The document discusses strategies for engaging Latino youth in the United States. It notes that the Latino population, especially among youth, is rapidly growing. Some challenges Latino youth face include difficulties obtaining driver's licenses, immigration raids, lack of job opportunities, and isolation from resources. The document then provides recommendations for engaging Latino youth, such as building relationships with community partners, hiring bilingual staff, creating flexible programs, learning some Spanish, and listening to youth to understand what interests them. The overall message is that organizations need diverse, culturally competent approaches to effectively engage the growing Latino youth population in the US.

1. Engaging
Latino Youth
Andrew Behnke aobehnke@ncsu.edu

2. Some numbers

3. U.S. Latino Population
Today in Millions
13 million 1980
54 million 2012
92 million- 2030
(Migration Policy Institute, 2010; Pew Hispanic, 2013)

4. U.S. Latino Youth
Today in Millions
(Fraga et al., 2009; Migration Policy Institute, 2010; Pew Hispanic, 2012)

5. Latino Growth 2000-
2010
(Migration Policy Institute, 2010; Pew Hispanic, 201

6. diversity

7. challenges

9. Some Challenges:
getting a driver’s
misinterpretations
license Immigration and
Customs Enforcement
(ICE) raids
Media and Public
Opinion
job opportunities
isolation & access to resources

10. teen pregnancy
10

11. why?

12. how do we
stop it?

14. how?

15. update your map of
what they need

16. its really about where
your heart is

18. high touch

19. focus
on
their
STRENGTHS

20. Some call it a blind spot, others
naïveté, but Mandela sees almost
everyone as virtuous until proven
otherwise. He starts with an assumption
you are dealing with him in good faith.
He believes that, just as pretending to be
brave can lead to acts of real
bravery, seeing the
good in other people improves the
chances that they will reveal their
better selves. Seth Godin

21. ask them

22. Are there language
differences?
Language
– Spanish but also indigenous languages
– Build a bilingual volunteer and network
system
– Seek for a bilingual partners = more than
an interpreter

23. Spanish?

24. Start small – Find one inroad
– A church, community group, & team
up
– Realize that many Latinos speak
English

25. Familiarize yourself with some
Spanish-language materials and
resources
– Attempt to speak Spanish
– Learn to read Spanish
– Use common phrases

26. Train front-line staff in best practices
with working with Latino families
Hire bilingual staff… men too!
Build flexible programs w/ drop in
atmosphere

27. gather a
winning
team

28. Are there community
agencies/organizations/leaders already
engaged with them?
 Identify potential partners
– A starting point: Schools’ ESL and Spanish
teachers, Health Department Spanish/English
interpreters, Faith Community, Latino/Mexican
grocery stores, non-profit organizations, etc.
• Highly recommended to have an initial face-
to-face contact
• Latino culture shows preference for one-on-
one relationships

29. who’s not
at the
table yet?

30. Who are your partners?
• Call for a community partners
meeting
o Determine partner’s role
o Who can do what?
o Identify existing groups and/or
help with recruiting participants

31. silos

32. really?

33. engage youth

34. ask them

35. listen

36. find out what gets
them excited

37. futbol, basketbol, music
, technology, their
families, their friends

38. resonate

39. resonance
frequency

42. vision of
higher goals

43. Preparing for College
end in mind

44. retain youth
• make short videos - animoto
• use technology – wiggio
• home visits
• pull out at school

45. be passionate
show you really
care

47. the 5 Ps

48. Problem: what do they feel
the problem is?

49. Praise: be genuine and
focused

50. Past Experiences: identify
what experiences they have
had with folks like you
before

51. Problem Solve: resolve the
concerns they have and
figure out the logistics

52. Prepare them for what to
expect

53. take risks

54. engage their parents

55. stealth

56. be flexible

57. keep
boundaries

58. 20 mile march
Roald Amundsen - Dogs & Train
Robert Scott - Motor Sledges, H
“figuring out what works, understanding why it
works, grasping when to change and knowing when
not to.”Jim Collins

59. ship