Internship Final Paper 1 
Running head: Positive Youth Development Programs
Positive Youth Development Programs
Theodore Huckstable
Columbia State University
Positive Youth Development Programs
Positive youth development programs engage young people in intentional, productive, and constructive ways, while recognizing and enhancing their strengths. These programs promote positive outcomes by providing opportunities, fostering positive relationships, and giving the support needed to build on their strengths as well as prevent risky behaviors. The purpose of this paper is to explain what positive youth development programs are designed for, and why they are important for the youth.
Review of Literature
Positive Youth Development is based on a body of research suggesting that certain protective factors, or positive influences like positive youth programs, can help young people succeed and also provide them with ways of dealing with problems that they may face. Positive youth development arose in response to the prevailing view that adolescents are at risk for academic failure, drug abuse, and other pathologies and therefore require surveillance, assessment, prevention, and when necessary remediation and discipline. But adolescents also have assets that they can contribute to their communities such as their energy, idealism, creativity, and knowledge.
By giving students opportunities to create cultural products, collaborate, discuss, serve, and address significant issues, positive youth development programs can help them to succeed (Gambone, M.A., & Arbreton, A.J.A. 2006). Researchers have evaluated many programs that target specific issues using a positive youth development approach. And there is a growing body of evidence that these programs can prevent a variety of risk behaviors among young people and improve social and emotional outcomes.
Research indicates that young people who are surrounded by a variety of opportunities for engagement encounter less risk and ultimately
Positive Youth Development Programs
Theodore Huckstable
Columbia State University
Positive Youth Development Programs
Positive youth development programs engage young people in intentional, productive, and constructive ways, while recognizing and enhancing their strengths. These programs promote positive outcomes by providing opportunities, fostering positive relationships, and giving the support needed to build on their strengths as well as prevent risky behaviors. The purpose of this paper is to explain what positive youth development programs are designed for, and why they are important for the youth.
Review of Literature
Positive Youth Development is based on a body of research suggesting that certain protective factors, or positive influences like positive youth programs, can help young people succeed and also provide them with ways of dealing with problems that they may face. Positive youth development arose in response to the prevailing view that adolescents are at risk for academic failure, drug abuse, and other pathologies and therefore require surveillance, assessment, prevention, and when necessary remediation and discipline. But adolescents also have assets that they can contribute to their communities such as their energy, idealism, creativity, and knowledge.
By giving students opportunities to create cultural products, collaborate, discuss, serve, and address significant issues, positive youth development programs can help them to succeed (Gambone, M.A., & Arbreton, A.J.A. 2006). Researchers have evaluated many programs that target specific issues using a positive youth development approach. And there is a growing body of evidence that these programs can prevent a variety of risk behaviors among young people and improve social and emotional outcomes.
Research indicates that young people who are surrounded by a variety of opportunities for engagement encounter less risk and ultimately