Experiential Education in Urban Community-Based Organizations / Rebecca Carver.

Community-based organizations that worked effectively with urban youth were found to resemble experiential education programs. The finding was remarkable because the organizations did not identify themselves as places where experiential education took place. A study of four organizations examined ways in which they help youth to become more effective change agents, develop a sense of belonging, and foster increased competence. The organizations were: (1) a professional newspaper staffed primarily by youth aged 14-24 which accepts regular contributions from incarcerated youth; (2) a performing arts center with participants spanning several generations and various cultures; (3) health advocates providing services for youth "infected or affected" by the HIV virus and staffed primarily by youth; and (4) a national organization offering many programs to empower girls and women. Beneath the surface, the four organizations share fundamental characteristics with each other and with wilderness-based forms of experiential education. In particular, they emphasize active learning that builds on student experiences and facilitates the processing of experiences to enable a transfer of learning to other areas of daily life. The behavior of both staff and youth reflect organizational values. The differences between community-based and wilderness-based programs are discussed as a basis for collaboration. (SV)

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