On the Right Path: Youth Development Amidst Colombia’s Sociocultural Transition

Colombia is amidst a sociocultural transition due to recent political movements towards ending the long-standing internal armed conflict. Development and implementation of youth programs that are responsive to the current societal context can contribute to this transition by investing in younger generations. This study features findings from the exploration phase of a community-based participatory research study to adapt a youth program from the United States for implementation in Colombia. Through focus group interviews, participants representing 4 different microsystems surrounding youth shared perceptions of youth who will be successful in this transitional context. Perceptions coalesced to reveal a process of positive development for use as a framework for responsive and culturally sensitive program adaptations. The emergent process mirrors positive youth development principles and shares similarities with other positive youth development models. The discussion explores considerations for the sociocultural context when designing youth programs for use in Colombia.

Filipino University Students’ Attitude Toward Sexual Minorities

Whether or not sexual minorities in the Philippines higher education system are socially acceptable is not clear. This article specifically investigates the acceptance of gay and lesbian university students in the Philippines and implications for international gay or lesbian students’ sociocultural transition. We sampled opinions of both local and international students in all the academic departments of a private university in the province of Cavite. The participants were selected using a proportionate stratified convenience sampling technique according to which they were grouped by academic department and chosen based on their availability, proximity, and convenience. We administered surveys to 368 registered students in 2011. Of the 368 questionnaires distributed, 358 responses were received, which constitutes a 97.3% response rate. Using transition theory, the article argues that the attitude toward sexual orientation had some negative implications for gay and lesbian international students transitioning into the sociocultural environment of the Philippines.