Best Practices for Engaging Youth as Partners in Planning, Conducting, and Evaluating Sustainable Development Efforts

2015 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Keith G. Diem

Youth are commonly referred to as important assets to society and as leaders of the future. In reality, they can be leaders of today, as well as an important component to decision-making at the family and community levels and critical to social, environmental, and economic viability. But this requires viewing them as partners in a shared process focused on their interest, knowledge, and abilities instead of as a token voice. This notion is sometimes contradictory to historical societal norms that may be based on seniority, class, or even gender. However, not only is it a right of youth to actively participate in society, it is important for building a generation of citizens who are able to be productive in a global economy and leaders of sustainable development. Ultimately, the success of youth and the success of communities are intertwined and best practice involves implementation of positive youth development and youth participation concepts in order for both youth and communities to thrive. Despite challenges, obstacles, and effort needed, the value of engaging youth in sustainable development shows promise for youth and communities. Not only is it an international policy declaration and a moral imperative, it is truly the right thing to do. The future of a society, and indeed the world, depends on adults working together with youth as representatives of the future. Utilizing a program development strategy and a logic model approach to jointly determine outcomes and impacts to be achieved can help guide the process for mutual benefit. This article explains potential challenges and barriers as well as recommendations of best practices identified in the literature for overcoming obstacles to achieving these outcomes through (1) positive youth development, (2) meaningful participation of youth at all levels, (3) youth-adult partnerships as a potential mechanism for sustainable development, and (4) a suggested planning process that makes it easier to evaluate how well results have been achieved.

GIS Business ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 23-26
Author(s):  
Keith G. Diem

Youth are commonly referred to as important assets to society and as leaders of the future. In reality, they can be leaders of today, as well as an important component to decision-making at the family and community levels and critical to social, environmental, and economic viability. But this requires viewing them as partners in a shared process focused on their interest, knowledge, and abilities instead of as a token voice. This notion is sometimes contradictory to historical societal norms that may be based on seniority, class, or even gender. However, not only is it a right of youth to actively participate in society, it is important for building a generation of citizens who are able to be productive in a global economy and leaders of sustainable development. Ultimately, the success of youth and the success of communities are intertwined and best practice involves implementation of positive youth development and youth participation concepts in order for both youth and communities to thrive. Despite challenges, obstacles, and effort needed, the value of engaging youth in sustainable development shows promise for youth and communities. Not only is it an international policy declaration and a moral imperative, it is truly the right thing to do. The future of a society, and indeed the world, depends on adults working together with youth as representatives of the future. Utilizing a program development strategy and a logic model approach to jointly determine outcomes and impacts to be achieved can help guide the process for mutual benefit. This article explains potential challenges and barriers as well as recommendations of best practices identified in the literature for overcoming obstacles to achieving these outcomes through (1) positive youth development, (2) meaningful participation of youth at all levels, (3) youth-adult partnerships as a potential mechanism for sustainable development, and (4) a suggested planning process that makes it easier to evaluate how well results have been achieved.


2021 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cora Hörstmann ◽  
Pier Luigi Buttigieg ◽  
Pauline Simpson ◽  
Jay Pearlman ◽  
Anya M. Waite

This perspective outlines how authors of ocean methods, guides, and standards can harmonize their work across the scientific community. We reflect on how documentation practices can be linked to modern information technologies to improve discoverability, interlinkages, and thus the evolution of distributed methods into common best practices within the ocean community. To show how our perspectives can be turned into action, we link them to guidance on using the IOC-UNESCO Ocean Best Practice System to support increased collaboration and reproducibility during and beyond the UN Decade of Ocean Sciences for Sustainable Development.


2010 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 630-651 ◽  
Author(s):  
Audronė Balkytė ◽  
Kęstutis Peleckis

Competitiveness race in the global economy, on the one side, and the acknowledgement of the sustainable development dimension, on the other side, brings Europe against extraordinary challenges but also to great opportunities. Mapping the future sustainable competitiveness creates a need for research initiatives to develop the new concept of competitiveness, with much of the research focusing on how sustainable development and competitiveness interact. The changing policy context, growing role of sustainable development, the transition to a green economy and the new European Union strategy Europe 2020 (2010) for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth leads to the “rethinking” of the main drivers of the sustainable competitiveness in the long prosperity and the future competitiveness leadership. The approach to natural resources, especially forests, as to the one of the future sustainable competitiveness resources, with the specific focus on its ownership is addressed in this article. Santrauka Lenktyniavimas del konkurencingumo pozicijos globalioje ekonomikoje ir vis didejantis darnaus vystymosi svarbos pripažinimas kelia Europai dideliu iššūkiu, o kartu atveria nauju galimybiu. Darnaus ateities konkurencingumo šaltiniu paieškos lemia naujas moksliniu tyrimu iniciatyvas, kuriomis būtu pletojama darnaus konkurencingumo koncepcija, apimanti darnaus vystymosi ir konkurencingumo saryši. Kintanti politine aplinka, didejanti darnaus vystymosi svarba, perejimas prie “žalios” ekonomikos ir nauja Europos Sajungos pažangaus, darnaus ir integracinio augimo strategija “Europa 2020” skatina iš naujo ivertinti pagrindinius ilgalaikio darnaus konkurencingumo šaltinius. Straipsnyje pletojamas požiūris i gamtos išteklius, ypač miškus, kaip i viena iš ateities darnaus konkurencingumo šaltiniu, kartu detalizuojant kai kuriuos mišku nuosavybes aspektus.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (Volume 2, Issue 2) ◽  
pp. 32-39

This paper describes a corequisite pairing of Integrated Reading and Writing (INRW) and Humanities (HUMA) 1301 taught at San Jacinto College North in Houston, Texas. The authors describe their planning process, which combined course learning outcomes with cognitive theory and best-practice resources for effective teaching. These complementary courses provided students with contextualized learning activities designed to develop critical thinking and communication skills as students focused on cultural history to understand how human communities create monster stories to identify their fears and characterize the heroic figures who come to their rescue. The article includes sample content units and student activities and provides strategic insight into a process of integrating best practices and cognitive psychology with class planning focused on required learning outcomes.


2008 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 49-64 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mat D. Duerden ◽  
Ann Gillard

Although research suggests that positive contact with non-parental adults is developmentally beneficial for youth; many adolescents do not have access to such relationships. It is important that adults structure existing relationships to optimize positive youth development. Relationships with adults, who support youth’s needs for autonomy, relatedness, and competence, provide youth with scaffolding as they navigate their way through adolescence. Self-Determination Theory offers a straight-forward approach to understanding the elements of contexts that best promote the development of supportive relationships. The purpose of this paper is to review the literature concerning youth-adult relationships, including their associated prevalence and developmental benefits across multiple contexts. These findings are then integrated into a framework of best practices for developing and supporting positive youth relationships with adults within youth program settings. Several theory-based recommendations are offered for youth program administrators and staff who wish to improve youth-adult relationships in their programs.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rubab Malik ◽  
Robin Mann ◽  
Rebecca Knapman

PurposeThe purpose of the study is to investigate and document a new approach to best practice benchmarking called rapid benchmarking. Rapid benchmarking is defined by the authors as an approach to dramatically shorten the typical length of time to conduct a successful best practice benchmarking project.Design/methodology/approachThe methodology involved a case study exploration of a multinational dairy company's best practice benchmarking approach using structured interviews and data collection to examine the speed and results achieved through its benchmarking approach and whether it was justified in naming it as rapid benchmarking. A comparison of the speed of the dairy company's approach was undertaken against 24 other organisations that had utilised the same benchmarking methodology (TRADE Best Practice Benchmarking). In addition, a literature review was undertaken to search for other cases of rapid benchmarking and compare rapid benchmarking with other rapid improvement approaches.FindingsThe findings revealed that the approach used by the dairy company was unique, with best practices being identified and action plans signed off for deployment within a five-day period (far quicker than the average time of 211 days reported by other organisations). Key success factors for rapid benchmarking were found to be allocating five dedicated days for the benchmarking team to spend on the project, identifying the right team members for the project, obtaining sponsorship support for the project and providing intensive facilitation support through a benchmarking facilitator.Research limitations/implicationsOnly one company was found to use a rapid benchmarking approach; therefore, the findings are from one case study. The depth of analysis presented was restricted due to commercial sensitivity.Practical implicationsThe rapid benchmarking approach is likely to be of great interest to practitioners, providing them with a new way of finding solutions and best practices to address challenges that need to be solved quickly or with minimal expense. For organisations that have been using benchmarking for many years, the research will enable them to re-evaluate their own benchmarking approach and consider if rapid benchmarking could be used for some projects, particularly for internal benchmarking where it is easier to apply.Originality/valueThis research is the first to identify and document a rapid benchmarking approach and the first to provide a detailed analysis of the length of time it takes to undertake best practice benchmarking projects (and each stage of a benchmarking project).


2011 ◽  
pp. 3487-3499
Author(s):  
Helmut Druke

The pressure of modernization does not stop at national boundaries—in this respect it is universal and secular. In some regions of the world the pressure of change is particularly extreme (e.g., in Eastern Europe) where the transformation of the administration from a state socialist to a democratic institution is taking place under the enormous time pressure of complying with the new national and international standards and catching up with the global economy. Another example of a country in transformation that is extremely interested in studying best practices is China where a more efficient public administration is required to support the newly installed market economy whereas e-democracy is no issue at the moment. In view of this starting point for the universal pressure of change and reform, the responsible decision-makers are often eager to model the direction and implementation of their reforms on the best local communities. The high level of interest in the results of various benchmarking studies among local community representatives stems from this pressure and a great uncertainty about the future of public administration. Actors and experts throughout the world agree that learning from and transfer of good practices internationally can contribute to the goal of global co-operation in e-government, which is a priority of the World Summit on the Information Society. In its Action Plan, the participants of the World Summit defined as an important action to “support international cooperation initiatives in the field of e-government, in order to enhance transparency, accountability and efficiency at all levels of government” (WSIS, 2003). In its “Communication” of September 26, 2003 on “The Role of E-government for Europe’s Future” (European Commission, 2003) the Commission of the European Communities stresses the huge benefit of initiating an exchange of good practice. Best practices encompass technological, organizational, legal, and training elements, they require long-term commitment of all key actors involved, and they illustrate tangible benefits and results. Exchange of experience and replication of best practices can bring cost-savings in moving to broad take-up. It also prepares for future interoperability and interworking between administrations. (p. 21) The following discussion aims to introduce a theoretical approach which avoids the limitations of the dominant transfer theories of the “one best way” (Bartlett & Ghoshal, 1989; Ohmae, 1990; Womack, Jonas, & Roos, 1990) on the one hand and “path dependence” (Arthur, 1994; Freyssenet, Maier, Shimizu, & Volpato, 1998; Leipold, 1996; Pierson, 1998) on the other hand, and which creates a perspective for practical action in e-government. Whereas the one best way theory regards the adoption of superior concepts as the royal route to overcoming existing inadequacies, the theory of path dependence sees hardly any possibility to adopt solutions from other national environments—it considers that the bonds of the decisions of the past and inherited structures are too strong. Therefore, a clear understanding of the opportunities and limits of best practice orientation and adoption gives a clear orientation of what way to go in increasing organizational performance. The basic question is if it is advisable and feasible to adopt practices of a well-performing authority by a less-performing authority in the public administration. Before presenting empirical material on the question of what a good practice in e-government consists of it is feasible to discuss on a theoretical level principle problems with the concept of best practice.


Author(s):  
Teresa Dieguez

The world is shifting. The pandemic has changed paradigms, and people have reacted by trying to find solutions for problems. New challenges arise, and, more than ever, people must understand that the future depends on the way they face the present. The COVID-19 pandemic reinforced the need to collectively work in accordance to our realities. Co-creation, entrepreneurship, holistic thinking, and creativity are huge contributions that can make a difference. This chapter aims to explain and share best practices of Portugal and Brazil to mitigate COVID-19 impacts. Using primary data, a presentation is made between a varied set of measures and actions carried out by the two countries, similar in language but different in cultures and realities. The results could be practical guidelines for potential implementation elsewhere. The conclusion seems to point out that solutions require involvement for all stakeholders, with innovation and critical behaviour as means to pursue the path of sustainable development.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document