Monday, September 30, 2013


Youth Development Ideology  


In class on Friday, we had a long group discussion about the three different ways to view youth development.  There is the Risk, Resiliency and Prevention theory, the positive youth development theory and the critical youth development theory.  All three of these theories are relevant today in Youth Development.  Different programs believe in and focus on different theories.
 
Risk, Resiliency and Prevention is all about decreasing rates of violence, teen pregnancy and drugs for example.  The belief behind this type of youth development is that teen’s brains are not completely developed yet, so they make bad decisions.  It is a Youth Development professional’s job to work with youth and talk openly about these issues to prevent them from occurring.  I think that this approach is very relevant today as teen pregnancy, drug use and violence is on the rise.



The Critical Youth Development belief is about adults and youth working together to become successful members in the community and the world.  This approach is also about learning to work together with other youth to better themselves and others around them.

In the group I worked with in class, we all really believed in the Positive Youth Development approach.  This approach focuses on building the strengths of youth and empowering them by providing a safe environment.  Programs that follow the Positive Youth Development approach should help youth feel more comfortable in their own skin and help them reach self-actualization.  I think that this approach could really be connected to the Risk, Resiliency and Prevention theory.  Establishing a positive identity, a strong support system and positive peer influence could eliminate some negative behaviors such as drug use and violence towards others.


1 comment:

  1. Jess, I also wanted to add on to your critical youth development section of your blog. In critical youth development, we are looking deeper than the issues that are in the society and that the youth are dealing with, but we are finding ways to help restructure and rebuild relationships among youth and adults. As we get older we get wiser, but as we age so does the things that came along with us, that is why it is critical that we as future YDW pay attention, listen and team up with the youth that we are going to be working with so we can find the best solutions for them.

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