“When it’s real, you’re doing this even without a record contract.”— Nas “Sparks — when illuminated and nurtured — give young people joy, energy and direction.”— Peter Benson When I was in graduate school, I taped to the wall in my office an image of Nas (from a...
My brother-in-law is a potter. Not as a hobby. That is actually his job, and he is very good at it. Over the years he has explained a fair amount about his craft. One of the things that he explained has always stuck with me:...
Gratitude is often treated as a polite habit, a personal virtue or a wellness practice. Simple and straightforward. Young people are encouraged to say thank you, write gratitude lists or focus on what they have. Developmental psychology tells a story that’s a bit more complicated. In...
We often talk about “systems change” in youth work, but we rarely slow down to ask what real change actually looks like. One of the most helpful thinkers on this topic is historian and philosopher Thomas Kuhn, who argued that progress doesn’t usually unfold gradually....
At first glance, Positive Youth Development and the Native Tongues might seem to live in different worlds — one grounded in research and youth policy, the other born from hip-hop’s playful, inventive spirit. Look closer and you see the same heartbeat: Young people thrive when...
I doubt Urie Bronfenbrenner ever listened to Biggie Smalls. But if he had, I imagine he would have nodded along — not just to the rhythm, but to the deeper truths hidden in Biggie’s stories. Biggie’s lyrics painted a vivid picture of complexity — family...
What happens when you combine summer camp energy with cutting-edge research? You get Research Camp —a fresh, participatory approach that brings kids into the heart of the research process. We sat down for a quick Q&A with Dan Warren, Fluent's Director of Youth Development &...
The COVID-19 pandemic reshaped countless aspects of daily life, and its ripple effects have continued to influence how we engage with work, education, and extracurricular activities. The impact of these societal shifts presented unique challenges for researchers when recruiting participants for studies during the pandemic....
Research Camp is an immersive experience for both youth and clients. For the kids, it involves engaging in a full schedule of camp activities and participating in research for a brief period each day. Clients have the opportunity to witness children grapple with their research...
While on vacation with his family last week, Fluent's Director of Youth Development & Education, Dan Warren, took some time to share his thoughts about choices, endings and beginnings as the summer ends and he looks towards the start of the school year and returning...