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Youth Development
A Caring
Place for Africans and their Families
INTRODUCTION
For Africans, passing on their values and traditions to their
children is just as important as it is to all cultures throughout
the world. However, African parents are faced with unique challenges
of raising their children in United States. Passing on their values
and traditions and helping their children
 become active participants
in American society, whether they were born overseas or in the
United States, is complicated due to the unique needs of an African
youth’s dual identity. This identity is shared between their African
roots and American culture.
For some, they may find themselves caught between the
traditional African culture of their parents and the American
popular culture of their friends and acquaintances. For others,
they may get so caught-up in their day-to-day routine that they
lose a connection with their African roots. Insuring that these
African youth receive the tools and experiences to properly
negotiate their identity and to learn about how to navigate the
complexities of American society is vital to their development as
human beings.
Since its inception, the African Center has valued and worked
towards the development of African youth living in United States,
particularly in Indiana, whether newly arrived from a refugee camp
to never having visited their homeland. At the core of youth
development programming at the African Center is the Summer
Youth Program, which provides constructive opportunities for
African youth ages 5 through 16 during the majority of the summer
weeks. The program works to Train, Inspire, Motivate and Empower
the African youth with the following goals:
◊To enhance their understanding and appreciation of their
African identity as it interacts with their American identity;
◊To promote physical fitness and healthy lifestyles;
◊To share and learn about the diversity of African arts and
culture;
◊To learn about the African community in central Indiana;
◊To supplement classroom learning through educational
experiences that are hands-on and community-based;
◊To discover and experience a well-rounded range of cultural
and civic resources; and
◊To instill civic pride and responsibility.
We invite you to share in the personal accounts of a young
participant in the African Center’s Youth Development
program.
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