American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance - AAHPERD

 Issue: Nov/Dec 2005

Youth Services: Strategies for Programming
Christopher R. Edginton & Steven W. Randall

Abstract:
The provision of meaningful and relevant programs and services that promote development, skill-building, ownership, and autonomy is a central focus of contemporary youth work. There are a number of youth-programming orientations that can be sought in order to meet this end. Contemporary models include both the preventative and positive youth-development orientations. A third orientation, relational youth work, represents a contrasting framework through which to conceptualize the process by which young people change while participating in youth programs. Each of these orientations provides a different view of youths and of the framework for the provision of programs and services for young people. In addition, youth-centered programming and services, associated with the positive youth-development framework, often are built on a set of tenets, including democratic participation, informal education, relationship building, collaboration, holistic functioning, learning and engagement, equality of outcome, and responsibility and empowerment. Regardless of which of these orientations youth workers adopt, what is most important is for those in the field of youth work to consider the professional and practical implications of the ways in which they conceptualize and interact with youths.

Article category: Youth Challenges in Today's Society -Part 1