The Role of Early, Multilevel Youth Development Programs in Preventing Health Risk Behavior in Adolescents and Young Adults

2002 ◽  
Vol 156 (5) ◽  
pp. 429 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathleen Ethier ◽  
Janet S. St Lawrence
2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
MA Hemphill ◽  
Barrie Gordon ◽  
PM Wright

© 2019, © 2019 Association for Physical Education. Background: Sport-based youth development (SBYD) programs aim to teach life skills to youth within a physical activity context. An explicit objective of most SBYD programs is that youth learn to apply, or transfer, life skills beyond the sports program. Limited research has been conducted on the cognitive processes that help youth understand how life skills apply within and beyond sports. Purpose: This study uses a conceptual framework on transfer of life skills to examine the role of life skills in an SBYD program. Research questions include: (1) how does the SBYD program integrate the teaching of life skills, (2) how do youth participants experience the life skills in the boxing program, and (3) how do youth participants perceive the life skills impact them beyond the program. Methodology: This research took place at three community boxing academies in New Zealand. The three academies were selected because they are affiliated with a boxing program that is committed to implementing a life skills framework called the Passport to Success. Forty-one youth (31 boys, 10 girls) across the three sites participated in focus groups interviews about their experience in the program. Additionally, observations of program implementation documented the daily routines of each boxing academy. Using a qualitative case study design, inductive analysis and constant comparative methods were used to identify emergent themes. Findings: Youth participants perceived life skills to be a foundational component of the boxing program. The life skills were presented to youth through the ‘Passport to Success’, a document featuring eight key life skills. The coaches focused on the Passport to Success in several ways, including setting an expectation that youth memorize the life skills to demonstrate their commitment. Several youth participants discussed learning valuable lessons around the life skills. Finally, youth were able to describe scenarios which demonstrated how the life skills connected with other areas of their lives. Conclusion: Life skills implementation was guided by the Passport to Success and an expectation that youth develop positive relationships in the gym. A routine strategy for memorizing the Passport to Success provided a clear example of youth learning the meaning of life skills in the context of sports. The youth participants demonstrated cognitive connections in their explanation of the value of life skills beyond the boxing program. Using the conceptual framework on transfer [Jacobs and Wright 2018. “Transfer of Life Skills in Sport-Based Youth Development Programs: A Conceptual Framework Bridging Learning to Application.” Quest 70 (1): 81–99] helps to explain the cognitive connections youth participants make between life skills in a sports program and their application beyond sports.


Author(s):  
Namood E-Sahar

World statistics demonstrate that around 970 million people around the globe suffer from mental health problems (Ritchie & Roser, 2019), a major proportion of which comprised of adolescents and young adults (UNODC, 2018). Also, because of increased mental health issues the problems like substance use, suicide, depression, anxiety, and stress are also increasing (Armstrong, 2019; Bandelow & Michaelis, 2015; Ritchie & Roser, 2018; United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime [UNODC], 2019). It is thus a dire need to address the issue. The present coneptual paper proposed the role of transpersonal gratitude, emotional intelligence, and life contentment for reducing mental health risk among the adolescents and young adults.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
MA Hemphill ◽  
Barrie Gordon ◽  
PM Wright

© 2019, © 2019 Association for Physical Education. Background: Sport-based youth development (SBYD) programs aim to teach life skills to youth within a physical activity context. An explicit objective of most SBYD programs is that youth learn to apply, or transfer, life skills beyond the sports program. Limited research has been conducted on the cognitive processes that help youth understand how life skills apply within and beyond sports. Purpose: This study uses a conceptual framework on transfer of life skills to examine the role of life skills in an SBYD program. Research questions include: (1) how does the SBYD program integrate the teaching of life skills, (2) how do youth participants experience the life skills in the boxing program, and (3) how do youth participants perceive the life skills impact them beyond the program. Methodology: This research took place at three community boxing academies in New Zealand. The three academies were selected because they are affiliated with a boxing program that is committed to implementing a life skills framework called the Passport to Success. Forty-one youth (31 boys, 10 girls) across the three sites participated in focus groups interviews about their experience in the program. Additionally, observations of program implementation documented the daily routines of each boxing academy. Using a qualitative case study design, inductive analysis and constant comparative methods were used to identify emergent themes. Findings: Youth participants perceived life skills to be a foundational component of the boxing program. The life skills were presented to youth through the ‘Passport to Success’, a document featuring eight key life skills. The coaches focused on the Passport to Success in several ways, including setting an expectation that youth memorize the life skills to demonstrate their commitment. Several youth participants discussed learning valuable lessons around the life skills. Finally, youth were able to describe scenarios which demonstrated how the life skills connected with other areas of their lives. Conclusion: Life skills implementation was guided by the Passport to Success and an expectation that youth develop positive relationships in the gym. A routine strategy for memorizing the Passport to Success provided a clear example of youth learning the meaning of life skills in the context of sports. The youth participants demonstrated cognitive connections in their explanation of the value of life skills beyond the boxing program. Using the conceptual framework on transfer [Jacobs and Wright 2018. “Transfer of Life Skills in Sport-Based Youth Development Programs: A Conceptual Framework Bridging Learning to Application.” Quest 70 (1): 81–99] helps to explain the cognitive connections youth participants make between life skills in a sports program and their application beyond sports.


2012 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 195-199
Author(s):  
Florence K.Y. Wu ◽  
Daniel T.L. Shek

Abstract Although training plays an important role in the successful implementation of positive youth development programs, research on training and trainers in this field is grossly neglected. In this paper, a trainer of a positive youth development program in Hong Kong (Project P.A.T.H.S.; Positive Adolescent Training through Holistic Social Programmes) reflected about her transition from the role of a teacher (and program implementer) to the role of a trainer. Based on the reflection, the transformations involved, including self-perception, teaching role and teaching strategies, were highlighted. The issue of how previous experience influenced training in the context of positive youth development was also discussed. It is suggested that involvement of front-line practitioners in the training of positive youth development programs is workable, although systematic training for the novice trainers may be needed.


1995 ◽  
Vol 69 (3) ◽  
pp. 505-517 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frederick X. Gibbons ◽  
Meg Gerrard

2011 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 228-238 ◽  
Author(s):  
David J. Lane ◽  
Frederick X. Gibbons ◽  
Ross E. O'Hara ◽  
Meg Gerrard

Author(s):  
Daniel T.L. Shek ◽  
Florence K.Y. Wu

AbstractThe purpose of this study was to examine the students’ reflections on a subject on leadership and intrapersonal development at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Based on 66 personal reflections collected, the data were analyzed using the “framework analysis” methodology. The respondents generally showed positive attitudes toward the subject and the lecturers, and they perceived that the subject promoted their overall development in different domains. With particular reference to their reflections on the instructors teaching the subject, several emerging themes were identified, including (a) caring and supportive attitude, (b) professional pedagogical arrangements and (c) personal engagements and connections. Exemplars are presented in this paper to support the conclusions. The findings are in line with previous research that teachers play an important role in positive youth development programs.


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