Rebuilding Teen Social Capital through Programming

In this webinar, teen-serving library staff will learn from two case studies at The New York Public Library about how to build teen social capital through magazine publishing, podcast production and artistic expression through multiple media formats. Our presenters will share how they designed and implemented creative experiences with the goal of empowering teens and elevating teen voice. Strategies covered will include: staff mentorship and relationship-building, near-peer and peer-to-peer leadership, finding an authentic audience, the use of digital tools, and more.

Objectives

  • Develop strategies for building social capital in teens, with a specific focus on creative production 
  • Engage teens through relationship building, leadership opportunities, and the use of digital tools 
  • Identify how to give teen voices a platform and why that is important

Speakers

Darro Chea is the Digital Media Instructor of Teen Recording Studios at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library. He oversees two state of the art recording studios equipped with industry standard analog and digital recording equipment and software. Darro also helped to develop a brand new P-Type to coincide with the Recording Studio training program that allows teens to book recording studios and work on their individual artistic projects. He also produces Keeping Up With Gen Z, a teen-led podcast centering teen voices and their experiences both in and outside of New York City.

Rachel Roseberry is the Manager of Youth Literacy Programs at The New York Public Library where she oversees Teen Reading Ambassadors, a paid internship program to develop leadership and job readiness skills in high school students. With a Master’s in Reading Education and a passion for informal learning, she has worked in both public libraries and non-profit organizations with a focus on literacy for the past 10 years.

Siva Ramakrishnan is the Associate Director of Young Adult Services at The New York Public Library where she oversees a team that supports teen-serving staff across our 88 neighborhood branches through programming, resources, and professional development. She has worked with teens in a variety of educational settings for over 20 years, and enjoys thinking about how libraries can be dynamic spaces where teens can connect with their peers and community, and engage in creative, self-directed learning. Siva has a Master’s in British and American Literature and is working on a second Master’s in Library and Information Science.