Who Are Community Resource People?

A Community Resource Person (CRP) is someone with specialized knowledge with whom the students do not usually interact with in an instructional or classroom setting. Police officers, social workers, lawyers, and mediators, for example, have all enhanced Street Law's programs. The Fair Fight in the Marketplace curriculum creates an opportunity to invite business people, state and local government attorneys who have been involved in antitrust, lawyers who have represented corporations in antitrust cases, and judges who have handled antitrust cases to provide their professional expertise. You will find that there are many individuals in your community who are more than willing to lend their expertise and spend time with your group. This section will provide all the information you need to tap these important resources.

Why does Street Law recommend the use of Community Resource People (CRPs)?

CRPs provide benefits to your students. They

• break down barriers between young people and the community. Students will benefit from hearing the types of legal and ethical issues.
• make the lesson come alive by introducing real-life experiences. No matter how familiar the instructor is with the content area, the session will usually be more compelling if a CRP contributes real-life experiences. A resource person who provides anecdotes and answers hypothetical questions will make the information more relevant to teens on a personal level. By working with the resource person ahead of time and integrating them into the lesson they will have more impact than a guest speaker.
• act as excellent role models. Bringing in positive role models from the community gives young people a chance to see contributing citizens and to learn how different people overcame hardship to succeed.
• provide career information. Many young people are not aware of the variety of careers available to them and do not come into contact with people from a range of professions. In addition, many teens don't know what steps they need to take to reach their career objectives. Toward the end of the session you may want to encourage the CRPs to describe the job they do, how they are treated at work, how they got their job, what training they needed, and what other job opportunities are available at their organization.

CRPs provide benefits to you. They

• offer expertise in unfamiliar areas. You're not supposed to know it all! The materials are designed so that you don't have to. CRPs complement your knowledge and expertise.
• connect you to new community resources. Incorporating community resource people into your sessions will bring you into contact with a variety of community resources and connect you to new resources for your students.
• ensure that your learning time is dynamic and continually fresh. As an instructor, your goal is to make the time you spend with the group of teens as dynamic, interesting, and valuable as possible. Community resource people will help you fulfill this goal.

Community Resource People Checklist

Before

• Identify the CRP who will best help to meet the learning objectives.
• Contact the community resource people in advance.
• Mail him/her a copy of the lesson’Äîinclude a copy of the Suggestions for the Community Resource Person handout (see below). Highlight the sections you would like the CRP to facilitate.
• Describe your students and any special needs they may have to the CRP.
• Explain that participation should be interactive, not in lecture style. Describe how the lesson will work and what role you are expecting the CRP to take.
• Determine if the community resource person has any special needs (materials, more information).
• Send directions, session time, and any other important logistics information.
• Get your supervisor/school approval.
• Prepare students for the community resource person's arrival, including writing out questions ahead of time. Describe to the students how the resource person is connected to the session.
• Confirm the visit on the day before it is due.
• Prepare "plan B" if an emergency comes up and your CRP has to cancel.

During

• Have students greet the community resource person upon arrival.
• Welcome the community resource person and have a student introduce him/her.
• Facilitate questions and keep track of time.
• DO NOT leave the room.
• Thank the community resource person.

After

• Debrief the experience with teens.
• Have teens send thank-you letters.
• Write a letter thanking the community resource person's supervisor for the class visit.
• Give the community resource person feedback on his or her participation.

Suggestions for the Community Resource Person

Thank you for agreeing to share your expertise with our students. Here are some tips that will help make your visit as successful as possible.

1. Refer to what happens in the real world, especially situations that relate to young people.
2. Do not lecture.
3. Expect teens to be excited about your visit!
4. Frequently ask teens if they have questions.
5. Avoid using jargon or overly technical language.
6. Admit when you don't know an answer and indicate you'll get back to the group with the answer, if possible.
7. Personalize the topic by mentioning things that have happened to you.
8. You and the teacher will work together during your visit. The teacher should have described the lesson to you so that your role is clear. The teacher should make introductions and state the lesson's objectives, raise issues that have been neglected, and step in if problems occur.
9. Assume the group knows nothing about your subject area. Build on what the students know.
10. Be certain that both sides of controversial issues are brought out either by teens, yourself, or the teacher.
11. Please don't forget the appointment or be late. Young people need to learn that adults are dependable.
12. Know that your involvement can leave a lasting impression - attempt to make it as positive an experience as possible. Each contact in a young person's life helps his or her future decisions.
13. Have a good time and enjoy the group.