Open Forum

Hi everyone,

I work with our teen volunteers here at Denver Botanic Gardens and am looking for some advice.  We currently have a summer program and a teen advisory board/leadership group, but we're reaching the point where we should evaluate what comes next.

I'm doing some bench-marking to figure out what's already out there and what directions we could potentially go with our program.  Does anyone either have at their institution or know of some amazing teen programs elsewhere? Or have ideas they haven't seen in action but think would be particularly great?

Any pointers (or pitfalls to avoid) would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks!

Trystan

P.S. A summary of our current teen volunteer programs can be found on our website if anyone is interested: https://www.botanicgardens.org/teen-volunteer-programs

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Trystan Popish
Volunteer Coordinator
Denver Botanic Gardens
Denver, CO
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Hi Trystan, there are a number of blog posts on the Alliance website that explore or mention notable teen programs, for example:

The New Bedford Whaling Museum's High School Apprenticeship Program
https://www.aam-us.org/2018/11/15/making-it-all-about-them-the-new-bedford-whaling-museum-high-school-apprenticeship-program/

The work of the Chrysler Museum of Art with the nonprofit Teens with a Purpose
https://www.aam-us.org/2018/03/13/community-curating-a-macro-to-micro-view/

The collaborative "Girls Design the World" program created by the Minneapolis Institute of Art and the National Museums of Kenya
https://www.aam-us.org/2016/08/08/girls-design-the-world/

Hope this is of assistance

Yours from the future,

Elizabeth Merritt






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Elizabeth Merritt
VP Strategic Foresight & Founding Director, CFM
American Alliance of Museums
Arlington VA
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Hi Trystan,

The Natural History Museum of Utah has a 25-year-old program focused on near-peer mentoring -- Youth Teaching Youth -- for ethnically diverse, low income middle and high school students. This year we have also piloted a Teen Explainers program, which draws from a much wider geographic area and involves teens in engaging visitors at the museum.
I would be happy to talk to you more about these programs as you research program models.
Working with teens is the best!

Linda

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Linda Aaron
Youth Development Programs Coordinator
Natural History Museum of Utah - University of Utah
Salt Lake City UT
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