Abstract
This article presents new horizons for research on youth development by focusing on the challenges youth face in learning teamwork and in coming to terms with diversity. These are both essential competencies for navigating the “real world” of the 21st century. We examine how youth experience these challenges within programs; also how they present second-order challenges to practitioners. The underlying message of this article is that it is essential for researchers to see programs from the point of view of the people in them. Researchers have learned quite a bit of what can be learned from arm’s length: that programs can make a difference in youths’ lives and that certain features of settings are associated with these changes. To go further, researchers need to work side-by-side with practitioners and youth to understand their complex worlds as they experience them.
Highlights
We know a lot about youth development, and we know very little
We know that youth programs can change young people’s lives
We know that programs are most effective when they create positive relationships for youth and engage them in challenging, authentic activities (Eccles & Gootman, 2002; Mahoney, Vandell, Simpkins, & Zarrett, 2009)
Summary
We know a lot about youth development, and we know very little. We know that youth programs can change young people’s lives. We know little about how to reliably create these conditions across programs, different groups of staff, and youth from diverse backgrounds. Here, for an approach to understanding complexity that includes descriptive research on the challenges encountered by program staff. We are going describe this horizon for research on youth processes and staff practices by using two examples: the challenges youth face in learning teamwork and in coming to terms with cultural diversity.
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