American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance - AAHPERD
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PrintJournal of Physical Education, Recreation and Dance
Issue: October 2009
Engaging Urban Youths: A Youth Development Perspective
Don Hellison
Abstract: The limited number of organized sport and exercise programs available in urban areas in comparison with more affluent communities, as well as the limited resources, the low pay of service providers who offer the programs (especially in youth work), and the besieged mentality of many professionals require our attention and assistance. Our field could contribute to reducing the socioeconomic gradient problem by taking a more holistic perspective that focuses on the four domains of development—the physical, cognitive, social, and emotional. This article describes how the emerging field of youth development, which is holistically based on those four domains, can maximize the potential of physical activity for urban youths, and how professionals can be prepared to lead effective youth development programs.
Article category: NASPE Symposium