Example: stock market

Understanding the Youth Development Model (Fact Sheet)

MENTORING FACT SHEET. Department of Education I Of ce of Safe and Drug-Free Schools Mentoring Resource Center #13, January 2007. Understanding the Youth Development Model A theoretical connection has always existed between from adversity. Their ability to develop successfully mentoring and what's commonly known as Youth depends to a great extent on the support and assis- Development . Mentoring is frequently referred to as tance they receive from the people and institutions a Youth Development strategy one that uses posi- around them. tive Youth -adult relationships to provide broad guid- ance and support rather than aiming to x a problem The Youth Development discussed here is an exten- or teach a speci c skill.

a youth development strategy—one that uses posi-tive youth-adult relationships to provide broad guid-ance and support rather than aiming to fi x a problem or teach a specifi c skill. Mentoring programs often ... Lerner, R.M., C.B. Fisher, and R.A. Weinberg. (2000). , , The Mentoring Fact Sheet.

Tags:

  Development, Youth, Fisher, Siop, Youth development

Information

Domain:

Source:

Link to this page:

Please notify us if you found a problem with this document:

Other abuse

Transcription of Understanding the Youth Development Model (Fact Sheet)

1 MENTORING FACT SHEET. Department of Education I Of ce of Safe and Drug-Free Schools Mentoring Resource Center #13, January 2007. Understanding the Youth Development Model A theoretical connection has always existed between from adversity. Their ability to develop successfully mentoring and what's commonly known as Youth depends to a great extent on the support and assis- Development . Mentoring is frequently referred to as tance they receive from the people and institutions a Youth Development strategy one that uses posi- around them. tive Youth -adult relationships to provide broad guid- ance and support rather than aiming to x a problem The Youth Development discussed here is an exten- or teach a speci c skill.

2 Mentoring programs often sion of that asset/resiliency process. In this context, include basic information about adolescent develop- Youth Development is a discipline in the eld of Youth ment during mentor training, encouraging mentors to work, founded on the belief that young people are be developmental rather than prescriptive in their best able to move through their developmental stages work with young people. But what exactly does it when they are supported across all sectors of the mean to use a developmental approach when serving community by individuals, family, schools, Youth young people? What speci c skills do mentors and agencies, faith organizations, community governance, staff need?

3 And what programmatic goals, activities, business, and more. The Youth Development Model and environments are needed to fully implement a focuses on activities that nurture developmental as- positive Youth Development Model ? sets rather than on reducing particular risks or pre- venting speci c problems. Its ultimate goal is to help Because Youth Development is the cornerstone of ef- Youth become successful adults not just problem- fective mentoring, the three fact sheets in this series free, but fully prepared to be responsible, contributing, will provide a basic overview of Youth Development and healthy adults. theory and practice and describe ways in which these practices can be more fully incorporated into mentor- ing programs.

4 It is hoped that this information will help Background: Resiliency research as the Of ce of Safe and Drug-Free Schools (OSDFS) grant- foundation for Youth Development ees enrich the mentoring experience for mentors and mentees and ultimately improve outcomes for Youth . Researchers over the last 25 years have delved into the question of resiliency, examining why and how some children and Youth from challenging environ- What is Youth Development ? ments and circumstances can survive and even thrive while others do not. A number of landmark longitudinal Youth Development in its broadest sense refers to studies on child Development , such as a classic study the stages that all children go through to acquire the on the Development of poor children and families on attitudes, competencies, values, and social skills they Kauai, Hawaii, identi ed internal and external factors need to become successful adults.

5 As children move that helped children overcome risks inherent in their through their developmental stages (see Erikson's lives (Werner and Smith, 1992). What the studies Stages of Development on page 2), they acquire a set found was that at least 50 percent and often closer of personal assets, or supports, that help them face to 70 percent of Youth growing up in high-risk condi- the challenges and opportunities ahead. These assets tions developed social competence despite exposure allow Youth to become resilient able to bounce back to severe stress, and overcame the odds to lead suc- MENTORING FACT SHEET. cessful lives. They also identi ed speci c protective Institute's research involving over 100,000 children in factors, such as strong cognitive and social skills, grades 6 through 12.

6 High self-esteem, connection to family and community, and coping skills, which were believed to be Over the years, Youth workers have used this re- instrumental in helping these children develop suc- search into resiliency and assets to develop a com- cessfully (Benard, 1991). prehensive set of strategies designed to help young people achieve their developmental goals. It rejects These research studies and their ndings, along with problem-centered interventions and also goes beyond considerable studies of best practices and lessons prevention-focused models that are generally based learned in the prevention eld, have helped theoreti- on preventing speci c behaviors or risks, such as teen cians and practitioners de ne a set of developmental pregnancy or delinquency.

7 Youth Development practi- assets that are considered to be the building blocks tioners help Youth successfully navigate the develop- of successful Youth Development . Probably the best- mental stages they must all go through, allowing them known work on these assets is the Search Institute's to develop a rich set of assets that will help them cope framework of 40 Developmental Assets, an exten- with risk, overcome personal and external challenges, sive list of personal and social assets based on the and become well-adjusted adults. This approach can require a signi cant shift in thinking for Youth workers Erikson's Stages of Development and programs used to dealing with problem solving, risk reduction, delinquency prevention, and other Psychologist Eric Erikson (1902 1994) is perhaps the forms of behavior-focused interventions.

8 Best known theorist in the eld of human Development . He proposed a Model of eight stages of Development that all children go through as they move from infant to adult, and built on that theoretical framework to identify The basics of the Youth Development critical assets that must be mastered in order for the approach: The Five Cs and SOS. child to reach successful adulthood. The stages are: A variety of models has been developed to help Trust, which he linked to positive emotional practitioners implement Youth Development in their relationships with caring adults organizations, most of which have similar principles, A strong sense of self-suf ciency goals, and strategies.

9 Because Youth Development has the rather broad goal of helping Youth make the Ability to exercise initiative transition to healthy adulthood, there is quite a range Con dence in one's ability to master skills and of what success looks like. Most Youth workers and navigate one's world educators consider economic independence, intellec- tual and social competence, personal satisfaction, and A well-formed sense of personal identity physical and psychological well-being to be signi cant A desire to be productive and contributing for measures. There is widespread agreement on ve key future generations outcomes for Youth that are vital for their transition to adulthood.

10 These are known as the Five Cs : The ability to experience true intimacy A strong sense of personal integrity 1. Competence: Positive view of one's actions in speci c areas, including social, academic, The work of Erikson and other human Development cognitive, and vocational. theorists has provided important foundations to the positive Youth Development approach to working with 2. Con dence: The internal sense of overall young people. positive self-worth and self-ef cacy; positive identity; and belief in the future. Child Development Institute: http://www Page 2. MENTORING FACT SHEET. 3. Connection: Positive bonds with people and Supports are the ongoing positive relationships that institutions peers, family, school, and young people have with adults, peers, and organiza- community in which both parties contribute tions that provide the safety, structure, motivation, to the relationship.


Related search queries