the importance of civic engagement in their communities. We will be discussing topics such as the election process/government structure, outreach strategies to activate/mobilize communities as well as steps individuals can take to make positive direct impact for the changes in their communities they wish to see!

METHOD/APPROACH: We do not impose our own beliefs and political positions regarding what candidates or parties to vote for, but reinforce critical thinking skills around candidates and the democratic process. We share knowledge around the political process and voters rights to allow participants the opportunity to make informed choices.

Workshops incorporate popular education principles that recognize the mutual knowledge held and shared between the facilitators and the participants engaged. We introduce topics in interactive ways and promote a safe-space environment for people to share their personal stories and thoughts without fear of ridicule or betrayal of privacy. We encourage everyone to participate or step back according to their comfort level and will hold every person accountable to the engagement agreements we develop collectively.

WORKSHOP GOALS:

• Understand systems of power and how they affect our daily lives
• Connect the history of voter rights struggles to current issues we face today
• Better understanding of government structure and the election process
• Identify our roles and responsibilities as citizens to dismantle structural oppression and develop community power
• Brainstorm ways we can contribute to the fight for universal civil rights

POLITICAL EDUCATION:

• Offers context and understanding to our experiences with oppression
• Explores different systems of oppression and how our communities have fought back against them
• Is invested in advancing our people’s understanding of, and commitment to social change
• Forces us to confront “knowledge” that was assumed or taken for granted