Abstract
Sport programs have been widely studied for their efficacy in helping youth develop important social, psychological, and physical skills. Extensive research has explored the challenges related to design, implementation, and evaluation of sport programs with a developmental focus. However, when designing sport programs specifically tailored for youth from vulnerable backgrounds, the challenges become multiplied, particularly when accounting for barriers that exist before the program starts. The following article describes best practices for gaining access to non-traditional, hard-to-access environments, such as foster care systems, juvenile detention centers, youth residential mental health facilities, and programs situated in high-risk communities. Recommendations are provided for the initial phase of sport program development for vulnerable populations, including protecting youth, choosing appropriate sport content, and addressing barriers in the research process. Generally, these best practices are applicable for the development of any youth program. However, this article provides context-specific guidance and precautions that should be considered to protect and foster the well-being and welfare of youth from highly vulnerable populations.
Highlights
Protecting Vulnerable YouthGaining access to vulnerable youth populations requires intentional and deliberate reflection on how best to protect these individuals from further harm than they have already experienced
The purpose of this article is to offer strategies to researchers and practitioners who would like to pursue projects working with youth in non-traditional, hard-to-access environments, such as foster care systems, juvenile detention centers, youth residential mental health facilities, or high-risk communities where youth and practitioner/researcher safety is not definite
Given that many organizations serving vulnerable youth are scarcely understaffed and short on resources (Armstrong & Jackson, 2005), we suggest allowing significant time to navigate facility communication systems in order to connect with the appropriate person who is in a decision-making position
Summary
Gaining access to vulnerable youth populations requires intentional and deliberate reflection on how best to protect these individuals from further harm than they have already experienced. We committed to several hours per week, over the course of the month, spending time with youth during their unstructured recreation time This time was spent getting to know them, playing cards or board games, and sharing personal information about likes, interests, etc. Another important factor in designing youth programs for vulnerable populations is to consider cross-cultural differences between program staff and youth. When cross cultural differences (e.g., race, class, gender) are present, youth from marginalized backgrounds are susceptible to feeling guarded and vulnerable when new adult figures enter their lives (Cauce et al, 2002) Based on this reality, program staff are encouraged to consider their own power and privilege thoughtfully. We shared our personal responses to the interview prompts to better foster trust and openness from both parties
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