Week 11 - positive youth development

Question 1

What is positive youth development? (Sehulman & Davies, 2007)

Answer 1

The acquisition of all the knowledge, skills and competencies, and experiences required to successfully transition from adolescence to adulthood

Question 2

What is meant by internal and external assets?

Answer 2

Internal - life skills, e.g. knowledge, skills, competencies, experiences

External - significant others / environment e.g. coach, parents

Question 3

What are life skills?

Answer 3

The ability for adaptive and positive behaviour that enables individuals to deal effectively with the demands and challenges of every day life (WHO, 1999)

They are transferrable behaviours and attitudes that enable us to succeed in the environments in which we live (Danish, 1997).

Question 4

What are some examples of life skills?

Answer 4

Teamwork, goal setting, performing under pressure, discipline, leadership, commitment, emotional control, self motivation, organisation, effective decision making

Question 5

What are the two main research approached to PYD?

Answer 5

General - Lerner’s 5 Cs

Sport - Johnston et al (swimmers), Cronin et al (Youth sport PE), Harwood & Spray (5Cs in youth football and PE)

Question 6

What are Lerner’s 5Cs of PYD?

Answer 6

Confidence
Competence
Connection
Character 
Caring and compassion

Question 7

Lerner’s 5Cs - what is confidence?

Answer 7

Positive view of one’s actions in domain specific areas including social, academic, cognitive and vocational

Question 8

Lerner’s 5Cs - what is competence?

Answer 8

An internal sense of overall positive self-worth and self efficacy: ones global self regard as opposed to domain specific beliefs

Question 9

Lerner’s 5Cs - what is connection?

Answer 9

Positive bonds with people and institutions that are reflected in bidirectional exchanges between individuals and peers, family, school and community in which both parties contribute to the relationship

Question 10

Lerner’s 5Cs - what is character?

Answer 10

Respect for societal and cultural rules, possession of standards for correct behaviour, a sense of right and wrong, and integrity

Question 11

Lerner’s 5Cs - what is caring and compassion?

Answer 11

A sense of sympathy and empathy for others

Question 12

What were the key factors for PYD as outlined by Johnston et al (2013) in his research into swimmers?

Answer 12

Self perceptions 
Behavioural skills
Approach characteristics 
Social skills
Emotional competence

Question 13

Johnston et al (2013) - what are the dimensions of self perceptions?

Answer 13

Perceived sport competence
Self esteem
Clear and positive identity

Question 14

Johnston et al (2013) - what are the dimensions of behavioural skills?

Answer 14

Organisation
Discipline
Self appraisal

Question 15

Johnston et al (2013) - what are the dimensions of approach characteristics?

Answer 15

Character
Positive attitude
Motivation
Resilience

Question 16

Johnston et al (2013) - what are the dimensions of social skills?

Answer 16

Communication
Conflict resolution
Cooperation
Leadership

Question 17

Johnston et al (2013) - what are the dimensions of emotional competence?

Answer 17

Empathy
Emotional regulation
Connection

Question 18

What did Cronin et al (2018) outline as important life skills in youth sport and PE?

Answer 18

Teamwork, goal setting, time management, emotional skills, communication, social skills, leadership

• promoted by perceived autonomy support and need satisfaction
• perceived support linked with life skill development and self esteem, positive affect and satisfaction with life

Question 19

What did Harwood’s (2018) 5Cs of football?

Answer 19

Commitment 
Communication
Concentration
Control
Confidence

Question 20

Harwood’s 5Cs in football - what is commitment?

Answer 20

Effort, persistence throughout difficult situations and engagement in mastery with no avoidance of difficult skills

Question 21

Harwood’s 5Cs in football - what is communication?

Answer 21

Asking questions, sharing information, accepting feedback, encouraging, praising and instructing team mates clearly and confidently

Question 22

Harwood’s 5Cs in football - what is concentration?

Answer 22

Ability to remain focused on key components of training, listening to instructions and helping others to refocus

Question 23

Harwood’s 5Cs in football - what is control?

Answer 23

Recovering quickly after mistakes with no negative reaction, positive body language and averting arguments and blame

Question 24

Harwood’s 5Cs in football - what is confidence?

Answer 24

Wanting the ball with no fear of failure, maintaining a positive approach to and presence within training

Question 25

With regards to the 5Cs in PE, what will it be a question of?

Answer 25

Whether primary teachers (not necessarily well trained in PE) can take this model on board or whether they need subject knowledge first before they can think about development outcomes.

Question 26

What is the importance of coaches and parents - boundaries and expectations?

Answer 26

Must be set clearly

i.e. punctuality, kit, behaviour

Question 27

What is the importance of coaches and parents - empowerment?

Answer 27

Reflection, evaluation, feedback, input

There is a big push for young people to be given more chances to be proactive

Teachers should try to take more of a facilitative role than a delivery role (this will differ depending on group size/age/experience)

Question 28

What is the importance of coaches and parents - social support?

Answer 28

Informational, esteem, emotional, tangible

Coach / parent should provide advice, guidance, encouragement

Question 29

What is the importance of coaches and parents - unified message

Answer 29

When parents and coaches jointly adopt the values associated with PYD, young people are more likely to develop psychosocial attributes that further enhance their sport experience and help to equip them for adulthood.

Question 30

What are the key recommendations for practice?

Answer 30

Determine what psychosocial outcomes you wish to achieve

Set clear expectations and boundaries and communicate these to your athletes and their parents

Provide athletes with greater levels of autonomy

Work in conjunction with parents to provide an environment in which an athlete feels supported but which promotes personal responsibility and resilience

Question 31

What is meant by the philosophical foundations?

Answer 31

A teacher / coach’s personality, age, experiences, values, beliefs and opinions (which will be influenced by all of their previous experiences) will determine what kind of coach they perceive themselves to be / want to be

Question 32

Optimising positive outcomes - (in) effective ITT / CPD

Answer 32

Literature suggests CPD can be ineffective in actually changing professional practice

Question 33

Optimising positive outcomes - short term vs longer term studies

Answer 33

There are some short term studies but it is difficult to studies between sports, or between groups within the same sport

Question 34

Optimising positive outcomes - explicit (taught) vs implicit (caught) approach

Answer 34

This is around intentionality and being deliberate in the promotion of these life skills

5Cs is very much an example of an explicit approach

If children take part in well designed PA, and learn foundations and have supportive relationships then they will somehow acquire the life skills (implicit)

Question 35

Optimising positive outcomes - targeted (e.g. disadvantaged) vs blanketed approach

Answer 35

In disadvantaged individuals can sport, not just serve as a distraction but be used in a more positive way

Question 36

Optimising positive outcomes - enablers and barriers to transfer

Answer 36

Have to try and help and encourage youngsters to transfer skills

Does the sporting involvement transfer discipline, time management, concentration so that you do better in school

Question 37

Optimising positive outcomes - PE vs Youth sport

Answer 37

PE compulsory, YS voluntary

Teachers have a broad curriculum to follow, coaches can choose sport

Teachers should be thinking about what activities will be better for instilling life skills

Might be easier in PE for skills to transfer to the classroom because its all within the same institution