YOUmedia is an innovative learning space for teens. Designed to respond to the interests of young people, YOUmedia provides traditional and 21st century digital tools along with the adult mentoring they need to produce media, design and collaborate on projects, and share them with the world. Located in libraries, museums, and community centers, YOUmedia invites young people to learn anyplace, anytime.

Ready to start a YOUmedia center in your own city?

Visit the requests for proposals site for more information.

YM News

Oct. 14, 2011

GOOD asks if YOUmedia is a model for the library of the future. more

Oct. 10, 2011

USA Today on YOUmedia's efforts "to expand kids' media literacy." more

Discover The Characteristics of YOUmedia

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“YOUmedia welcomes everybody. The geeks, the nerds, the computer heads - I am a computer head myself - the game heads, the creative writing, the photography, the music makers, the readers. It's a place for every person to feel comfortable in.” – Zoi

YouMedia Centers

See what's happening at YOUmedia centers across the country.

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    Youth-centered

    Design of the space and programming embraces youth preferences, interests, practices, and attitudes. Youth voice and participation in design and development decisions and implementation are essential.

    Interest driven

    Programming is driven by youth interests and is meaningful and relevant to their daily lives (be it popular culture or issues of local or personal interest).

    Reflective

    Youth review and critique their own work, progress, and learning as a routine part of the program process to improve and hone their skills; mentors also critically evaluate their own teaching, mentoring, and curriculum to improve their skills and better support youth learning outcomes.

    Making and doing

    Youth programming centers around hands-on active engagement and production of artifacts and projects; youth are not simply consuming media or information - they are producers of content and experiences to be shared with a broader audience.

    Collaborative

    Collaboration for youth means that young people are supported in working with other young people from different schools, backgrounds, and areas of interest and expertise, whether from across the city or across the country (physical and/or online spaces). Collaboration for adults means including people from different backgrounds to work with youth to offer their particular expertise and perspective.

    Nimble And flexible

    Programming and the space itself are responsive to youth interests; reframing happens regularly to meet students' evolving interests and skills; curriculum is not static, but is revised and re-envisioned as needed to encourage student engagement and development.

    HOMAGO

    Hanging Out (socializing in a media-rich space that is surrounded by learning examples and opportunities);

    Messing Around (resource-rich, mentor-supported activities that allow for exploration and discovery of new interests and skills and the easy opportunity for experimentation and play);

    Geeking Out (workshops or independent exploration that supports the development of explicit skills and interests, development of expertise, opportunity to "level up," and opportunities to showcase work to a broader public).

    Cross/Multimedia

    Multiple media tools, experiences, and opportunities are offered, which allow for cross-fertilization and cross-representation (e.g., a blog that showcases the work of digital photography students; video games that feature music created in audio workshops).

    Interdisciplinary

    A variety of content and perspectives from multiple disciplines are incorporated across programming and workshops.

    Leveling up

    Gaining competencies and developing an expanding set of skills and expertise, for youth, mentors, and institutions; opportunities to move to the next level of expertise or interest are always available.

    Mentoring

    The space and program are supported by adult mentors who serve as role models and resources for skills development.

    Professional development

    All staff are supported with regular professional development to refine their pedagogy, cultural capital, professional skills, technical skills, and knowledge of youth development.

    Performance

    A broad platform is provided to share work; opportunities are available for youth to publicly display/perform their work for a larger audience and have public recognition.

    Online Space

    Social learning network is available where youth can post their work, critique others' work, and receive feedback from peers, mentors, and professionals.

    Data Collection

    Participation information is collected, including workshop attendance, equipment usage, engagement with different learning opportunities in the space, and projects or products created in the program (physical and online) to track engagement, development, and learning outcomes.

    Curriculum

    Content framework is versatile and can be mixed and remixed into programming that meets youth interests; the framework allows for multiple partners to include content and experiences that may involve multiple media, disciplines, and venues for showcasing.

    Partnerships

    Working with different kinds of institutions and individuals to leverage additional and complementary resources, expertise, and opportunities to meet youth interests, and provide expanded showcasing and civic engagement opportunities.

    Community engagement

    Programming is intentionally designed to increase civic awareness and engagement with the local and global community around issues that are of interest to youth and that support positive social change.

    Outcomes

    Positive outcomes for youth (e.g., improved college or career readiness), participating institutions (e.g., increase in participatory culture for staff and patrons), and the community (e.g., prioritizing 21st-century skills development for all) are the result of programming.

    Messing Around

    Resource-rich, mentor-supported activities that allow for exploration and discovery of new interests and skills and the easy opportunity for experimentation and play.

    Geeking out

    workshops or independent exploration that supports the development of explicit skills and interests, development of expertise, opportunity to “level up,” and opportunities to showcase work to a broader public.

    Hanging out

    Socializing in a media-rich space that is surrounded by learning examples and opportunities.

    Toolkit Coming Soon

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