The youth development
approach is predicated on the understanding that all young people
need support, guidance, and opportunities during adolescence, a
time of rapid growth and change. With this support, they can
develop self-assurance in the four areas that are key to creating
a happy, healthy, and successful life:
- A sense of competence: being able to do something well
- A sense of usefulness: having something to contribute
- A sense of belonging: being part of a community and having relationships with caring
adults
- A sense of power: having control over one's future
If these factors are being addressed,
and basic needs are being met (food, clothes, health care, safety,
and security), young people can become fully prepared to engage
constructively in their communities.
To learn more about how your community
can promote positive youth development, check out the resources
on youth development available through the Family and Youth
Services Bureau's (FYSB's) National Clearinghouse on Families &
Youth.
You also may wish to link to the
YouthInfo
Web site, which FYSB maintains. The site includes information
on the
Blueprint for Youth, a collaborative effort of Federal agencies,
nonprofit organizations, advocacy organizations, intergovernmental
associations, and others.
FYSB
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Last revised: March 2003
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