Rules of Disengagement: Negative Relationships and Interactions Between Adults and Youth

2018 ◽  
Vol 52 (6) ◽  
pp. 1033-1056
Author(s):  
Kathleen Buehler ◽  
Bernadette Sánchez ◽  
Danielle Vaclavik ◽  
Elsa Rodriguez ◽  
Tenè Gray
Keyword(s):  
Ethnically Diverse ◽  
Communication Styles ◽  
Unique Contribution ◽  
Psychological Consequences ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Youth Outcomes ◽  
Out Of School Time ◽  
School Time ◽  
Nonparental Adults ◽  
Negative Relationships

This study examined the negative adult characteristics and practices that prohibit connection between youth and nonparental adults. Racially/ethnically diverse youth from five community-based out-of-school-time programs participated in focus groups on youth–adult relationships. Analyses revealed that the following adult characteristics and practices prohibited connection: (a) unengaging communication styles, (b) inappropriate behavior, (c) lack of respect, (d) contradictory expectations, and (e) adult-driven approaches. Participants also reported the negative psychological consequences of these practices: (a) decreased self-esteem, (b) decreased motivation, and (c) disconnect from adults. This study provides a unique contribution to the literature on negative youth–adult interactions and has implications for training programs for adults who work with youth to improve relationships and promote positive youth outcomes.

The Youthwork Paradox: A Case for Studying the Complexity of Community-Based Youth Work in Education Research

2020 ◽  
Vol 49 (8) ◽  
pp. 618-625
Author(s):  
Bianca J. Baldridge
Keyword(s):  
After School Programs ◽  
After School ◽  
Youth Work ◽  
Youth Workers ◽  
Youth Organizations ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Multiple Systems ◽  
Out Of School Time ◽  
Political Complexity ◽  
School Time

Community-based youth work, through which young people are engaged in community-based educational spaces (CBES; e.g., after-school programs, out-of-school time settings, youth organizations, etc.), is celebrated for supporting youth academically, socially, culturally, and politically. However, when these spaces receive attention, their social and political complexity is often overlooked. Studying the complexity of community-based youth work in education requires interrogating the multiple systems of oppression that impact young people’s lives. It also demands examination of the sociopolitical context of youth work, including how race logics and economic pressures inform the construction of CBES and how these forces surface and intersect with market logics and educational policy reform. Building on existing scholarship on community-based youth work and my current research, I present the youthwork paradox, a framework that captures the complexity of the field and its relationship to structural forces and larger systems of oppression. I detail how this paradox does not always lead to dichotomous discourses; rather, CBES can encompass many logics at once. To illuminate the usefulness of this framework for deeper theorizing of community-based youth work, I ground this concept in an empirical case focused on Black youth workers.

scholarly journals Demographic Differences in Patterns of Youth Out-of-School Time Activity Participation

2006 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 24-40 ◽  
Author(s):  
Suzanne M. Bouffard ◽  
Christopher Wimer ◽  
Pia Caronongan ◽  
Priscilla Little ◽  
Eric Dearing ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Youth Programs ◽  
At Risk Youth ◽  
Ethnic Minority Youth ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Demographic Differences ◽  
Time Activity ◽  
Out Of School Time ◽  
School Time ◽  
Nationally Representative ◽  
Out Of School

Participation in structured out-of-school time (OST) activities is of growing interest to families, youth practitioners, and policymakers. OST activities benefit youth socially, emotionally, and academically, especially at-risk youth. Yet, little research has explored the characteristics of youth participants. This study examines whether demographic differences exist merely in getting youth “in the door” of activities, or whether differences persist when examining the number of activities and the amount of time youth spend in activities once they are there. Results from two nationally representative datasets showed that disadvantaged youth were less likely to participate in a variety of activities than their peers, and participated in fewer numbers of activities. Among youth who did participate, Blacks and Hispanics participated less frequently in some activities, although Blacks participated more frequently in community-based youth programs. Implications for recruitment and retention are discussed, including the need for activity leaders to enhance efforts to attract and sustain disadvantaged and ethnic minority youth.

Improving Attendance and Retention in Out-Of-School Time Programs

2007 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elena Kennedy ◽  
Brooke Wilson ◽  
Sherylls Valladares ◽  
Jacinta Bronte-Tinkew
Keyword(s):  
Out Of School Time ◽  
School Time ◽  
Out Of School
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