We've had good success in a rural environment, with a small staff, helping
Appalachian teenagers learn about museum work and the interpretation of
cultural heritage in the living history mode.  At present we have a dozen
youngsters, some home-schooled, who "work" the visitor reception desk,
carry on interpretive work in costume, even an apprentice blacksmith.  Two
are converting our collections records from paper to our software.  We
learn from them and they learn from us.  Our first teen docent is in
college and just spent the summer as an intern at the Corcoran.  She'll no
doubt go on to a museum career.

About 15 years ago we started a similar program at what's now called
Jamestown Settlement, but it was limited to gifted students selected by the
school system.  They were rarely disadvantaged.  These non-disadvantaged
teenagers lacked, it seemed to me, the work ethic I've found among their
peers in the mountains -- where jobs are scarce and the schools populated
with teachers who grew up here and came back.

Ross Weeks
Tazewell VA

----------
> From: LENORE ADLER <[log in to unmask]>
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: volunteerism summit
> Date: Wednesday, April 30, 1997 6:43 AM
>
> How about getting "disadvantaged" youth to volunteer in cultural
institutions?
> A teen docent/mentoring program?  A library is a great place for youth to
> volunteer after school-(and a safe place).  There is alot of potential
for
> combining the two and maybe getting more people into cultural
institutions who
> have stayed away in the past...just some thoughts...Lenore
>
> ************************************************************
> Lenore Adler                                   (412)622-3282
> Program Coordinator
> Museum on the Move
> Carnegie Museum of Natural History
> 4400 Forbes Avenue
> Pittsburgh PA 15213