Lecture notes – Youth Development
Lecture 1: Introduction
- Youth is the most formative life phase. It impacts the rest of their lives.
- Young people are also drivers of change and innovation in society.
o Young people stand up for something and this results in a change in society
History study of adolescence
In the past, there was no adolescence. Children were seen as little adults. There as no interest, because
caring for children was a women’s job and science was mostly dominated by men. They were just not
interested.
In the 20th century, adolescence was born. This was 50 years after the evolutionary theory of Darwin. A
new theory was born: recapitulation theory: the development of each individual reenacts the
evolutionary development of the human species as a whole. Now childhood was important to study in
order to understand evolution better.
Hall: “The adolescents stage has long seemed to me one of the most fascinating of all themes. These
years are the best decade of life. It is a state from which some of the bad, but far more of the good
qualities are formed”
- Adolescents started to be studied
Across the world, the mean age of menarchy has declined. Girls start to have their period earlier
compared to 100 years ago. At the same time, social milestones are accomplished later. For example
marriage or having children happens later in life. So adolescents starts earlier, but adulthood starts later,
resulting in a longer time spend in adolescents.
“Adolescence is usually described as ‘pre’ or ‘in-between’ – a stage between childhood and adulthood. It
is seen as a turmoil because one moves from a protected state into a state of independence. I prefer to
see adolescence as a significant state in itself, an 'adolescenthood' with new experiences and new
strengths, not merely an interim period and a problem.”- Gisela Konopka
Youth development in context
Young people are embedded in different contexts: families, peer groups, schools, neighborhoods, wider
society, 21st century. Each with different and interacting impacts on youth development. Relation
between different levels and different disciplines are important.
Bronfenbrenner
The child is influenced by different contexts. This is a transactional model. The contexts influence the
child, but the child also influences the contexts. This can be by choosing their contexts, but also the
contexts changes around the child. For example, parenting is based on the needs of the child. If a child is
problematic, it will get a different kind of parenting than a child who is not.
, Different layers of environment influence each other. They constantly interact and the adolescent plays
an active role in this.
Children engagement in risky play
Research shows that independent risky play:
- Teaches children to better asses and deal with risk
- Contributes to positive cognitive, social and motor skills
- Contributes to better mental and physical health
- Boosts children’s self confidence
Risk is often approach as negative in different disciplines. But risk does not always has to be negative.
Some risk taking is good for children to learn.
But in today’s society, we tend to be risk averting. Parents, teachers and other people do not let children
take the risk that are needed for optimal development
Article: Many children don't play outside enough, and when they do, parents or neighbors often keep a
watchful eye to make sure everything is going smoothly. Experts say that children learn more from "risky
play". "And yes, sometimes children do get a bump or bruise.”
Following the model of Bronfenbrenner, there are different reasons why this is happening:
- Individual characteristics: age, gender, position in the household, personality
- Interpersonal (social) context: risk aversion among parents, teachers, child care professionals;
social pressure and the influence of peers
- Physical context: design of playground/school yard and the design of neighborhoods/public
space
- Policy and institutions: certification of play equipment and role of policy makers
- Society: norms related to risk and safety and impact of media
- Chronosystem: difference in generations
Children are active agents. They can challenge rules of parents and teachers and can use physical space
in a different way than intended. Parents, professionals and policymakers determine together the rules
around risk and safety and design/use of urban space.
Lecture 2a: Youth development
The health paradox of adolescence
Adolescence is the physically healthiest time of life prior to adult declines. There is improvement in
strength, speed, reaction time, reasoning and immune function. There is increased resistance to
extremes of heat, cold, hunger, dehydration and most types of injury. But morbidity and mortality rates
increase by 200-300%.
Risk behavior is one of the reasons why mortality and morbidity rates are higher in adolescence. This
links closely with the age-crime curve: in adolescence there is a peak in arrests in small criminal behavior.
Lecture 1: Introduction
- Youth is the most formative life phase. It impacts the rest of their lives.
- Young people are also drivers of change and innovation in society.
o Young people stand up for something and this results in a change in society
History study of adolescence
In the past, there was no adolescence. Children were seen as little adults. There as no interest, because
caring for children was a women’s job and science was mostly dominated by men. They were just not
interested.
In the 20th century, adolescence was born. This was 50 years after the evolutionary theory of Darwin. A
new theory was born: recapitulation theory: the development of each individual reenacts the
evolutionary development of the human species as a whole. Now childhood was important to study in
order to understand evolution better.
Hall: “The adolescents stage has long seemed to me one of the most fascinating of all themes. These
years are the best decade of life. It is a state from which some of the bad, but far more of the good
qualities are formed”
- Adolescents started to be studied
Across the world, the mean age of menarchy has declined. Girls start to have their period earlier
compared to 100 years ago. At the same time, social milestones are accomplished later. For example
marriage or having children happens later in life. So adolescents starts earlier, but adulthood starts later,
resulting in a longer time spend in adolescents.
“Adolescence is usually described as ‘pre’ or ‘in-between’ – a stage between childhood and adulthood. It
is seen as a turmoil because one moves from a protected state into a state of independence. I prefer to
see adolescence as a significant state in itself, an 'adolescenthood' with new experiences and new
strengths, not merely an interim period and a problem.”- Gisela Konopka
Youth development in context
Young people are embedded in different contexts: families, peer groups, schools, neighborhoods, wider
society, 21st century. Each with different and interacting impacts on youth development. Relation
between different levels and different disciplines are important.
Bronfenbrenner
The child is influenced by different contexts. This is a transactional model. The contexts influence the
child, but the child also influences the contexts. This can be by choosing their contexts, but also the
contexts changes around the child. For example, parenting is based on the needs of the child. If a child is
problematic, it will get a different kind of parenting than a child who is not.
, Different layers of environment influence each other. They constantly interact and the adolescent plays
an active role in this.
Children engagement in risky play
Research shows that independent risky play:
- Teaches children to better asses and deal with risk
- Contributes to positive cognitive, social and motor skills
- Contributes to better mental and physical health
- Boosts children’s self confidence
Risk is often approach as negative in different disciplines. But risk does not always has to be negative.
Some risk taking is good for children to learn.
But in today’s society, we tend to be risk averting. Parents, teachers and other people do not let children
take the risk that are needed for optimal development
Article: Many children don't play outside enough, and when they do, parents or neighbors often keep a
watchful eye to make sure everything is going smoothly. Experts say that children learn more from "risky
play". "And yes, sometimes children do get a bump or bruise.”
Following the model of Bronfenbrenner, there are different reasons why this is happening:
- Individual characteristics: age, gender, position in the household, personality
- Interpersonal (social) context: risk aversion among parents, teachers, child care professionals;
social pressure and the influence of peers
- Physical context: design of playground/school yard and the design of neighborhoods/public
space
- Policy and institutions: certification of play equipment and role of policy makers
- Society: norms related to risk and safety and impact of media
- Chronosystem: difference in generations
Children are active agents. They can challenge rules of parents and teachers and can use physical space
in a different way than intended. Parents, professionals and policymakers determine together the rules
around risk and safety and design/use of urban space.
Lecture 2a: Youth development
The health paradox of adolescence
Adolescence is the physically healthiest time of life prior to adult declines. There is improvement in
strength, speed, reaction time, reasoning and immune function. There is increased resistance to
extremes of heat, cold, hunger, dehydration and most types of injury. But morbidity and mortality rates
increase by 200-300%.
Risk behavior is one of the reasons why mortality and morbidity rates are higher in adolescence. This
links closely with the age-crime curve: in adolescence there is a peak in arrests in small criminal behavior.
