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A sense of
competence: being able to do something well
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A sense of
usefulness: having something to contribute
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A sense of
belonging: being part of a community
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A sense of power:
having control over one's future
Simply put, youth
development is a life process that everyone goes through. The goal of
the positive youth development approach is to ensure that all
adolescents experience this life stage positively.
Positive youth
development is a policy perspective that emphasizes providing services
and opportunities to support all young people in developing a sense of
competence, usefulness, belonging, and empowerment. While individual
programs can provide youth development activities or services, the youth
development approach works best when entire communities, including young
people, are involved in creating a continuum of services and
opportunities that youth need to grow into happy and healthy adults.
Why Should I Care
About Positive Youth Development?
The catchy answer is
that young people are this Nation's most valuable resource. The reality
is that youth have talents and needs that communities can no longer
afford to ignore. When we fail to provide youth with support and
opportunities, as adults they may experience unemployment, have drug or
alcohol problems, commit crimes, and become a drain on community
resources. When young people are nurtured by caring adults, are given
opportunities to become involved in education or work that builds their
skills, are supported and protected during challenging times, and are
actively engaged in community activities, they become valuable
contributors to the quality of community life. Engaging youth in
communities simply makes sense, both fiscally and ethically.
How Is the Positive
Youth Development Approach Different From Prevention and Intervention?
It is not. Central to
the positive youth development approach is an understanding that all
youth need access to developmental opportunities. They, of course, also
need reliable information about behaviors that put them at risk, and at
some point during adolescence, they may need prevention and intervention
services. These services are far more effective when they are part of a
community-designed system of supports and developmental opportunities
that provide young people with chances to try new ventures or work
toward dreams they had not thought attainable. Then, as young people
gain confidence and skills, they shift their decision-making outlook
from the short term to the long term, making choices that preserve their
dreams and goals and help them avoid behaviors that put them at risk.
The positive youth
development approach emphasizes fully preparing young people to succeed
and contribute now and as adults; rather than focusing simply on
ensuring that young people are not engaged in risky behaviors.
Nonetheless, risk reduction and problem avoidance are often outcomes of
developmentally focused programs.
What Is the Evidence
That Positive Youth Development Works?
The nonpartisan
National Academy of Sciences recently released a report entitled
Community Programs To Promote Youth Development. The report is the
result of a 2-year study conducted by the Academy's Committee on
Community-Level Programs for Youth. One of the report's conclusions is
that adolescents who spend time in communities that are rich in
developmental opportunities . . . experience less risk and show evidence
of higher rates of positive development. A diversity of program
opportunities in each community is more likely to support broad
adolescent development and attract the interest of and meet the needs of
a greater number of youth.
What Local Programs
Operate from a Positive Youth Development Perspective?
Many local programs
offer young people both developmental opportunities and prevention and
intervention services. The Boys & Girls Clubs of America, National 4-H
Council, and YMCA of the USA, for example, are national organizations
that promote the positive youth development approach through their local
program affiliates. These programs provide young people with access to
developmental services and activities and facilitate positive
connections between youth and other young people and adults. They also
offer young people valuable information and learning experiences that
help them choose healthy lifestyles.
What Can I Do To
Promote the Positive Youth Development Approach in My Community?
Each community must
develop its unique approach to supporting young people. You can begin by
finding out more about positive youth development and then sharing that
information with local elected officials, local youth service agency
staff, coworkers, and friends and neighbors. These individuals and
organizations also can be effective partners in promoting positive youth
development.
More important, be sure
to engage young people in designing a community's approach to providing
youth with opportunities and services. They often know best what works
for them, and their inclusion is an investment in both their positive
development and long-term community change on behalf of all youth.
For more information on
positive youth development, please call or write the National
Clearinghouse on Families & Youth (NCFY), P.O. Box 13505, Silver Spring,
Maryland 20911-3505; (301) 608-8098; Fax: (301) 608-8721; E-mail:
Info@ncfy.com. Or check the NCFY Web
site on the Internet's World Wide Web for materials on youth
development: www.ncfy.com.