Youth Development

Youth development (as the resilient child): "The resilient child is one who works well, plays well, loves well, and expects well." (Norman Garmezy, 1974)

Youth development, an asset-building approach, has the following elements:

• Focusing on the positive
• Taking personal responsibility for making a difference
• Proactive
• Mobilizing the public as well as all youth-serving organizations in a community
• Viewing youth as resources
• A vision-building perspective
• Cooperation within the community
• Unleashing the caring potential of all the residents and organizations so that public resources can be focused on areas of greatest needs
• Hope that change is possible

(Uniting Communities for Youth, Benson, Search Institute, 1995)

Youth development is age-specific. It assumes that there are certain growth-related tasks that adolescents must complete to develop into mature adults. ( Youth Development: On the Path Toward Professionalization , Hahn, Raley; National Assembly, 1999)

Youth development is the process through which adolescents actively seek, and are assisted, to meet their basic needs and build their individual assets or competencies. ( A Matter of Time , Carnegie Council on Adolescent Development, 1992)

Youth development is multidimensional, embracing: (1) a process of human growth and development; (2) a philosophical orientation to social development and community; and (3) a programmatic frame work for youth services. ( A Model of Youth Work Orientations , Edginton & deOlivera, Humanics , pp. 3-7, Spring 1995)

Youth development means purposefully seeking to meet youth needs and build youth competencies relevant to enabling them to become successful adults. Rather than seeing young people as problems, this positive development approach views them instead as resources and builds on their strengths and capabilities to develop within their own community. To succeed youth must acquire adequate attitudes, behaviors, and skills. Youth development programs seek to build competencies in the following areas: physical, social, cognitive, vocational, and moral. ( Building Resiliency , pp. 11-14, National Assembly, 1994; and Position Statement on Accountability and Evaluation in Youth Development Organizations , p. 1, National Collaboration for Youth, 1996)

Healthy youth development strives to help young people develop the inner resources and skills they need to cope with pressures that might lead them into unhealthy and antisocial behaviors. It aims to promote and prevent, not to treat or remediate. Prevention of undesirable behaviors is one outcome of healthy youth development, but there are others: the production of self-reliant, self-confident adults who can take their place as responsible members of society. ( A Matter of Time , Carnegie Council on Adolescent Development, 1992)

Youth development is defined as the ongoing process in which all young people are engaged and invested. Through youth development, young people attempt to meet their basic personal and social needs and to build competencies necessary for successful adolescent and adult life. It is an approach, framework, a way to think about young people that focuses on their capacities, strengths, and developmental needs and on their weaknesses and problems.
All young people have basic needs that are critical to survival and healthy development. They include a sense of safety and structure; belonging and membership; self-worth and an ability to contribute; independence and control over one's life; closeness and several good relationships; and competency and mastery. At the same time, to succeed as adults, all youth must acquire positive attitudes and appropriate behaviors and skills in five areas: health; personal/social; knowledge, reasoning and creativity; vocation; and citizenship. ( Making the Case: Community Foundations and Youth Development , Bonnie Politz, Senior Program Officer, Academy for Educational Development, Center for Youth Development & Policy Research, Foundations for Change, 1996, Second Edition)

Youth development is the natural process of developing one's capacities.  While it occurs through the youth's daily experiences with people, places and possibilities, it is far too important to be left to chance.

Positive youth development occurs from an intentional process that promotes positive outcomes for young people by providing opportunities, relationships and the support to fully participate.  Youth development takes place in families, peer groups, schools, neighborhoods and communities. (From National 4-H Leadership Trust)

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