Youth Makerspace Playbook

Book excerpt: Created by Maker Ed with input from the wider maker education community, the Youth Makerspace Playbook provides context and support for those planning spaces for youth to make. In particular, it offers practical suggestions on finding a space to make, outfitting the space with tools and materials, exploring the possible educational approaches within the space, and sustaining the space in the long-term. With this resource, Maker Ed aims to empower and support educators and community members looking to start a youth-oriented makerspace. Of the Playbook, Warren (Trey) Lathe III, Maker Ed's Executive Director shared, "We know that starting and sustaining youth makerspaces is hard work and can feel overwhelming at times. By offering these resources, we hope to lower the real and perceived barriers for educators and community members to create fun and safe youth-oriented makerspaces, so that young people everywhere have the chance to gain confidence, creativity, and a passion for learning through making." Maker Ed is a non-profit organization that supports and empowers educators and communities - particularly, those in underserved areas - to facilitate meaningful making and learning experiences with youth. Maker Ed's mission is to create more opportunities for all young people to develop confidence, creativity, and interest in science, technology, engineering, math, art, and learning as a whole through making. For more information about Maker Ed, please visit http: //makered.org/