380.640.01
Children in Crisis: An Asset-Based Approach to Working With Vulnerable Youth

Location
East Baltimore
Term
3rd Term
Department
Population, Family and Reproductive Health
Credit(s)
3
Academic Year
2016 - 2017
Instruction Method
TBD
Class Time(s)
Monday, 5:30 - 7:30pm
Auditors Allowed
Yes, with instructor consent
Available to Undergraduate
No
Grading Restriction
Letter Grade or Pass/Fail
Course Instructor(s)
Terrinieka Powell
Beth Marshall
Contact Name
Terri Powell
Contact Email
terri.powell@jhu.edu
Frequency Schedule
Every Year
Description
Uses personal narratives, experienced practitioners, community leaders, and community members to expose students to a wide range of domestic and international youth welfare issues and interventions focused on education, violence, refugee resettlement, juvenile justice, and child protection. Utilizing an asset-based approach, the class highlights commonalities between international and domestic youth challenges. Class sessions feature ample discussion, expert lecturers, youth voices, and an examination of existing programs in and out of Baltimore City.
Learning Objectives
Upon successfully completing this course, students will be able to:
  1. Describe the social, political and economic conditions that place children in crisis situations and perpetuate their at-risk status
  2. Demonstrate how to utilize an asset-based community development model
  3. Define and apply the concept of allophilia as it relates to service learning, community engagement and youth programming
  4. Identify similarities/differences between vulnerable youth circumstances in Baltimore and those in another part of the world while observing the global relevance of working in Baltimore
  5. Recognize best practices in youth interventions from across contexts and explain ways to develop culturally responsible plans to help children currently experiencing crises
  6. Investigate the use of youth voices and personal narratives in the development and improvement of youth programming, and as a supplement to traditional analytical and academic training at JHSPH
  7. Inform, improve, and/or develop a project requested by the community organization by engaging directly with the youth to capture their perspectives and input
  8. Develop a personal approach to working across cultures in the global context and in Baltimore by identifying personal tendencies, stereotypes, strengths and challenges
  9. Integrate one’s learning through the course towards motivations for intellectual, career, and volunteer pursuits
Instructor Consent
Consent required for some students
Consent Note
Consent required for undergraduates. Undergrad consent will not be granted until the first day of class. Interested undergraduate students are encouraged to attend the first day.
Consent Contact
terri.powell@jhu.edu
Jointly Offered With
International Health
Special Comments

Students are broken into groups and connected with a pre-selected Baltimore-based youth organization. They work with the community contact person to engage with the youth program in a service-learning project. Each group must visit the initiative/youth at least four times for a minimum of eight hours.