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Steam into Sydney: IFLA Public Libraries mid-term 2017

Hard fun, soft skills: community outcomes and economic drivers at Clubhouses

Hard fun, soft skillsCommunity outcomes and economic drivers at Clubhouses

Denise Clarkson, Hutt City LibrariesLower Hutt, New Zealand

Introduction

At Hutt City Libraries we run an after school programme for 10-18 year olds in two of our high deprivation communities. It’s a free programme, run by Libraries staff and volunteer mentors, aimed at providing a creative and safe out-of-school environment where young people can explore their own ideas, and develop technology skills that can translate into university or career opportunities.

The program is called Clubhouse, it is part of an international network based at the Museum of Science in Boston, and one of the main sponsors is MIT.

In the last year attendees have learnt Photoshop, completed basic electronics projects with makey- makey kits, mashed up circuitry with fashion design, made and edited films, taken part in robotics competitions, completed graphic design jobs for community clients, formed a band, recorded tracks, and created start-up businesses.

A Clubhouse can only be based in a high deprivation community. Our two Clubhouses are based in two of these communities – Naenae and Taita. Naenae Clubhouse was established in 2010, Taita in 2015.

About us

Lower Hutt is located at the bottom tip of the North Island of New Zealand, about 20 kilometres north or our capital city, Wellington. According to the 2013 census, Lower Hutt has a resident population of about 98,000 people, making it the seventh largest city in New Zealand (Statistics New Zealand - Tatauranga Aotearoa, 2013). When compared to national averages, Lower Hutt is more ethnically diverse, with higher percentages of the population identifying as being Maori or Pacific Islander. It is also a younger population, with lower percentages of people over the age of 65 and higher percentages of people under the age of 15.

Lower Hutt has a strong history as a manufacturing base and is New Zealand’s fourth largest high-tech export centre. The top five industries in the Lower Hutt are health care and social assistance, manufacturing, retail trade, construction, and education and training. This is reflected in the infrastructure, with two hospitals, over 600 manufacturing and fabricating businesses, the largest mall in the Lower North Island, two public tertiary institutions and a significant scientific community. In addition to organisations undertaking research and developing high-end manufacturing and technology, both GNS Science, a Crown Research Institute, and Callaghan Innovation (a business accelerator), are based in Lower Hutt.

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Hard fun, soft skills: community outcomes and economic drivers at ClubhousesHutt City Libraries consists of eight library sites and two Computer Clubhouses. The Libraries have a staff of 83 full time equivalents.

Communities that are regarded as having the highest indicators of deprivation make up 16% of the total population in Lower Hutt (Statistics New Zealand - Tatauranga Aotearoa, 2013). These are communities that score 9 or 10 on the deprivation scale, on a scale of 1 to 10, where 10 is the highest level of deprivation.

These communities have significantly higher numbers of:

people with no educational qualifications – 26% compared to the national average of 18% unemployment – 14% compared to the national average of 7% households with incomes under $30,000 – 25% compared to the national average of 19% households renting social housing – 24% compared to the national average of 5% one parent families – 31% compared to the national average of 18% households not owning a vehicle – 16% compared to the national average of 8%

What is Clubhouse?

Our Clubhouses are licenced to the international Clubhouse Network http://www.computerclubhouse.org/

The Clubhouse Network is a global community of over 90 Clubhouses in 19 countries. It was founded in 1993, in collaboration with the MIT Media Lab. The flagship Clubhouse is based at the Museum of Science in Boston.

Our Clubhouses follow the objectives, core values, and educational model set by the Clubhouse Network.

Equal Opportunity - empowering youth by granting full access to resources Positive Relationships - fostering healthy, respectful, and consistent relationships Creative Process - nurturing a community of lifelong learners and producers Diversity - encouraging an inclusive environment that embraces the rich diversity of our

communities "Hard Fun" - engaging in meaningful exploration, invention, self-discovery, and collaboration

through STEM, digital media, and the arts Enabling C2C opportunities – “Clubhouse 2 College / Clubhouse 2 Career”

The Clubhouse learning model

The Clubhouse learning model is designed to empower youth from all backgrounds to become more capable, creative, and confident learners (Resnick, Rusk, & Cooke, 1998). This approach is grounded in research from the fields of education, developmental and social psychology, cognitive science, and youth development.

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http://www.computerclubhouse.org/


Hard fun, soft skills: community outcomes and economic drivers at ClubhousesKey elements of the learning model are:

Learning By Designing - People learn best when they are actively engaged in designing, creating, and inventing, not just passively receiving information.

We encourage members to use the following creative design spiral (Rusk, Resnick, & Cooke, 2009) to create their projects, and to improve on their ideas.

Following Your Interests - When people care about what they are working on, they are willing to work longer and harder, and they learn more in the process.

Building A Community - When people collaborate with others of diverse ages, cultures, genders, and backgrounds, they gain new perspectives for understanding the world—and themselves.

Fostering Respect and Trust - In places where everyone’s ideas and opinions are respected, people are more likely to take risks and experiment—and thus more likely to learn and innovate.

We involve our members in the planning and delivery of group Clubhouse programming using Hart’s Ladder of Youth Participation (Hart, 1992) as an indicator of how well we are involving our members in decision making.

We actively mentor and support older members to take on leadership roles within Clubhouse. Our youth leaders work alongside, support, and mentor younger members in turn.

The Clubhouse learning model is designed to promote the following outcomes for young people (Michalchik, Llorente, Lundh, & Remold, 2008)

the ability to express oneself with technology the ability to collaborate, communicate, and work in teams the ability to solve complex problems

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Imagine

Create

ExperimentShare / obtain

feedback

Reflect



the ability to develop, plan, and execute complex projects the ability to build self-esteem and self-confidence

In addition to local programmes, the Clubhouse network offers other worldwide resources and opportunities for youth participation:

Members at every Clubhouse are able to connect with members from other Clubhouses through an online community known as the Village. Members can post and share their individual projects with other Clubhouses, or work on collaborative projects together.

In addition, there is a biennial event where selected youth leaders from each Clubhouse meet in Boston for the international Clubhouse Teen Summit. Participants take part in collaborative media projects with youth from other countries and cultures, to address a challenge in their communities. They also get the chance to tour colleges, and visit high-tech companies.

Clubhouse 2 College/Clubhouse 2 Career (C2C)By leveraging the technology skills and experience they gain at Clubhouse, we hope to provide our young people with the skills and knowledge needed to take an active role in ensuring their own success. C2C programming helps Clubhouse members to explore professional jobs and academic opportunities, and learn from people who have already succeeded in their careers.

I often get asked what does C2C programming look like? It can take many forms, from simple visits to more complex programming.

Information sources We place notices, posters, booklets, or website links about a group or organisation in strategic places around Clubhouse

Reciprocal visits with individuals or groups from other organisations

A visitor from another group or organisation may Come and join in with whatever we’re doing today, and give ad

hoc input to our members Talk to our members informally about what they do for a living,

and how they got where they are today Do a more formal presentation, or a practical demonstration of

some of their skills / job. We get a chance to have a go too! Run a structured workshop teaching us some of the skills

involved in what they doWe get involved in an external programme run by another group / organisation

There are many opportunities to put skills learnt at Clubhouse into practice, by getting involved in other organisation’s programming or competitions. Some examples of things we’ve done this year are We entered the 48 Hour film challenge, to produce a five

minute film from scratch, including all elements of script, filming, editing, props, make-up, soundtrack etc.

We researched and painted a heritage mural, under the guidance of a local artist. This involved a funding grant for materials and the artist’s time

We have run workshops on using upcycled materials for fashion design, to inspire our members to then carry on and do individual projects for World of Wearable Arts competitions

We are upcycling bicycles to take to a night ride event for a local festival of lights

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Emphasis on programming for girlsWe try to recruit equal numbers of female and male members to join Clubhouse. We try to increase the chances of recruiting female members by

Maintaining an even number of male and female mentors Creating programming that appeals to girls, and then transitions to incorporate harder

elements of creative technology, e.g. if a girl is interested in fashion design we may tailor a programme for her that starts with drawing and sewing, but progresses to incorporate design elements on the computer

Encouraging female members to bring their friends to Clubhouse

79% of the New Zealand high-tech workforce is male (Absolute IT, 2015). The number of women studying computer science and information and computer technology (ICT) is seen to be dropping, with only 1 in 5 ICT students identifying as female.

We want to show our girls that these industries are valid aspirations for C2C, and often invite women currently working in ICT and creative technologies to come and participate in our programme.

Our contribution to our City’s long-term goals and strategies

Hutt City Council has four key long-term strategy documents that outline Council’s complete vision for the city –

the Environmental Sustainability Strategy the Infrastructure Strategy the Leisure and Wellbeing Strategy the Urban Growth Strategy

Clubhouse (and other digital literacy and STEM programmes run by Libraries) are unique in that they cross over two strategic areas for our Council. Clubhouse is a contributor to both the Leisure and Wellbeing Strategy 2012-2032 (Hutt City Council, 2016) and the Economic Development Plan 2015-2020 (Hutt City Council, 2016) which is a subset of the Urban Growth Strategy.

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Photoshopping pictures of himself playing basketball led Joel Alheit away from the sport towards a new award-winning career path.

Joel says he went into a "Photoshop craze" in Year 10 and now the 17-year-old has established his own stock photography and design business.

Joel’s business focuses on photographing the landscape around Taita and selling those photos to organisations such as the local council. That was why the Taita College student was the winner of the Hodge Group Hutt City Youth Award for Entrepreneurship.

He learned those skills at the Clubhouse and said it changed his career path. "I was looking at basketball as my career path but not anymore."

From Year 9 to Year 11 that sport was his passion but by Year 11 it was a "see-saw" between the two and basketball lost out. "I quit basketball to come to the Clubhouse more."

Being nominated to attend the 2016 Teen Summit in Boston gave him a new goal in line with that career. "I want to attend either Boston University or MIT to study computer science - it is the birthplace of technology."

(Computers a slam dunk for Joel Alheit, 2016)



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Leisure and Wellbeing Strategy 2012-2032In the Leisure and Wellbeing Strategy our Council outlines its long-term approach to achieving an improvement in the wellbeing of Hutt City’s people and the city.

Areas of focus within the strategy include:

Work to renew and revitalise Hutt City’s network of community facilities Improving the quality of life and wellbeing of those living in high deprivation, starting in our

Northern and Eastern suburbs A primary focus on children and young people Smart partnerships and collaboration

Desired outcomes are:

Access – more people engage with and use the services, programmes and facilities Council provides

Choice – Residents and visitors have a range of services, programmes and facilities that they want, understand and value

Connect – Council provides activities that help to build social capital. Social capital is defined as “the social resource that is embodied in the relationships between people. Social capital is a collective resource, owned by a community, rather than an individual”

Talent – Skills and confidence are built on through nurturing innovation, aspiration, leadership and talent in our staff and communities

The Clubhouse programme contributes to the achievement of all of these Leisure and Wellbeing focus areas and outcomes.

Economic Development Plan 2015-2020Council’s vision for economic development in Lower Hutt is to ‘grow the wealth of the city’.

In particular Council wants to position Lower Hutt to be stronger in science, technology, engineering and manufacturing.

To realise this vision Council will focus on the following areas in the period to 2020:

Focus area How Clubhouses and Libraries contributeGrow science, technology, engineering and manufacturing (STEM) businesses.

Libraries digital literacy programmes and Clubhouses are listed as current initiatives Council already has in place in this focus area

Rejuvenate the Lower Hutt CBD Libraries are key anchor tenants in many new developments in the city

Stimulate development and growth Clubhouses are also listed here, as an example of combined social and workforce development. Skills learnt at Clubhouse can lead to tertiary level study or employment in these key STEM areas

Continued business support Libraries digital literacy programmes for business

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are listed

Not only is this ‘double-dipping’ unique for our Council, but for most public libraries in New Zealand. The majority of public libraries in New Zealand are categorised as contributing to recreational or community outcomes only, not economic or business outcomes.

The inclusion of these programmes in both strategies demonstrates that we have been successful in raising the profile of our STEM programming so that it is viewed within our Council as playing a role in both the economic development of our city, and fulfilling community and recreation outcomes.

STEM has been an obvious vehicle for us to do this, as it meshes digital and technology literacy with social and economic relevance, and there is significant demand and interest in all things STEM from many of our communities.

Hutt City Libraries programmes framework When people hear about Clubhouse, their first question is why haven’t we heard about this before? And their second question is why is it run by Libraries?

Hutt City Libraries deliver programmes and events with the overarching aims of:

Meeting our vision – “Libraries involve, inform and inspire” Fostering the joy of reading and celebrating literature Supporting the development of information and digital literacy in all its forms Equipping people with the skills to function in society Encouraging people to participate in community life and decision making Fostering an inclusive, connected community with increased participation in lifelong

learning, research and innovation Exposing people who might not otherwise come to the library to the collections and services

which are the core of what we do

Programmes and events in the following areas are more heavily prioritised –

Social development – to encourage community-led initiatives, active citizenship, and foster an inclusive, connected community with increased participation in learning opportunities

Economic development – we provide services for business, encourage innovation and research, improve information and digital literacy, support employment seekers and upskill the workforce

Reading and literacy skills development – to foster the joy of reading, celebrate literature, and complement and extend literacy skills taught in schools.

STEM – to develop information and digital literacy, and offer opportunities for lifelong learning in areas of priority for our Council

We see Clubhouse as a natural extension of other literacies-based library programs we do in libraries, but Clubhouse is so much more. Clubhouse combines the development of tech skills using creative digital media (‘hard’ fun), together with transferable skills like youth leadership, project

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Hard fun, soft skills: community outcomes and economic drivers at Clubhousesplanning, enquiry learning, collaboration, and customer relationship management – ‘soft’ skills that help prepare our young people for college or career.

Evaluation and benchmarkingOne of the strengths of the Clubhouse Network is the evaluation and benchmarking data we receive about our programmes. We know the Clubhouse programme is helping us achieve desired outcomes outlined in Council’s strategic documents because we have the evaluation data to prove it.

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Systemic evaluation takes two forms: Every six months we submit an Evaluation and Planning Report, self-evaluating with set

questions on programming, resourcing, and achievement of goals. This is rolled up into a global result set that we can benchmark against.

Every two years our members take part in a Youth Impact Survey. From this survey we obtain results specific to our individual Clubhouses, as well as access to the global result set that we can benchmark against. We are able to re-use Youth Impact Survey questions to run the survey again locally, in the years the international survey is not run, if we want to.

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Two short films produced at Naenae Clubhouse have won national and regional competitions in the past month. Naenae College students Clench Enoka and Kayla Howard, both 17, won a $1000 prize in the New Zealand Vegetarian Society 2016 Film Competition. Naenae Clubhouse film collective Naenae Amplify won best original song for their entry in the HP 48Hours film competition for the Wellington region.

Clench and Kayla's five minute documentary won the Secondary School Nutrition and Health category. Clench had previously made two shorts, including an award-winning film on drink driving. Kyla was new to film-making. Kayla said they could not have made the film without the support of the Clubhouse. It included cameras and editing equipment, while other Clubhouse members were part of the film crew.

Clench was also director of photography for Naenae Amplify's short action film Chasing the Beat. Charlie's Rap, written and performed by Saviour Erihe in the film, won the best original song category.

(Naenae Clubhouse wins award for short film on vegetarianism, 2016)


Hard fun, soft skills: community outcomes and economic drivers at ClubhousesThis quantitative evaluation is all the more powerful for being internationally benchmarked, and because it is longitudinal – the Clubhouse Network has been running for over 20 years, and we have access to all of that data.

Our individual results, when combined with qualitative stories are also powerful. We use a combination of the two when our funding providers ask for updates.

For example, in our 2015 Youth Impact Survey of Naenae and Taita Clubhouse members:

94% thought they would use skills learned at Clubhouse in their future careers 97% said they cared more about doing well in school because of Clubhouse 82% said Clubhouse helps them to make better life choices (with family, friends, and at

school) 63% said they wanted to study some aspect of STEMM in the future because of Clubhouse

This is the type of information our funders want in order to link programmes and community outcomes and / or indicators of economic development. Of course it takes time to obtain full outcomes on long term strategic goals, but these results help to give us early indicators of whether we are on the right track to achieve change.

Does the Clubhouse programme meet our strategic goals?

In summary, I’ve outlined in this paper how Clubhouse helps us to not only position Libraries and Clubhouses as fulfilling community outcomes, but as contributing to our city’s economic development drivers also. Clubhouse outcomes are firmly aligned with Council’s strategic priorities for improved outcomes for young people in the north-east of our city, and Libraries’ focus on digital literacy and practical STEMM skill development.

Not only do we contribute to these strategies, but through robust evaluation data tools from the Clubhouse network, we can prove it!

Our local Clubhouses are strengthened by links to places like MIT & other high-tech relationships - we get access to new technology and innovation, staff professional development, and research we would not otherwise have access to.

More than this, Libraries always bemoan the fact that the youth segment is a hard group to engage with when we want to have conversations to help us guide services, or to problem solve around youth issues. Our Clubhouse members are a captive youth audience who we want to contribute to other Council activities e.g. Youth Council, and cross-Council planning for youth programmes.

Our leadership and youth development interactions with Clubhouse members are more frequent and go deeper than social interactions that happen at other HCC programmes, and we build a deeper level of trust and respect with our Clubhouse members than might happen at a library or sports event.

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Hard fun, soft skills: community outcomes and economic drivers at ClubhousesWe are able to gain a deeper understanding of the challenges our young people and their communities are dealing with, because of these deeper interactions. And when we consult with young people at Clubhouse we have a deeper level of trust in the responses that we receive, because we know the young people involved, and vice versa.

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Bibliography

Computers a slam dunk for Joel Alheit. (2016, October). Retrieved February 2017, from Stuff.co.nz: http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/85504976/Computers-a-slam-dunk-for-Joel-Alheit

Naenae Clubhouse wins award for short film on vegetarianism. (2016, November). Retrieved February 2017, from Stuff.co.nz: http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/86658730/Naenae-Clubhouse-wins-award-for-short-film-on-vegetarianism

Absolute IT. (2015, July). Is NZ's gender gap in tech as bad as we think? Retrieved February 2017, from Absolute IT: https://www.absoluteit.co.nz/2015/07/nzs-gender-gap-in-tech-bad-as-we-think/

Hart, R. A. (1992). Children's participation: from tokenism to citizenship. UNICEF.

Hutt City Council. (2016). Your Council. Retrieved February 2017, from Hutt City Council: http://www.huttcity.govt.nz/Your-Council/Plans-publications-and-bylaws/plans-publications-and-bylaws

Michalchik, V., Llorente, C., Lundh, P., & Remold, J. (2008). A place to be your best: youth outcomes in the Computer Clubhouse. Menlo Park, CA: Center for Technology in Learning, SRI International.

Resnick, M., Rusk, N., & Cooke, S. (1998). The Computer Clubhouse: technological fluency in the inner city. In D. Schon, Sanyal, B., & W. Mitchell, High technology and low-income communities (p. ). Boston: MIT Press.

Rusk, N., Resnick, M., & Cooke, S. (2009). Origins and guiding principles of the Computer Clubhouse. In K. A. Edited by Yasmin B. Kafai, The Computer Clubhouse: constructionism and creativity in youth communities. Columbia University: Teachers College Press.

Statistics New Zealand - Tatauranga Aotearoa. (2013). 2013 Census QuickStats about a place: Lower Hutt City. Retrieved February 2017, from Statistics New Zealand: http://stats.govt.nz/Census/2013-census/profile-and-summary-reports/quickstats-about-a-place.aspx

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