Youth development is something that we all have been through, or we will pass through. It is an irreplaceable phase of everyone’s life and it makes such a big impact on our future. One of the main reasons why we all are so different as characters and people is the experience that we had, and the challenges that we have been through in our youth development.
Development Stages
The experts describe youth development as a phase in our life that has 3 stages. Early adolescence is the time between 10 – 13 years, middle adolescence is the time between 14 – 18 years, and late adolescence is the time after 18 years up to about 22 – 23 years of age. This is the time that a young person will spend getting ready for its adulthood. Many programs promote youth development by offering the right recourses that adolescents can use to get a positive experience. They can also learn how to communicate with others, how to get a sense of what leadership means, and what are the mistakes that can put a barrier in their healthy development.
First Steps
If we speak from a biological aspect, we are sure you have heard about the healthy habits that it is important to adopt since we are in the first stage of adolescence. To get the base of a healthy lifestyle in the future, we have to start with the little steps that need to be taken that will help us define good and strong youth development. Sometimes, it is hard for the very young group of adolescents to understand how all those healthy habits will help them in their youth development. The best support that they can get is the care of their families and schools.
The Ongoing Development
But let’s look at the whole subject from another point of view. The education that we get from the schools and back home is an important factor. It shows if any adolescent will be ready and if he is willing to get to the point where he wants to do his best to help his youth development. Without any guidance when it comes to their future development, the young generation will lack the vital information that will help them progress. These being said it is not uncommon to find cases where the adolescents disregard parts or even the whole process of development. Even if there are hundreds of youth development programs that exist, to get to the positive final result that all those programs promise, you need the adolescents that participate in them to have the desire to go to the next level in their development. All those programs are a step forward to be better in your adulthood. It is not clear exactly how many programs exist in the United States. In 1998 the IRS (Internal Revenue Service) identified more than 5000 non-profit organizations that have focused their primary services on youth development. You can have a look at the historical path of youth development programs and how those programs came to life. Some facts there describe the approach of youth development programs in the early twenty-first century.
The Environment Influence
The environment that the young generation grows in, is also a very important factor that can have a major impact on youth development. Many can say that there is no need for those programs, and adolescents can go through this process without extra help. Everybody will go through this progression because it is part of the life circle, but if you can find the right resources and the right atmosphere, the whole development can get the best possible result. In a way, in youth programs, young men and women can find themselves in a situation where they are out of their comfort zone. This moment is giving a clear view, how well the youth development programs work. All the participants should be gradually introduced and receive constant support to have a positive outcome. Nevertheless, if any of the above are missing, that is when this program will help them overcome any “bumps and turns” you might encounter on your way to success once on the development road. If you check the International Youth Foundation you will see that they have a long history. For 30 years, they have driven positive youth development around the world. With their partnerships and experience, they enhance the global understanding of how to connect young people with hope, jobs, and a better future. They are constantly deepening their research and gaining new partnerships to provide sustainable solutions for the most challenging problems young people face. As we all know new generations are emerging each year taking over the relay race. In our evolution path the youth development plays an important role as the base towards a brighter and better future. We need to focus on the youth as they are the one who can change the world.