Promoting Positive Youth Development: Challenges Posed and Opportunities Provided

Abstract

It is a well-known, or at least an often repeated, adage that "it takes a village to raise a child." With this familiar expression, the editors of this volume introduce and define the theme for this collection of essays on promoting positive youth development. Approaching this theme from a variety of conceptual perspectives, and drawing on research conducted with diverse investigative strategies, the authors of these essays articulate a series of lessons learned about how to mobilize adults to engage in activities that will encourage young people to engage in socially valued activities. Whether it is research on prosocial action among individuals or within organizations or in neighborhoods and communities, the message seems to be that it is possible to mobilize adults to promote positive youth development. Yet the task of mobilizing adults to promote positive youth development comes bundled with both opportunities and constraints. That is, the task is surrounded by forces that support and promote it, but also by forces that inhibit and prevent it. This chapter considers some of these opportunities and constraints. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2007 APA, all rights reserved)