mobileYouth: 100 Trends for 2012

mobileYouth Economy: 100 Trends for 2012. Part 1 of 4

View more presentations from Graham Brown (mobileYouth)

Leading global youth research agency mobileYouth, has released their annual "100 Trends" report for 2012. Whether you are working with youth in the non-profit or corporate sector, you will not want to miss this insightful jam-packed trend forecast. Subscribe to receive all four parts.

Visit mobileYouth's Idea Factory for more insights into youth culture

Start a Video Game Discussion Club!

If your youth org is looking to bring in more tech-friendly programs into the mix, a video game discussion club just may be the program you've been looking for. Similar to book or film discussion clubs, game discussion clubs like Kotaku's Game Club meet every month to play and discuss their experiences playing a popular video game. After the game is played, participants share their thoughts on different subjects such as story, gameplay, plot, narrative, character development, fandom, writing and design.

If you are interested in starting a video game discussion club consider these tips:

1. With your teen's input, select a suitable title that is both teen friendly (watch those ratings, E for Everyone games are a good start) and is either really popular (ie Legend of Zelda Skyward Sword) or available on all the major systems so no one who is interested will be left out.

2. Make the game available to all, if your teens do not have access to the game, you can set up a gaming system at your youth org to provide an opportunity for your teens to play. 

3. Set up a discussion destination and a meeting time. Game club meetings can be either online or at your youth org. Game clubs have found success utilizing Facebook, dedicated game club blogs, discussion forums.

4. Don't forget retro gaming! Most major video games licenses have a substantial back catalog of related titles. Why not offer a classics comparison element to your discussions and cover both the history of gaming and the advancements in gameplay and design.

5. There has been a tremendous amount of writing both scholarly and critical of video games, provide links to interesting articles to help deepen discussion and promote further reading.

For great examples of an online gaming club check out Kotaku's Gamers Club discussions on:  
Legend of Zelda Skyward Sword 
Uncharted 3 
Gears of War 3
CiVWorld

Pinterest: Get Inspired!

You’ve probably heard a lot about the new social media wunderkind Pinterest over the last few months.  The visual social bookmarking site’s popularity literally exploded this past fall, creating a fast growing community of people dedicated to sharing great ideas and sources of inspiration with others. For those unfamilar with Pinterest, a little explanation: Pinterest is collection of curated visual idea boards, that allow users to discover, organize and share all the neat and inspiring things you find on the web. People use pinboards to help them do all kinds of things from planning events, decorating their spaces, and organizing their favorite creative finds like crafts, recipes, outfits and products.

When you find a source of inspiration, images are uploaded and turned into "pins", that are then added to customizable themed Boards. These pins then show up in your discovery feed, which can be shared with friends, and users who share the same interests. Being that you can create Boards for any topic imaginable, and the possibilities are truly limitless, Pinterest is a perfect tool for youth advocates seeking out cool ideas and inspiration for their outreach services and programs. I've personally been using Pinterest since it's beta launch last year and have discovered thousands of great ideas for youth advocates, and have shared my finds with hundreds of youth experts. Check out my collection of Pinterest boards here


Pinterest is still in invite-only Beta, so if you're interested in signing up you'll have to be invited (grrrr...I know). You can sign up for an invite on Pinterest but you might have to wait a while-- chances are you already have a friend whose already a Pinner so ask around. Alternatively I have a few invites left and would be more than happy to invite anyone who is interested, so please feel free to contact me if you want to join.  

If you want to learn more about how Pinterest works, check out USA Today and Mashable for their starter's guide.

Stories Beat Stuff

Those working with older teens heading to college and university students in media programs will want to take a look at Tourism New Zealand's new contest "Stories Beat Stuff" In effort to promote New Zealand as a travel destination for youth adventure seekers, the Tourism Board is sponsoring a video contest that encourages young people to ask themselves what they would give up for the ultimate story of a lifetime.

Interested participants should create a video that depicts their own personal story that is relevant to their current life while also being aspirational and humorous as well. Those who enter will have the opportunity to win one of six trips of a lifetime. The grand prizes not only includes airfare but a tour package experience that features activities such as "Summer Rhythm" a music and festival themed event, and "Beaches and Boats" and outdoors and ocean tour. This is the first round of a number of amazing New Zealand experiences on offer, so keep tabs on their Facebook page for new contests, other youth experiences and updates as they launch.
You can see from the video above created by Tourism New Zealand, that this trip is truly a chance of a lifetime. New Zealand is unlike any other place in the world, rich with natural beauty, and friendly people that embrace new experiences and adventure. If you have students looking for inspiration for a new video project, "Stories Beat Stuff" may just be the project they've been looking for.

Need a little inspiration? Check out my playful take on the contest entry below:

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Viral video by ebuzzing

Awesome Outreach: Talk to Frank

When working with youth, both style and substance are key when developing programs and promoting outreach services. However, contrary to popular belief, youth orgs should never aim to be cool and hip, instead efforts should always be focused on building a reputation as an authentic, approachable and accessible resource.  It takes a tremendous amount of courage for teens to ask for help, so when the time comes, it is important that they feel that they are going to a welcoming and accepting place.    

But what do you do in the mean time? How do your promote your organization to youth in a world of mass distraction? When you are given three seconds to prove to youth that 1. you exist 2. you understand and 3. yes, you can actually help, how do you become the organization they think of when they need to get help?  


FRANK a UK-based national drug education service, by the British government's Department of Health and Home Office,  is a great example for youth orgs to learn from.  Intended to "reduce the use of both legal and illegal drugs by providing students with "targeted" and "accurate information on drugs and alcohol", FRANK has created an effective multifaceted approach to substance abuse awareness and counseling. Promoted through through clever television, radio and internet ads FRANK's blend of creative, yet authentic youth-oriented story telling and youth outreach services has established the organization's reputation as a leader in substance abuse education and as valuable resource among teens in need.

If you take a moment to review FRANK's online offerings and viral video campaigns, you can see that there has been a tremendous amount of time and detail dedicated to building an authentic youth service. Everything from the design of the website, the wording of copy, the presentation of  resources and services, and viral advertisements, displays a healthy respect for and knowledge of youth today. Most importantly,  they have built an engaging and informative resource for teens to learn about the dangers and consequences of substance abuse and a caring and accepting haven for those in need.

Visit FRANK at  http://www.talktofrank.com/
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How to Organize a Food Truck Fundraiser

 Photos via Bob B. Brown/ stu_spivak/ friedmanlynn/ Muy Yum

There is no doubt that the new mobile food truck craze is taking the country by storm. Featuring much more than your average hot dog and packet of chips, this new breed of petite gourmet food trucks feature everything from international fusion cuisine to homegrown organic delights. Certain food truck companies have built such a devoted fan base, that their followers have been known to traverse all over the city just to get a taste of their tasty Korean BBQ tacos or mango cream icees. 

Photo via Ricardo Diaz

According to a recent LA Times article, schools along the West Coast have been capitalizing on this new mobile dining craze by hosting "food truck fundraisers". Schools and youth organizations have been teaming up with mobile food vendors to host food festival events to help raise money for things like new computers,  and sports equipment to field trips and homecoming. They are enjoying a great success as well, finding that community members are pouring in every Friday night to get a taste of the next big culinary discovery.  

Photo via LexnGer

If you would like to host a food truck festival for your youth organization, Casey from MobiMunch offers these great tips to get you started:

1. Locate food trucks in your area by searching a food truck directory such as MobiMunch. These directories will not only help you find local food trucks but help you book a company for your event.

2. Scout out an area for your food truck event,  you should be looking for a place with "high visibility, high traffic or proximity to a densely populated area, that as ample parking and seating, Make sure that your location is not competing with other food choices.

3.  Organizers should contact their city or county to find out what is required (permits, sanitation, fire and police presence) to hold a special event. Trucks are individually permitted (health permit and business license to operate) and may need to add the site location as an "additional insured" for their insurance policy.

4.  Provide entertainment so that visitors will linger and perhaps even stay for a second dessert! Consider booking live music, hosting games and raffles, etc. Clubs can even create contests for who can bring the most people to the event.

5. Team up with local businesses to help you sponsor your event. Perhaps they can donate raffle prizes, help offset seating or tent rental, or even set up shop as well. 

6. Make sure to market your event everywhere both online, offline and over the television and radio waves. Create an email blast, place ads on the radio and in newspaper ads. Get your event posted in event listings, featured in local blogs or other local media. Post fliers in local shops and without a doubt announce it on your Facebook and Twitter!

7. On the day of the event, make sure your event is visible to passers-by. Attach balloons, signs, and even get teen volunteers to dress up (taco costume anyone?)  to help draw in the hungry crowds.

Check out eHow's How to Hire Food Vending Trucks for more tips

Youth Advocate: EJ Carrion

Today's 4YAYouth Advocate interview features the tremendously talented EJ Carrion, who is part of  today's exciting new generation of motivational speakers and youth advocates. Speaking to high school students and budding young entrepreneurs all over the country, EJ's unique presentation format of video narratives, hip-hop music and humor has captured the attention of schools and youth organizations and has inspired countless teens to be their best selves and share their unique gifts to improve their world.

What lead you to your career as a youth advocate and speaker? 

I really found my passion for speaking when I was in ninth grade. It was when I took my first public speaking class. The adrenaline and joy of capturing people’s attention with words were so exciting for me. It was really the first thing I was good at while in high school. My other passion, helping students, was introduced when I got involved in self-development and leadership. I thought to myself a lot of student do not receive this type of information on personal empowerment and success. I was also an intern at Teach For America while in college at the University of Oklahoma and this experience let me see the behind the scenes in education and what we are forgetting to teach students and that is how to succeed.

What is a typical day like for you when you are on the road and giving presentations?

well I definitely think the lifestyle I live is not the most glamorous. People think because you travel the world and motivate students that you live this celebrity lifestyle. The average day usually consist of living in hotels, flying late flights, and getting less than four hours of sleep. The great part of traveling is that you get to interact with different communities and connect with students all across the nation. 

Your motivational presentations incorporate hip-hop, YouTube videos and humor, what kind of reaction have you received from your teen audiences? 


I think the reactions have been positive. Students are used to listening to speakers who are older, grey-haired, and wear a suit. When I incorporate hip-hop, humor, and You Tube videos, what happens is that I am able to relate. It is challenging to inspire students or teach them anything if you do not have them entertained.

Can you tell us about how you came to the idea of incorporating your own hip hop videos into your work?

Well, when I was a kid my childish dream was to become a platinum rapper. The only problem was that I really was not that good. It took me years before I ever decided to rap again. I guess you can say that I was embarrassed. But after doing a lot of speaking I saw that a lot of students have a passion for music. I learned that it was a great way to have crowd interaction and bring up the energy level.

What lead you to your career as a youth advocate and speaker?

I believe our generation has a lot of potential the only problem is a lot of caring people just have a hard time connecting with youth. I mean think about it kids today are raised having 3D graphics, iPads, and their own computer. We are trying to educated kids by sitting in a room and speaking to them about subjects. When back at home they are connected with the entire world and millions of graphic games. The world could be even a fantasy world they created on a game. The challenge is we have to find out how to educate and entertain. Also when we relate we can get students to believe in progress and become self-motivated. I became a youth advocate because I think it is a skill like anything else and it was a skill I naturally enjoy developing.

Can you tell us about how you came to the idea of incorporating your own hip hop videos into your work? 

Students enjoy music and they relate to music. I was looking for ways to relate and entertain and I saw rapping as the tool to do that. I also saw it as a way to make me look different from other speakers.


How has this changed your presentations?


Not much it just added another dimension. I usually used the rapping as away to bring students energy back up after giving them a lot of content. Students need a lot of pattern interrupts in order to stay engaged. So after I give them content or serious advice the energy kind of goes down what this means is that now I have to do something to bring it back up, which usually is a rap for me. We can’t just sit there and drop knowledge on students for 45 minutes, we have to interrupt their pattern so that they laugh, get excited, feel connected, and most importantly remember the content or lesson we are trying to share with them.

In your opinion, what are the joys and challenges with working with youth today?

I really do enjoy speaking with students because they are uncertain with who they are and so they have high probability to be influenced by what you say. What I mean is that high school and middle school is an important time for students. If you ask all successful people I am pretty confident that they will tell you about a “turning point” they had in their life, which usually happened in high school. A “turning point” is an experience or person who changed their lives for the better. If we can be that “turning point” into students’ lives we will all as youth advocates find a more joy in what we do. The challenge with students is entertaining them. I believe the best youth advocates are those who can entertain. When you entertain or do an activity that is entertaining more students will be willing to learn or listen to what you have to say.

How do you stay relevant and keep up to date with youth culture trends?



The most important thing to do is observe students. I love going to different town and seeing what youth are doing on the weekends, checking out what clothes are in style, and asking them what music is popular. If we simply watch and listen to students we will be able to see what is trending. Youth are the biggest MARKETING advocators. I mean look at Justin Bieber, Jersey Shore, Glee, etc. We can even go old school with Nsync, Spice Girls, Tickle Me Elmo. All these trends die when the students at that time grow older. Students are huge bandwagon fans and want everyone to know who or what they support.

What should all youth advocates keep in mind when connecting with youth?



There are three things:
1. Observe and stay up to date with the trends.
2. Entertain – If we can keep them entertained the easier it is to teach them something
3. Relate – Show them that you care, show them that you have struggled, and finally show them you are human and that you make mistakes.

What advice would you give to someone who is interested in becoming a youth advocate and motivational speaker?

You are as much an entertainer as you are an educator. I will tell them to be themselves and just learn to develop your speaking style. Becoming a good speaker takes time and trial and error. You can’t learn to speak by riding bike. You have to just go out and do it. Record your presentations and watch them to see what worked and what did not work. A lot of youth advocates are reluctant to get on stage and face an auditorium full of teens.

What tips can you share with youth experts to put themselves at ease and win the attention of youth? 

You are as much an entertainer as you are an educator. It is crucial that you relate, entertain, and inspire in whatever activity or lesson you are doing for your students. It is import to have pattern interrupts. Maybe at the beginning you tell a funny story, and than follow it up with an interaction exercise. After that share some knowledge and content and than give some entertaining interactions to the content you just shared. Pattern interrupts make it harder for people to daze off and lose focus because they never know what to expect. Develop skills in story telling, comedy, and public speaking. Take sometime to ask yourself, “How can I be more creative?”

How has this changed your presentations?

It is the reason why they listen. It is the reason why I do this for a living. I do not think I have some amazing skills or natural talent. I really just invested in relating to people and figuring out what they like and how can I make them identify me a friend and someone on their side.   

For more information about EJ Carrion please visit  http://www.ejcarrion.com/

Work With Teens? Know Your Meme

Working with teens puts you into contact with some pretty oddball stuff, a lot of which is so zany that it's sometimes hard to understand. The majority of these joke phenomenons for example, Nyan Cat the flying Pop Tart feline, originate from Internet "memes"-- viral user-generated content that pokes fun at the ridiculousness of  everyday things. If you find yourself at loss trying to understand some off-the-wall thing that your teens are laughing at on their phones or at their computer, the best thing you can do is ask them to explain. If they are in the middle of an uncontrollable laughing fit and are unable to verbalize, your next best plan of action is to take a trip over to Know Your Meme. Know Your Meme is a online database and blog of the Internets most notorious Internet viral hits and memes. Not only will you find out what's trending, you can also peruse their online meme database that gives you the lowdown on the origins of memes and an explanation of its importance. Next time you find yourself scratching your head about something that looks like a viral hit, Know Your Meme is a great place to seek out the meaning behind the meme.

Minecraft Party Ideas: MineFest

There is no doubt that Minecraft, the sandbox indie video game that encourages players to mine and build worlds, has become this year's massive gaming hit for teens.  Libraries, schools and rec centers are noticing that record numbers of teens are playing this creative game that focuses not on shooting and killing but on creativity, building and collaborative world building. Minecraft allows players to build constructions out of textured cubes in a 3D world and share their creations with other players. If you are looking for a fun tech friendly program (hello Teen Tech Week!) you may want to look into hosting a MineFest at your youth organization. Putting together a MineFest event couldn't be easier, all you need to do is reserve your teen computers for your Minecraft fans for an afternoon or Friday evening.  Host different building events with themes, and hand out cool prizes. While teens wait to use the computer you can offer fun DIY programs like these ones featured on my Minecraft Pinterest board. 

For more inspiration and giveaway ideas check out my Amazon page 

 

Cool Stuff: LEGO's Life of George

 Many youth orgs have begun to incorporate the iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad into their creative programming and outreach. With innovative apps coming out daily, game developers are trying to break the mold with games that incorporate real life tasks and game play. One of my current favorite ideas is LEGOs new innovative game "Life of George". Life of George challenges players to build certain models out of just 144 pieces, once the model is completed, users are supposed to photograph the LEGO build with their iPhone, which scores the model on accuracy and build time. Finishing each challenge level will unlock new models and levels to recreate. With such a original and playful idea, youth orgs should take notice of the "Life of George", this may be the perfect game for a teen event. Check out the video below for more info.

Decorate It! Pixelated Window Displays

Pixelated sticky note window displays have become quite a trend these days. If you are looking for a fresh window dress why not set your teens to work with a bunch of colorful sticky notes and some 16-bit inspiration? Check out this large scale example by the clever engineering students at University of California. For more on the sticky note/ pixel art phenomena, check out KYMdb Sticky Note Art! and Comics Alliance for some great ideas.

Awesome Outreach: Net Connectors Video Challenge

There is a common myth that teens bemoan having to teach older family members how to use their tech. However, studies show that social media is greatly influencing inter-generational family communication. Teens that are connected to their families through social networks, messaging services and video chat report that they are enjoying more satisfying relationships with grandparents, extended family and yes, even their parents.

To help facilitate inter-generational communication technology education non-profit One Economy Corp. and British Telecom has launched "Net Connectors" a contest and initiative to challenge youth across the U.S. to share their technology wisdom and help teach older folks how to navigate the online world including: how to use Facebook, YouTube, download music or buy e-books on Amazon.

Running over the next six months, teen participants will be asked to produce their own video tutorials on numerous internet activities, apps and devices such as How To Search For Videos on YouTube. For their efforts they will be automatically entered to win an iPod nano each month.  Participants will have their videos showcased online and will be voted on by their peers and the Net Connectors community. If you run a tech club at your youth org or are looking for a great volunteer program for your teens, join the Net Connectors and help build a place for all generations online. 

For more information and contest details visit Net Connectors

Awesome Outreach: The Fletcher Street Urban Riding Club

Totally charmed by this story about the The Fletcher Street Urban Riding Club from This American Life. In effort to engage area youth, The Fletcher Street Urban Riding Club led by longtime resident Ellis Ferrill, formed an inner-city youth horsemanship program in north Philadelphia, where local horsemen and "urban cowboys" teach local teens to ride and care for horses while encouraging self-respect, academic excellence and a appreciation for animals. "The unusual homegrown community program provides children and youth with positive ways to spend their leisure time outdoors. Horses serve as a draw, attracting and engaging a committed group of youth". These youth are not the only ones whose lives have irrevocably changed by the kindness of this youth organization, the horses purchased by The Fletcher Street Urban Riding Club gives horses a second chance at life, that would likely otherwise be killed. 

Sharpie Kicks Off Creative Youth Initiative

In efforts to promote their permanent marker line, Sharpie has launched a cool video series "Sharpie Presents" on their YoutTube channel to inspire young minds to get creative with Sharpie markers. We've featured Cheeming Boey's Coffee Cup Canvas project on 4YA in the past, but check out Sharpie's YoutTube channel for a slew off cool project ideas that will keep your teens engaged and creative.

DIY Teens: Melted Crayon Canvas Project

Image from Eastern Shore Mom

Love this idea- make a bold colorful crayon canvas using left over crayons (what youth org doesn't have a ton of these?), a blow dryer and a canvas. 


1. Find a canvas of the size you want at your local craft store. Michaels Crafts Stores is a good bet or find them on Amazon.White canvas looks great with the full spectrum of colors, black will makes your neons pop even more.

2. Get out all of your broken or full size crayons you can find. You can use random colors create a color theme that matches the decor or style your going for, or be extra bold with neon colors.

3. Glue your crayons at the top of your canvas and and turn your hair dryer on high. Gently run the dryer back and forth over the crayons one at a time



4. For a drip effect, stand the canvas upright and let the melted wax drizzle down. Move along the top of the canvas with each color to create a balanced melting effect. Add more crayons of the same color if needed to round out the colors.