wfn.org | ELCA Communicator Participates in White House Roundtable

[News News <NEWS@ELCA.ORG>]

ELCA NEWS SERVICE

September 6, 2001

ELCA COMMUNICATOR PARTICIPATES IN WHITE HOUSE ROUNDTABLE
01-225-MR

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Dr. Paul D. Edison-Swift, director for resource
information and networks, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's
(ELCA) Department for Communication, was one of a dozen media literacy
educators invited by White House officials to attend the "Roundtable on
Faith, Media Literacy and Youth Drug Prevention" Aug. 30 at the White
House Conference Center, Washington, D.C.
     The roundtable was part of the National Youth Anti-Drug Campaign
of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy.  It brought
together professionals in media literacy and faith to engage in
conversation about youth drug prevention and media literacy, and develop
recommendations for the campaign.
     "It is my hope that, with some high-quality materials, staff and
congregations [of the ELCA] can make a significant contribution toward
helping our young people be more media-literate consumers, especially
when it comes to decoding and resisting media messages related to
illicit drug use," said Edison-Swift.
     Participants were charged with providing advice on media literacy
issues related to faith-based organizations; offering input on best
practices and relevant knowledge on existing faith-based media literacy
programs; recommending strategies to promote media literacy education
specific to drug-prevention; providing suggestions on integrating drug
prevention into existing faith media literacy programs; and assessing
curriculum, training and other needs for expanding illicit-drug-focused
media literacy in faith settings.
     "Faith-based organizations have advantages that make them well-
suited for the task of teaching media literacy specific to substance
abuse prevention," Edison-Swift said.  Media literacy is a "neutral
tool" with which faith groups can teach their own values, providing
youth leaders an adaptable framework for values education, he said.
     "There's a lot of press around faith-based initiatives in the
current U.S. administration.  In this case, there is a clear sense of
partnership and interest in influencing the lives of young people by
building on the strong values education already present in the youth
programs run by faith organizations," he said.
     A goal of the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign is to
educate and enable youth to reject illegal drugs.  The campaign contends
that "a media literacy approach to drug prevention will allow faith
leaders to express anti-drug and other positive values to youth in a
supportive, flexible educational environment."
     "I'm excited about the prospect of promoting some materials
targeted to youth ministry workers, and the prospects of introducing
media literacy resources and activities that help focus attention on
youth drug abuse prevention to our churches.  Frankly, we need a new
hook to help with introducing media literacy training in more of our
congregations, and helping prevent illicit drug use among our young
people," said Edison-Swift.
      Edison-Swift has led media literacy courses for high school
students.  He serves as president of the 8,000-member Ecunet, Inc., a
non-profit consortium of faith groups using computer conferencing for
group communication and ministry.  He also serves on the board of the
National Training Center for Resource Center Directors, an ecumenical
effort to provide intensive seminars and professional certification for
resource center staff.  Edison-Swift directs the ELCA Resource
Information Service and oversees content and design of the church's Web
site -- http://www.elca.org/ -- which now serves about 1 million
visitors a month.

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://listserv.elca.org/archives/elcanews.html