Positive youth development merits state investment

Abstract

In the last three decades, positive youth development has emerged as the new paradigm for youth-related research and programming. The literature provides strong evidence that high-quality youth programs can have positive and significant effects. Positive youth development is strongly associated with three outcomes of particular public significance: improved school achievement and graduation rates, decreased incidence of risk behaviors and increased sense of personal efficacy and empathy. A strong economic case could be built for increasing public investment in positive youth development programs. What is needed now is more and better data, and measurable goals at the state level.

Beyond Expectations: From Foster Children to Foster Parents

“…Their study of the Weikart Center for Youth Program Quality determined that programs for youth must provide safety, support, and engagement, and that they must allow for and encourage relationship-building. Program results indicated that adolescent participants experienced increased positive outcomes in intra-and interpersonal skills, civic engagement, empathy and compassion, sense of agency and purpose, academics, and decreased risky behaviors (Campbell et al, 2013).…”

“…For these young mothers, the birth of a child encouraged them to put themselves in a position emotionally and financially to care for their children which could also safeguard them against the possibility of having their children removed from their care (Svoboda et al, 2012). Campbell, Trzesniewski, Nathaniel, Enfield, and Erbstein (2013) evaluated the benefits of the state of California investing in positive youth development (PYD) programs, with the belief that PYD promotes skill building and helps youth achieve positive outcomes by developing meaningful abilities that lead to academic and emotional success. Their study of the Weikart Center for Youth Program Quality determined that programs for youth must provide safety, support, and engagement, and that they must allow for and encourage relationship-building.…”

The Effects of Positive Youth Development Based Classroom Guidance Program on Life Skills of Primary School Students

“…There are findings in the literature indicating that programs that are based on the PYD approach have yielded positive results. The positive effects have been seen on protecting the sexual and reproductive health of young people (Balsano, Phelps, Theokas, Lerner and Lerner, 2009), decreasing problematic behaviors and increasing academic success (Benson and Saito, 2000;Bernat and Resnick, 2006;Lerner, 2005), decreasing risky behaviors (Campbell, Trzesniewski, Nathaniel, Enfield and Erbstein, 2013), increasing selfconfidence, morale and competence (Catalano, Berglund, Ryan, Lonczak and Hawkins, 2004;Cognetta and Sprinthall, 1978), self-regulation and self-protection (Gavin, Catalano, David-Ferdon, Gloppen and Markham, 2010;Lerner, Albert, Anderson and Dowling, 2006;Lerner, Taylor and Von Eye, 2002), commitment to school, constituting social capital (Gestsdottir, Bowers, Von Eye, Napolitano and Lerner, 2010;Mahatmya, 2011), making healthy decisions (Lerner and Lerner, 2010), cognitive development (Lerner, Lerner and Benson, 2011), and social skills (Maas, Wilken, Jordan, Cullen and Place, 2006;Newmann and Rutter, 1983;Olson and Goddard, 2012;Peterson and Seligman, 2004;Roth, Brooks-Gunn, Murray and Foster, 1998;Roth and Brooks-Gunn, 2003;Sun and Shek, 2012;Youngblade et al, 2007).…”