The Center for Teen Empowerment joined the Chelsea Youth Commission on March 26 at the Williams School for training that emphasized collaboration, unity, and the meaning of being a leader.
“This is a special gathering because The Center for Teen Empowerment is helping them cohere on their goals and strategies,” said Abigail Feldman, Community Recreation Manager, Chelsea Youth Commission.
Chelsea Youth Commission is a city organization that assists members between the ages of 13-20 in implementing plans that will enrich the community. Their duties include attending city council and school committee meetings, and advising local officials in developing policies, programs, and health services that benefit youth and their families in the City of Chelsea.
“The strategy that the Commission is going to use is in that room,” acknowledged Sean Post, Model Fidelity Manager, The Center for Teen Empowerment. “We’re going to be using our meeting structure and interactive method that they can adapt to their own work when they’re running meetings.”
Post, who facilitated the session, started working with The Center for Teen Empowerment when he was 14-years-old. The social change organization has chapters in Boston, Somerville, and Rochester, New York. It provides youth with the skills and resources to think deeply about issues. Teens are encouraged to collaborate with peers and adults to create peace, equity, and justice in their communities through initiatives, policies, and art.
Post guided teens in reviewing their goals, assessing how they feel about their progress, and outlining actions that will help them achieve those goals. The group explored who they would like to work with in the community, and the people they wish to support and provide a voice for. The Commission also considered how city officials can improve their understanding of the youth community, and which information can help leaders make better decisions.
“When you have good strategy, you can build a lot of confidence,” assured Post.
During introductions, some of the words that teens used to described the youth in the City of Chelsea were “home, divided, responsibility, mixed, hopeful, and vibrant.”
Teens reviewed what motions are presently happening in the community that the Commission is interested in being a part of, and contemplated which actions they hope the community will follow them in.
“My hope is that they all bring their individual perspectives from different identities, friend groups, and parts of the community,” shared Post. “A huge part of improving youth lives in the community is knowing what is happening in the larger community. It’s never simple.”