Wellness and Positive Youth Development

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Wellness and Positive Youth Development
HDFS 239
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Approaches to Adolescent Health

• Treatment
• Occurs after a problem has developed Targets
  only those adolescents who are diagnosed with a
  disorder
• Prevention
• Occurs prior to onset of problem May include all
  adolescents or those at-risk or who show early
  signs of disorder
• Promotion
• Concerned with strengthening well-being and
  health Not problem-focused Generally targets
  all adolescents

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Adapted from Weisz, Sandler, Durlak, Anton
(2005)
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Prevention Risk and Resiliency

• Risk Factor increases odds for problem occurring
  
• Risk Factors for Drug Use?
• Resiliency bouncing back overcoming
  difficulties
• Protective Factors reduce odds of problem
  occurring
• Protective Factors for Drug Use?

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Moving from Cleaning-Up to Building-Up

• We need to do more than just prevent problems
• We need to also promote strengths

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Problem free is not fully prepared. Fully
prepared is not fully engaged.
(Karen Pittman)
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Promotion Positive Youth Development
A philosophy or approach that guides communities
in the way they organize programs and supports
so that young people can develop to their full
potential
From Act for Youth
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Fostering Optimal Development and Engagement In
All Areas

• Social/Emotional
• Moral/Spiritual
• Civic
• Vocational
• Physical
• Cognitive
• Personal/Cultural

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From Act for Youth
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But what do adolescent well-being and positive
youth development look like?
What should we build?
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The 5 (possibly 6) Cs of PYD(from Lerner et al.)

• Competence
• Confidence
• Character
• Connection
• Caring/Compassion
• Contribution

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• Competence-ability and motivation for civic and
  social engagement, physical and emotional
  health, intellectual achievement, employability

• Confidence -having a sense of mastery and
  future self-efficacy

3. Character-sense of responsibility and
autonomy spirituality self-awareness
individuality
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• Connection-sense of membership and belonging
  safety and structure

5. Caring/Compassion-sympathy and empathy for
others
6. Contribution-being involved as active
participants and decision-makers in community,
organizations, and services
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Your experiences?
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Examples

• Civic Engagement
• Creativity
• Kindness
• Leadership
• Hope
• Gratitude
• Humor
• Spirituality

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A Few Resources

• Search Institute www.search-institute.org
• Act for Youth www.actforyouth.net
• Innovation Center www.innovationcenter.org
• CIRCLE www.civicyouth.org
• Youth and Religion www.youthandreligion.org

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Questions/Comments?