This resource corresponds to Day 1.

The Youth Development Perspective
What do we expect of young people? Conventional wisdom dictates two primary goals: We want to prevent young people from engaging in destructive lifestyles-delinquency, violence, drug and alcohol use, school failure, and early pregnancy-and we want young people to achieve-to graduate from high school, get a job, or go to college. But is this enough? When problem prevention and achievement outcomes become our principal goals, aren't we essentially selling young people short?

From the youth development perspective , being "fully prepared" for adulthood means more than avoiding trouble or achieving in school. It involves helping young people develop social skills, civic and cultural competencies, positive attitudes toward community, and a strong sense of identity-the abilities and attitudes that allow a young person to succeed and to avoid using drugs and becoming involved in delinquent behaviors. A good worker is not just a young person with employment skills; it is someone who has positive attitudes toward adults, a sense of civic pride, and the ability to interact with customers and colleagues.

Young people are more than the sum of their problems and their status achievements. Developmental outcomes are what define a healthy and accomplished adolescent-the degree to which an adolescent is confident and connected to others and has the ability to act competently in community settings.

Youth Development Outcomes
Researchers have identified two categories of youth development outcomes: aspects of identity and areas of ability.

Aspects of Identity. Young people demonstrate a positive identity when they have a sense of personal well-being and a sense of connection and commitment to others. Outcomes in this category include the following:

• Safety and Structure: A perception that one is safe in the world and that daily events are somewhat predictable

• Self-Worth: A perception that one is a "good person" who contributes to oneself and others

• Mastery and Future: A perception that one is "making it" and will succeed in the future

• Belonging and Membership: A perception that one values and is valued by others in the family and the community

• Responsibility and Autonomy: A perception that one has some control over daily events and is accountable for one's own actions and for the consequences to others

• Self-Awareness and Spirituality: A perception that one is unique and is intimately attached to extended families, cultural groups, communities, higher deities, and/or principles

Areas of Ability. Young people demonstrate ability when they gain knowledge, skills, and attitudes that prepare them for adulthood. Outcomes in this category include the following:

• Physical Health: The ability and motivation to act in ways that best ensure current and future health for oneself and others

• Mental Health: The ability and motivation to respond affirmatively to and cope with positive and adverse situations, to reflect on one's own emotions and surroundings, and to engage in leisure and fun

• Intellectual Ability: The ability and motivation to learn in school and in other settings, to gain the basic knowledge needed to graduate from high school, to use critical-thinking skills, to be creative, to use problem-solving and expressive skills, and to conduct independent study

• Employability: The ability and motivation to gain the functional and organizational skills necessary for employment, including an understanding of careers and options, and the steps necessary to reach goals

• Civic and Social Ability: The ability and motivation to work collaboratively with others for the larger good and to sustain caring friendships and relationships with others

• Cultural Ability: The ability and motivation to respect and affirmatively respond to differences among groups and individuals of diverse backgrounds, interests, and traditions

Implications of a Youth Development Perspective
Education and business leaders tend to value academic and job-related abilities exclusively. Yet, without acquiring the social, cultural, civic, and mental health competencies described above, young people will be at risk for failing in school and the workplace. Furthermore, research shows that "identity" outcomes are the strongest predictors of adolescent well-being. Like adults, youth cannot develop abilities when they feel insecure or alienated from others.

To promote these developmental outcomes, all aspects of an initiative must be oriented toward this end. This means that stakeholders must agree that the achievement of these outcomes is a legitimate goal. Often, this requires shifts in ongoing planning, program design and implementation, staff development, and evaluation.

Adapted from:

Academy for Educational Development/Center for Youth Development Policy Research. (Revised February, 2004). Boston BEST Initiative.

Zeldin, S. (1995). An Introduction to Youth Development Concepts: Questions for Community Collaborations. Washington, DC: Academy for Educational Development.