Preferences, Renunciation and Opportunities in Leisure Practices of Vulnerable Young People

Abstract

We present the outcome of an investigation carried out between 2013 and 2016 which inquires about the preferences of leisure activities of vulnerable youth in Spain and the reasons for their renunciation of these practices. We also aim to explore the possible relationship between gender and renunciation. Finally, we analyze the effect of the renunciation of the leisure practices of young people on their training capacities, considered as opportunities for their life trajectories. To this end, we conducted a descriptive and quantitative study which applied an ad hoc questionnaire on a sample of 2.694 participants, finding that a total of 783 individuals were identified as vulnerable. The information gathered showed that preferential leisure practices of vulnerable youth coincide with the preferred activities of the rest of young population in Spain, pointing out sports, ICT activities and music. It also confirmed the leisure poverty approaches, which state that young people quit practicing their favorite leisure. Activities due to relational causes and a lack of resources, especially in the case of women. Furthermore, we found differences on the renunciation or no renunciation regarding the importance that vulnerable youth give to capabilities such as creativity and innovation and to conflict management, being young individuals who actually quit practising leisure activities the ones who value to a greater extent these capacities. These results provide precise guidelines for more effective socio-educational interventions on this vulnerable group.