scholarly journals Contributions of Youth Centers to the Development of Young People in Ethiopia

2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 61-89
Author(s):  
Belay Tefera ◽  
Melese Getu ◽  
Befekadu Zeleke ◽  
Yekoyealem Dessie
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
Youth Development ◽  
Positive Youth Development ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Youth Centers ◽  
Global Initiative ◽  
Improve Service Quality ◽  
Youth Friendly ◽  
Youth Friendly Services

There has been a global paradigm shift in conceptualizing how best young persons can be assisted from a conventional deficit-based approach of targeting youth  to a more enabling approach of promoting their strengths and competencies. Establishment of youth centers was one such global initiative meant to catalyze positive youth development through supervised and youth-friendly services. In recognition of this, several youth centers have been established in Ethiopia in the last few decades. This research was thus conducted to examine contributions of these centers to the development of young people. Data were collected through questionnaire from a sample of 2,165 participants (service providers and service users) and observation of 94 youth centers drawn from all regions of the country. Findings indicated that the contributions of youth centers were generally minimal in terms of promoting overall positive youth development. Some evidence even showed that youth centers could serve as a platform for acquiring undesirable behaviors among the youth mainly because supervisory and follow up services were not evident. While expanding establishment of youth centers is indeed commendable to ensure access to the greater majority of youth, the need to improve service quality, however, is a priority concern for the relevant actors.

scholarly journals Positive Youth Development in the 21st Century: Exploring Online Environments

2013 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 16-26
Author(s):  
Mark Light ◽  
Jessica Falkenthal
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
Youth Development ◽  
Positive Youth Development ◽  
21St Century ◽  
Target Audience ◽  
Youth Organizations ◽  
Mobile Media ◽  
Target Populations ◽  
Online Environments ◽  
New Strategies

The manner that young people and adults are communicating with each other is rapidly changing in society that is, in part, driven by the latest technology. As a youth-driven program, we must engage in new strategies and methods by which we communicate with youth members, volunteers, families, and the community at large. Social and mobile media are a growing and popular venue for much of our target audience and youth development practitioners must learn how to leverage these networks to create positive youth development in online environments. If we ignore and don’t engage in the opportunity to be connected to youth online, then youth are left to make their own paths online and set the online norms. As youth organizations, we also must seize the opportunity to be online mentors and use the resources that are available and being used by our target populations.

Positive Youth Development

2021 ◽  
pp. 87-108
Author(s):  
Nora Wiium ◽  
Fitim Uka
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
Youth Development ◽  
Positive Youth Development ◽  
The United States ◽  
Positive Development ◽  
Social Competencies ◽  
Use Of Time ◽  
Positive Identity ◽  
Policies And Programs ◽  
Communist Countries

Consistent with the positive youth development perspective, the experience of internal and external assets is associated with positive development or thriving among young people. This proposal has been developed and tested mainly in the United States but it also appears to be considerably true for Roma youth living in post-communist countries. This chapter examines Roma youth (N = 354) experience of various developmental assets and how these assets are related to thriving. Study results indicated positive relations between the assets and thriving, in general. In addition, the experience of constructive use of time was quite low among Roma youth relative to internal assets, such as commitment to learning, positive values, social competencies, and positive identity, and other external assets such as support, empowerment, and boundaries and expectations. While this low experience of constructive use of time could be a general trend among young people, it could also reflect the discrimination and social exclusion that Roma youth often face. Because Roma youth across Europe form a significant and growing proportion of the school-age population and consequently the future workforce, policies and programs that promote both internal and external assets necessary for thriving are essential because thriving has been associated with the development of self and society.

Positive youth development related athlete experiences and coach behaviors following a targeted coach education course

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 621-630
Author(s):  
Dany J MacDonald ◽  
Martin Camiré ◽  
Karl Erickson ◽  
Fernando Santos
Keyword(s):  
Youth Development ◽  
Positive Youth Development ◽  
Intervention Group ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Coach Education ◽  
Developmental Experiences ◽  
Time Points ◽  
Coach Behaviors ◽  
Experimental Group

The purpose of this study was to examine if a positive youth development (PYD) coach education course would (i) result in more positive developmental experiences perceived by athletes of participant coaches and (ii) increase the frequency of PYD-oriented behaviors exhibited by participant coaches. A total of 14 coaches and 270 athletes participated in the study. Eight coaches ( Mage = 38.0 years) overseeing 154 athletes ( Mage = 13.8 years) were in the control group, while six coaches ( Mage = 36.7 years) overseeing 116 athletes ( Mage = 13.9 years) were in the experimental group. The 10-week intervention combined a group-based PYD coach education course with individualized coach meetings. Seven practices per coach were observed and recorded at baseline ( n = 2), intervention ( n = 3), and follow-up ( n = 2). Athletes completed measures of coach-athlete relationships and sport experiences at the three time points. Results of the 2 × 3 (group × time) mixed ANOVAs demonstrated that coaches in the intervention group increased the frequency of their PYD-oriented behaviors during the intervention but returned to levels slightly above baseline at follow-up. Coaches in the control group did not change their behaviors over the same period. Athlete reports of their developmental experiences were high at all time points and did not change over time. Findings suggest PYD coach education has the potential to influence coach behavior, but further research is required to determine how to create sustained changes for coaches and increases in athletes’ perceived positive developmental experiences.

scholarly journals Toward Youth Friendly Services: A Survey of Young People in Primary Care

2007 ◽  
Vol 22 (6) ◽  
pp. 775-781 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dagmar M. Haller ◽  
Lena A. Sanci ◽  
George C. Patton ◽  
Susan M. Sawyer
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
Young People ◽  
Youth Friendly ◽  
Youth Friendly Services

scholarly journals The Five Cs of Positive Youth Development in an Aotearoa/New Zealand Program Context

2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 36-58 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jayne Mercier ◽  
Catherine Powell ◽  
Georgina Langdon-Pole ◽  
Daleki (Fole) Finau ◽  
Karen Hicks ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Young People ◽  
Youth Development ◽  
Positive Youth Development ◽  
Education Program ◽  
Outdoor Education ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Aotearoa New Zealand ◽  
Five Cs

This study took a qualitative look at an Aotearoa/New Zealand-based positive youth development outdoor-education program in schools using the 5 Cs model of positive youth development. The viewpoints of young people, parents, and teachers were gathered, providing an opportunity to explore additional perspectives of the 5 Cs. All 5 Cs were seen to be present in the program and the 6th C of contribution was also observed. The Cs of competence, confidence and connection featured strongly, whilst the C of connection appeared to be important to young people’s experience of the program. Young people and adults prioritized different outcomes, with adults focusing more on future impacts and young people identifying more immediate benefits. The findings of this study add to an understanding of the 5 Cs model beyond the American context and highlight areas for future research.

scholarly journals Components of Camp Experiences for Positive Youth Development

2007 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 15-26 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karla A. Henderson
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
Youth Development ◽  
Positive Youth Development ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Essential Elements ◽  
National Study ◽  
Youth Organizations ◽  
Religiously Affiliated ◽  
For Profit ◽  
Program Components

Youth development specialists advocate that well designed, implemented, and staffed youth centered programs result in positive outcomes for young people. Youth organizations have provided opportunities for young people to participate in camping experiences for over a century. The purpose of this paper is to describe what program components were related to camp environments and positive youth development. We describe these program components related to positive youth development based on a large scale national study of ACA (American Camp Association) accredited camps that included independent, religiously affiliated, government, and not-for-profit organizations. Based on the responses given by camp directors, contact and leadership from trained staff and the supportive relationships they provided were essential elements of camp. Other aspects leading to positive youth development in camps were program mission and structure along with elements of accountability, assessment of outcomes, and opportunities for skill building.

scholarly journals South Africa: Providers should encourage sexually active youth to use condoms

2001 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Young People ◽  
Reproductive Health ◽  
Condom Use ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Sexual Practices ◽  
Sexually Active ◽  
Kwazulu Natal ◽  
Youth Centers ◽  
Hiv Aids

To assess the effectiveness of youth centers in reaching adolescents with reproductive health information, life skills, and services, the Reproductive Health Research Unit in KwaZulu Natal and the Population Council conducted an assessment of 12 youth centers and their affiliated peer education programs. The centers were run by the KwaZulu Natal Department of Health, the loveLife program, and the Youth and Adolescent Reproductive Health Program. Researchers also examined young people’s use of condoms as protection against pregnancy and HIV/AIDS. Data sources for this study, conducted in 2000, were an inventory of youth center services, interviews with center staff and clients, service statistics, and community surveys of 1,399 young people aged 12–24 and their parents. As noted in this brief, the study found that many sexually active young people in South Africa are knowledgeable about the sexual transmission of HIV/AIDS but do not use condoms consistently. Service providers can do more to promote condom use among youth by placing condom dispensers in private places and counseling youth on correct condom use and safer sexual practices.

scholarly journals A Roadmap for Youth Thriving: A Commentary on the Arnold and Gagnon Vision for Positive Youth Development

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (6) ◽  
pp. 147-161
Author(s):  
Richard M. Lerner
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
Youth Development ◽  
Positive Youth Development ◽  
Positive Development ◽  
Learning And Development ◽  
Developmental Science ◽  
Science Theory ◽  
The Common ◽  
Theory Research ◽  
Development Practice

Youth development researchers and practitioners have the common goal of understanding and enhancing the positive development of all young people. The work of Professors Mary Arnold and Ryan Gagnon on the 4-H Thriving Model provides a creative and richly theoretically and empirically informed vision for promoting positive youth development (PYD) through integrating youth development research and practice. Their vision is an exemplar of how theoretically predicated and cutting-edge developmental science and the enactment of youth programs can be mutually informative. Drawing on the theory, research, and ideas for program design encompassed within the Science of Learning and Development (SoLD) Alliance, which applies developmental scholarship that integrates research from multiple disciplines and underscores the malleability, agency, and specificity of mutually influential coactions between youth and their contexts, Professors Arnold and Gagnon illustrate the features of researchópractice integration that must be enacted for innovative progress in programs aimed at enhancing youth thriving. The compelling roadmap for promoting PYD through the integrations framed by the 4-H Thriving Model will advance youth development practice, developmental science theory and research and, most important, the lives of the diverse young people of our nation.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document