Building Bridges

"You Don't Know Me" how many times as adults have we heard that phrase from a young person? The media portrays young people negatively, which forms an unbalanced perception about their attitudes and behavior. Many of us decide who they are by what we see and hear never giving them a chance. In order to do our best when it comes to engaging youth, we need to get to know who they are.
The author of 'Building Bridges: 10 Steps to Engage Youth' has 20 plus years working with youth and through his experience has learned ways to connect with and inspire youth. He uses his life, along with the lives of young people to guide you through 10 important steps to engage youth; he has also included a self-reflection at the end of each chapter to help the reader think about their own experiences.

"Building Bridges"is a small book destined to have a huge impact. Bevin Carpenter brings us face-to-face with disarming wisdom that creates a path to success with our nation's No. 1 resource: her children. Everyone aspiring to love, serve and lead kids: teachers, social workers, doctors, youth workers, counselors, advocates, colleges of education, clergy . . . moms and dads, too, will be challenged and energized by practicing all of Bevin's must-do common-sense lessons.

Neil Shorthouse Co-founder Communities In Schools

Bevin Carpenter's short yet powerful book "Building Bridges" provides a clear path towards authentic youth engagement centered in love. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is willing to do the "heart work" required to realize increased student success in life and the classroom.

--Nathaniel Smith
Founder & CEO
Partnership for Southern Equity Atlanta, Georgia

Bevin Carpenter's "Building Bridges: 10 Steps to Engage Youth"is such a breath of fresh air in educational writing. Before you finish the first chapter, you can feel Bevin is
a man on the ground who truly knows the hearts and minds of the youth. This book is the perfect complement for a professional development retreat or conference where educators can collaborate on ideas of how to take a positive and professional approach in working with young people who we know are thirsting for connection.

--Tim Navone President

Marin Catholic High School San Francisco, California

In a world where it seems people are focused more on building walls than bridges, this heartfelt and power packed book on youth engagement is sorely needed. This is a must read for anyone serious about doing meaningful youth development work. Bevin engages the reader with practical, real world examples, and solutions. This is a book that will help you build bridges in every facet of your life!

--James Roland
Senior Director
Emory University's Civic & Community Engagement