Youth Services

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth T. Gershoff
Keyword(s):  
Best Practices ◽  
Youth Development ◽  
Positive Youth Development ◽  
Community Service ◽  
Youth Services ◽  
Supportive Relationships ◽  
Safe Environment ◽  
School Aged Children ◽  
Training Community ◽  
Skill Building

Youth services are programs, activities, and services aimed at providing a range of opportunities for school-aged children, including mentoring, recreation, education, training, community service, or supervision in a safe environment. The current thrust of youth services is an emphasis on positive youth development. Best practices in youth services include the provision of safety, appropriate supervision, supportive relationships, opportunities to belong, positive social norms, support for efficacy and skill building, and integration of community, school, and family efforts.

scholarly journals Promoting Supportive Relationships in Youth Programs: A Self-Determination Theory Perspective

2008 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 49-64 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mat D. Duerden ◽  
Ann Gillard
Keyword(s):  
Best Practices ◽  
Youth Development ◽  
Positive Youth Development ◽  
Self Determination Theory ◽  
Youth Programs ◽  
Self Determination ◽  
Supportive Relationships ◽  
Adult Relationships ◽  
Program Administrators ◽  
Youth Program

Although research suggests that positive contact with non-parental adults is developmentally beneficial for youth; many adolescents do not have access to such relationships. It is important that adults structure existing relationships to optimize positive youth development. Relationships with adults, who support youth’s needs for autonomy, relatedness, and competence, provide youth with scaffolding as they navigate their way through adolescence. Self-Determination Theory offers a straight-forward approach to understanding the elements of contexts that best promote the development of supportive relationships. The purpose of this paper is to review the literature concerning youth-adult relationships, including their associated prevalence and developmental benefits across multiple contexts. These findings are then integrated into a framework of best practices for developing and supporting positive youth relationships with adults within youth program settings. Several theory-based recommendations are offered for youth program administrators and staff who wish to improve youth-adult relationships in their programs.

Resilience and the Strengths Perspective in Action

Not Just Play ◽  
2019 ◽  
pp. 14-17
Author(s):  
Meryl Nadel
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Social Work ◽  
Youth Development ◽  
Positive Youth Development ◽  
Character Development ◽  
Positive Outcome ◽  
Youth Services ◽  
Strengths Perspective ◽  
Empowerment Practice ◽  
Skill Building

“Resilience and the Strengths Perspective in Action” connects the summer camp experience to the strengths perspective and related concepts. Major principles of the strengths perspective, identified by Dennis Saleebey, are summarized. The constructs of risk factors and protective factors are reviewed in relation to the positive outcome of resilience. The strengths and resilience perspectives link to empowerment practice in social work as associated with Simon, Solomon, and Gutierrez. Positive youth development—often found in the youth services field—focuses on skill building, character development, health, and prevention. Michael Ungar suggests that camps can bolster resilience by identifying and meeting campers’ individualized needs. The milieu offered by camps described in later chapters embody these social work approaches as do few other settings.

scholarly journals Positive Youth Development at Camps for Youth with Chronic Illness: A Systematic Review of the Literature

2018 ◽  
Vol 13 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 201-215 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mya DeBoer Sendak ◽  
Clarissa Schilstra ◽  
Eitan Tye ◽  
Samuel Brotkin ◽  
Gary Maslow
Keyword(s):  
Chronic Illness ◽  
Youth Development ◽  
Positive Youth Development ◽  
Social Connectedness ◽  
Outcome Measurement ◽  
Opportunity To Learn ◽  
Youth Leadership ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Skill Building

This study aimed to systematically review all the literature on camps for youth with childhood onset chronic illness (COCI) utilizing the Positive Youth Development (PYD) framework to assess camp processes and psychosocial outcomes. This paper describes a unique dataset of 425 included studies published over the last 70 years and gives a broad overview of camp demographics, processes that align with PYD’s Big 3 (sustained adult-youth relationships, skill-building, and youth leadership) and measured outcomes that align with the PYD’s 5 Cs (Competence, Confidence, Character, Social Connectedness, and Compassion). Among the included studies, 36% included diabetes camps, 15% included camps accepting multiple illnesses, 12% included cancer camps, and 11% included asthma camps. The majority of participants were under the age of 16. While no study explicitly used the PYD approach, over 90% of studies described camps that deployed both active leadership and sustained positive relationships, while only 59% of studies described camps providing the opportunity to learn life skills. Although no study utilized the PYD 5 Cs framework for outcome measurement, 47% addressed outcomes related to Competence, 44% addressed Confidence, 33% addressed Connection, 4% addressed Compassion, and 2% addressed Character. This review highlights opportunities for camp leadership to align their programming with the PYD framework, to incorporate older adolescents and young adults and, ultimately, to improve positive adult outcomes for youth with COCI. It provides a starting point for future research evaluating illness-specific camps using a PYD approach. 

Best Practices for Engaging Youth as Partners in Planning, Conducting, and Evaluating Sustainable Development Efforts

2015 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Keith G. Diem
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Best Practices ◽  
Youth Development ◽  
Development Strategy ◽  
Positive Youth Development ◽  
Global Economy ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Planning Process ◽  
The Future ◽  
The Right

Youth are commonly referred to as important assets to society and as leaders of the future. In reality, they can be leaders of today, as well as an important component to decision-making at the family and community levels and critical to social, environmental, and economic viability. But this requires viewing them as partners in a shared process focused on their interest, knowledge, and abilities instead of as a token voice. This notion is sometimes contradictory to historical societal norms that may be based on seniority, class, or even gender. However, not only is it a right of youth to actively participate in society, it is important for building a generation of citizens who are able to be productive in a global economy and leaders of sustainable development. Ultimately, the success of youth and the success of communities are intertwined and best practice involves implementation of positive youth development and youth participation concepts in order for both youth and communities to thrive. Despite challenges, obstacles, and effort needed, the value of engaging youth in sustainable development shows promise for youth and communities. Not only is it an international policy declaration and a moral imperative, it is truly the right thing to do. The future of a society, and indeed the world, depends on adults working together with youth as representatives of the future. Utilizing a program development strategy and a logic model approach to jointly determine outcomes and impacts to be achieved can help guide the process for mutual benefit. This article explains potential challenges and barriers as well as recommendations of best practices identified in the literature for overcoming obstacles to achieving these outcomes through (1) positive youth development, (2) meaningful participation of youth at all levels, (3) youth-adult partnerships as a potential mechanism for sustainable development, and (4) a suggested planning process that makes it easier to evaluate how well results have been achieved.

scholarly journals Measuring Impact of Positive Youth Development Initiatives on Youth in Lahore, Pakistan

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 303-310
Author(s):  
Aliya Khalid ◽  
Syeda Mahnaz Hassan ◽  
Uzma Aashiq ◽  
Syed Salman Hassan
Keyword(s):  
Youth Development ◽  
Positive Youth Development ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Youth Engagement ◽  
Youth Services ◽  
Youth Service ◽  
Service Projects ◽  
Development Initiatives ◽  
Development Approach ◽  
The Impact

This paper examined the impact of positive youth development initiatives on youth in Lahore, Pakistan through the provision of youth services. Youth is considered as one of the most important segments of the population in a country as it has to take over future roles and responsibilities. Currently, Pakistan is one of those countries which has the highest percentage of youth in its population. A survey of the literature showed that due to multiple socio-economic factors, the potential of youth has not been adequately utilized for the development of the country. One of the effective strategies being practised at the global level is an engagement of youth in the mainstream course of development. Using the quantitative method, 357 respondents were studied through a survey questionnaire. The respondents were students studying in 6 Catholic schools in Lahore where youth service projects have been implemented by Youth Engagement Service (YES) Network Pakistan. The findings revealed that the provision of youth services put a positive impact on the personality of beneficiary adolescents. After the provision of youth services, the majority of beneficiary youth was more caring towards other fellows, feeling more worthwhile within themselves and proved to be more useful for family and community at large. Furthermore, engagement of youth in civic activities turned an adolescent into a productive and outcome-oriented citizen. The study concluded that through positive youth development approach, youth can prove itself as a changemaker asset whose potentialities can contribute immensely to the socio-economic development of the country.

scholarly journals Indoor Competition Climbing as a Context for Positive Youth Development

2016 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Barry A. Garst ◽  
Garrett A. Stone ◽  
Ryan J. Gagnon
Keyword(s):  
Youth Development ◽  
Positive Youth Development ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Supportive Relationships ◽  
Holistic Development ◽  
Development Experience ◽  
Developmental Experience ◽  
Development Outcomes ◽  
Qualitative Responses ◽  
Health Cognition

Climbing as a competitive youth sport is rapidly expanding in both participation and popularity as it has transitioned from an unorganized recreational activity to a formalized sport with a national governing body, organized competitions, formal coaching, and team structure. In spite of this growth, little to no research has been conducted regarding indoor competition climbing as a developmental experience for youth. This study examined the contributions of indoor competition climbing to youth development outcomes based on qualitative responses collected from 623 parents and climbers (youth and adults) in late Fall 2014. Themes were constructed related to climbing as a youth development experience, including: holistic development; supportive relationships; confidence and self-efficacy; and sportsmanship and character development. Holistic development, which included growth in the areas of strength and health, cognition and mental conditioning, and social skills, appears to be a hallmark of the sport of indoor competition climbing. The identified themes mapped well to the 5Cs model of positive youth development (PYD), providing evidence for the existence of the 5Cs among youth who play sports. In response to calls for intentionality in youth programming, future research examining underlying programming, coaching, and parenting mechanisms that contribute to PYD is recommended.

scholarly journals 4-H Volunteer Attainment of Quality Positive Youth Development Practices

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 87-96
Author(s):  
Sarah T. Hensley ◽  
Heather C. Kent ◽  
Brent A. Broaddus ◽  
Stacey Ellison ◽  
Shane T. Michael ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Best Practices ◽  
Youth Development ◽  
Positive Youth Development ◽  
Essential Elements ◽  
Future Research ◽  
University Of Florida ◽  
Quality Practices ◽  
Geographical Regions ◽  
Quasi Experimental ◽  
The University

The University of Florida 4-H program evaluated volunteer perceptions of behavior adoption resulting from the completion of training focused on best practices that promote positive youth development. The evaluation effort was a quasi-experimental design that surveyed all enrolled volunteers electronically. The survey was designed to determine the types and frequency of training that 4-H volunteers participated in, their satisfaction with the training, the volunteer’s role of service, and outcomes of adopting best practices of program quality. A response rate of 27% (n = 340) provided a representative sample of the enrolled volunteers across demographic categories and geographical regions of the state. The results show that volunteers report practicing elements of positive youth development as categorized by the Essential Elements framework and that correlations between the type of training volunteers participate in and their implementation of quality practices are significant. Implications for volunteer trainings include the consideration of frequency, expanding opportunities beyond traditional delivery, and incorporating training elements that promote high-quality youth programming. This evaluation effort provides baseline data that informs future research for the Florida 4-H program.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document