Documenting the Process

In your case, youth will determine who or what makes up their community and decide which issues youth are facing. You will then follow the steps outlined in this toolkit and be actively involved in the design and execution of the CNA.

Through the process and by making positive change, youth can develop a better understanding of your community and its specific needs.

Objectives of a CNA

Understanding the objectives of a CNA can help your youth and you as the facilitator, be more aware of what they will accomplish in their project. Here are the objectives of the CNA:

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

As you introduce the idea of the youth conducting a CNA, you will want to explain to them what a CNA is and the objectives of a CNA. This can help them decide if a CNA is right for them!

Some questions you may ask youth when leading them in a discussion of the objectives:

This discussion does not need to take a long time, but enough to help the youth feel comfortable and come to their own understanding of the objectives and decide if a CNA is right for your group.

Be able to identify youth specific community issues and analyze them Practice conducting data collection and the research process Apply problem-solving skills Assess the progress and the outcomes of the project Become more involved and active in the community

What research skills do you think this project will involve? What does community engagement mean to you? Why is it important to evaluate the end result of a project? What counts as a problem-solving skill? What skills or strengths do you have that relate to these objectives?

Documenting the Process through a Reflection Log

Throughout the entire project, it will be helpful for youth to document their experiences. When something goes wrong, encourage them to write it down! It also might help you as the facilitator to take notes to keep track of discussions and where the group is in the process.