Promoting Positive Youth Development in Your Community

As a professional educator and Youth Development graduate student, I am exceptionally familiar with the term Positive Youth Development or PYD. It’s an incredibly important framework for youth educators to understand and implement in their work. However, it’s also an important model for anyone who interacts with youth to recognize; whether they engage with youth in their communities or are raising a family.

What is Positive Youth Development?

PYD focuses on the strengths of an individual, sees their potential, and builds upon their competencies to help them thrive. Richard Lerner, a professor of Human Development at Tufts University, developed a PYD model known as “Lerner’s 5 C’s”. The 5 C’s of PYD include:

#1 Caring – Development of sympathy and empathy toward others.

#2 Character – Development of responsibility, independence, and individuality.

#3 Competence – The ability to be successful in school, socially, and at work.

#4 Confidence – Having a sense of self-worth and belief in their own ability to succeed.

#5 Connection – Having a sense of belonging; development of strong bonds with people and their community.

It is understood that if an individual can master these traits, it will lead to the development of a 6th trait:

#6 Contribution – Participate and serve in leadership roles to help make a difference.

How can I promote Positive Youth Development?

The promotion of PYD is not solely the work of professional educators or families. Anyone in the community that engages with young people can, and should, promote PYD. Even if you are not a teacher, school administrator, or parent, there are several ways you can connect with youth in your community to help them develop their potential and thrive:

#1 Be a mentor – by creating meaningful mentorships with young people, you can positively influence a young person’s life. Youth who develop a strong relationship to a mentor are more likely to engage in healthy behaviors. You can become a mentor by joining a local youth organization such as the Scouts, 4-H, or sports team as a volunteer, leader, or coach.

#2 Encourage youth engagement – Leadership opportunities at school or in the community help develop competence. Youth who are actively involved have more opportunity to grow cognitively and socially. If you are part of a community organization, suggest implementing a youth member position so young people can participate in discussions and take on a leadership role in the community.

#3 Help youth discover their passion – When youth engage in activities that they are passionate about, also referred to as their “spark”, they engage in high levels of attention, concentration, and enthusiasm. It is often difficult for youth to find their passion, even some adults struggle. By encouraging engagement in many different opportunities, you can help a young person find their spark.

When adults work together, we can positively change the lives of youth to help them thrive and eventually give back to the community. What are ways you are promoting Positive Youth Development in your community?

References

Benson, P., & Scales, P. (2007). Search Institute’s ongoing development of the theory of thriving. Presentation at the Healthy Communities Healthy Youth Conference in Rochester, NY.

Lerner, R.M. (2002). Concepts and theories of human development. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Weiss, H.B., Little, P.M., & Bouffard, S.M. (2005). More than just being there: Balancing the participation equation. New Directions for Youth Development, 105, 15-31.

Werner, E.E. (1989). High-risk children in young adulthood: A longitudinal study from birth to 32 years. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 59(1), 72-81.