Leadership Foundations MYL Summit February, 2025
By: Marina Mason
Greetings from Chattanooga! Thrive Collective had the privilege of not only attending Mentoring Youth as Leaders Annual summit this year, but also the honor to help facilitate the three-day Leadership Foundations Annual MYL Gathering in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
The focus for this year was centered around Positive Youth Development (PYD). Thrive Collective joined other organizations from across the nation to participate and explore many aspects of The Developmental Framework for PYD, learning strategies to support youth growth and empowerment.
Thrive Collective had several “At Bats” where they actively engaged in teaching and applying the developmental framework for Positive Youth Development (PYD), specifically focusing on the importance of developmental relationships as the foundation for youth thriving and resilience. Our RHYME Director Randy Mason wrote an original song called “Positive Youth Development” in which the team showcased the importance of Asset Based Mentoring.
Workshops and activities emphasized how young people, regardless of their background or circumstances, rely on nurturing relationships to discover who they are, develop their abilities, and learn how to engage with and contribute to the world around them. Thrive Collective participated in discussions and hands-on exercises that demonstrated how these relationships can be cultivated within families, schools, programs, and communities.
One of the highlights was having Thrive Collective’s artist, Sam Wisneski, come to facilitate a collaborative art experience in which all attendees were able to participate. Together, we created something beautiful that reflected the core of MYL’s missional work. Working on the mural together, each participant contributed their unique perspective, making the creation process an act of unity. Painting the mural painting also served as a way to practically apply the principles of PYD by modeling how we can all engage young people in creative collaboration, reinforcing the importance of positive, inclusive relationships within communities. The message of “Battleground to Playground: City as a Playground” reinforced the idea of transforming spaces and opportunities for youth to thrive, underscoring the value of support and connection in every aspect of their development. This process was more than just artistic expression; it was about reinforcing the idea of transforming space and perspective. We were reminded that as artists and community members come together, we blend our creativity, experiences, and visions into a shared project that represents hope, transformation, and the potential for positive change in urban environments.
One key takeaway was remembering the portrait of a graduate and their future before beginning. The Developmental Framework is about Expressing Care, Challenging Growth, Providing Support, Sharing Power and finally Expanding Possibilities. We are excited to take all that we have learned and embed it into our R.H.Y.M.E. and Murals Mentoring programs.
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