Youth Development Tools
Positive Youth Development builds on the skills and strengths of young people to provide meaningful opportunities for involvement in community initiatives. Young people build leadership capacity, increase their skills, knowledge and civic engagement, and provide a perspective that many groups lack. Below you will find a variety of tools that can help you incorporate positive youth development practice into your work.
Youth Development resources developed by the RCHC:
- Making Sure that Young People are a Strong Part of Your Coaltion: This document provides an overview of youth develompent in coaltions and offers contrete tips and strategies for involving youth in your work. Download it by clicking here.
Youth Development resources available in our library:
- Community programs to promote youth development, 2002 (Book)
- The best of building assets together : Favorite group activities that help youth succeed, 2008 (Book)
- Trends in youth development : visions, realities and challenges, 2001 (Book)
Youth Development resources on the web:
- The Alaska Initiative for Community Engagement has many youth development resources on its website, including an excellent guide to incorporating youth into boards or committees. This guide would also be useful for coaltions. See: http://www.alaskaice.org/material.php?matID=379
- The Search Institute works on both the research and practice of youth development. Especially useful are their lists of 40 developmental assets for young people, which can be especially useful for planning and framing youth development work. We also have several of their books in our library that can give your ncrete strategies for promoting positve youth development. See: http://www.search-institute.org/
- Youth on Board, located in Somerville, helps groups and organizations develop meaningful roles for youth within their boards and other leadership structures. See: http://www.youthonboard.org/
- Teen Empowerment is an organization that works actively with youth and adults to promote both as positive agents of change. They have two locations in Boston and one in Somerville. See: http://www.teenempowerment.org/
- Youth Work Central, a program of Health Resources in Action (formerly The Medical Foundation), has many resources on youth development. They also offer training for youth workers through the BEST Initiative. See: http://www.youthworkcentral.org/resources.html