scholarly journals Diversity and Inclusion in Youth Development: What We Can Learn from Marginalized Young People

2011 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 94-106 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen T. Russell ◽  
Kali Van Campen

As we commemorate 100 years of youth development programs whose origins are traced to organizations founded in the United States, we consider key insights as well as strategies relevant for diversity and inclusion. Many of the large, mainstream youth development organizations and programs that were founded over a century ago now primarily serve youth in the “mainstream”: youth from the middle classes, traditional families, and dominant cultural groups. A growing body of scholarship considers the positive development of youth who are marginalized due to their social class, ability, sexuality, citizenship status, race, ethnicity, or culture. We draw insights from studies of youth and families who are immigrants, or who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT). These findings provide a vantage point for considering ways that contemporary youth development organizations might stretch the margins, or adapt their practices, in order to reach and include all youth.

2011 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 38-62 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard M. Lerner ◽  
Jacqueline V. Lerner ◽  
Selva Lewin-Bizan ◽  
Edmond P. Bowers ◽  
Michelle J. Boyd ◽  
...  

Using the tripartite conception of positive youth development (PYD) suggested by Hamilton (1999) – as a developmental process, a philosophy or approach to youth programming, and as instances of youth programs and organizations focused on fostering the healthy or positive development of youth – we review different theoretical models of the developmental process involved in PYD. In addition, we review the ideas for and the features of youth development programs aimed at promoting PYD. We discuss the need for research interrelating different, theoretically-predicated measures of PYD and, as well, the importance of clear links between models of the PYD developmental process and of the youth development programs seeking to enhance PYD among diverse youth. We discuss several conceptual and practical problematics that must be addressed in order to integrate the three facets of PYD scholarship.


2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 1-5
Author(s):  
JoLynn C. Miller ◽  
Kali Trzesniewski

Youth development programs are varied and diverse. Some rely on paid staff to deliver programming, but many rely on volunteers. While there is quite a bit of research on volunteers and volunteerism in general, there is little that goes in depth covering the nuances of volunteers in youth development organizations. The editors of this special issue introduce the articles, which cover themes of understanding the impacts of volunteers, volunteer competencies and skill development, support and motivation of volunteers, and evaluation of programs. In addition, a book review and a closing reflection are included. Finally, the editors close with their thoughts about exciting directions for the future of volunteer development research and practice.


2016 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 89-101 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa M. Chauveron ◽  
Miriam R. Linver ◽  
Jennifer Brown Urban

Character education programs are mission-aligned with the positive youth development (PYD) perspective, which, in research with American youth suggests that intentional self-regulation (ISR) develops through mutually beneficial interactions between youth and their environment. Cross-cultural studies of Western youth suggest an adolescence-specific ISR process may exist. We begin to extend this work to assess the relationship between ISR and positive development in young Scottish adolescents (approximately 7th grade, N = 82; 50% male), a previously unexamined group. ISR was correlated with the Five Cs of PYD and OLS regression analyses demonstrated that ISR predicted two of the Five Cs: Character and Connection. We discuss implications for youth development programs of the findings that ISR and some indices of PYD were linked in a sample of Scottish youth. 


2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (2-3) ◽  
pp. 379-401
Author(s):  
Concetta Pastorelli ◽  
Antonio Zuffianò ◽  
Jennifer E. Lansford ◽  
Eriona Thartori ◽  
Marc H. Bornstein ◽  
...  

The current cross-cultural study aimed to extend research on parenting and children’s prosocial behavior by examining relations among parental warmth, values related to family obligations (i.e., children’s support to and respect for their parents, siblings, and extended family), and prosocial behavior during the transition to adolescence (from ages 9 to 12). Mothers, fathers, and their children (N = 1107 families) from 8 countries including 11 cultural groups (Colombia; Rome and Naples, Italy; Jordan; Kenya; the Philippines; Sweden; Thailand; and African Americans, European Americans, and Latin Americans in the United States) provided data over 3 years in 3 waves (Mage of child in wave 1 = 9.34 years, SD = 0.75; 50.5% female). Overall, across all 11 cultural groups, multivariate change score analysis revealed positive associations among the change rates of parental warmth, values related to family obligations, and prosocial behavior during late childhood (from age 9 to 10) and early-adolescence (from age 10 to 12). In most cultural groups, more parental warmth at ages 9 and 10 predicted steeper mean-level increases in prosocial behavior in subsequent years. The findings highlight the prominent role of positive family context, characterized by warm relationships and shared prosocial values, in fostering children’s positive development in the transition to adolescence. The practical implications of these findings are discussed.


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