Youth leadership experience creating equity and access for students of color

Abstract

This study explores the Youth Leadership Experience (YLE), (pseudonym) an afterschool experiential learning and leadership program for 9th and 10th-grade high school students from the midlands area of Columbia, SC. The study aims to identify and document the experiential learning and leadership practices at Youth Leadership Experience using a qualitative participatory action research design. The study's secondary goal is to develop and implement practices that will enable YLE to be more equitable and accessible for students of color. Youth Leadership Experience has helped inspire over 550 alumni to graduate from high school, attend college, and begin careers. It is critical to build the infrastructure necessary to provide access to experiential learning opportunities, particularly for students of color. Eliminating barriers to student participation is also essential (Hora et al., 2019). The study's findings indicated that YLE implements eight experiential learning and leadership practices through the program's monthly modules. However, the YLE program staff realized they had not effectively addressed diversity, equity, access, and inclusion in the program through intentional practices and policies. Participation in the study enabled the YLE stakeholders to implement eight practice and policy changes that created more equitable access to the program for students of color. YLE also developed a module on diversity, equity, and inclusion and implemented it during the YLE Arts and Culture months to encourage dialog, reduce fear of discussion, and enhance the learning community amongst the students at YLE. YLE delivered a survey before and after the module. The findings indicate a change in attitude, outlook, and interaction between the students about diversity, equity, and inclusion.--Author's abstract