“Holistic Youth Development Through Music” Sara Zanussi

“Holistic Youth Development Through Music”  with Sara Zanussi, Founder and Executive Programming Director of ComMUSICation. Drawing examples from a choral El Sistema USA program, ComMUSICation, this session discussed how community partners can provide infrastructure for non-music services, and how to make El Sistema USA programs youth-centered using Weikart Center’s positive youth development principles. Holistic Youth Development depends on collective impact and collaboration in mutually beneficial partnership. The steps to holistic youth development include identifying your needs, accepting your limitations, researching possibilities, innovating solutions, creating a relevant pitch, and asking! Participants walked away from this presentation with an understanding of the importance of holistic youth development, and actionable steps towards achieving it in their programs.