Youth Involvement and Positive Development Flashcards
3 main objectives of Youth Sport
- Provide youth with opportunities to be physically active (improve physical health)
- Important for personal development, providing opportunities to learn life skills (e.g., co-operation, discipline, self-control, etc.)
- Critical for performance of motor skills
Positive Youth Development Approach
-Focus on all three objectives, rather than one or two
-Focus on fun, skill development, and maximum participation
-Encourage athletes to stay involved
-Encourage success at all developmental stages of life and all levels of sport
*Fear that programs focus too much on sport skills and performance outcomes instead of personal development
Positive Outcomes of Youth Sport
Physical Health:
-e.g. fitness, weight control, muscular strength/endurance, decreased risk of health issues later in life, increase physical activity in adults…
Psychological Development:
-e.g. fun experiences, challenging, increase self-esteem, decrease stress, increase happiness/satisfaction…
Social Development:
-e.g. positive peer relationships, social status/success, leadership skills, enhanced problem solving skills, citizenship…
Negative Outcomes of Youth Sport
Physical Health:
-e.g. injuries, eating disorders, use of performance enhancing drugs…
Psychological Development:
-e.g. low perceived abilities, low
self-esteem, burnout…
Social Development:
-e.g. violence, aggression, low morality reasoning…
2 Categories of Constructive Activities
- Relaxed leisure activities: Activities that are enjoyable but not demanding in terms of effort or concentration.
- Constructive leisure activities: Activities that require sustained effort and concentration toward the achievement of a clear goal. Mostly self-controlled and voluntary, can be enjoyable
Initiative (3 components)
The ability to be motivated from within and to direct attention and effort toward a challenging goal over time.
- Intrinsically motivated
- Concerted attention towards goals
- Occurs over extended period of time
Developmental assets definition
Developmental assets: social and psychological “building blocks” for human development.
-Focuses on a scientifically based set of environmental and psychological strengths that enhance health outcomes for children and adolescents
-Include internal and external assets
Internal vs. External assets
External assets: Positive developmental supports resulting from the environment or the community.
Internal assets: Positive developmental strengths resulting from internalized skills and competencies.
*More assets = likelihood of developing in positive and healthy manner
40 developmental assets
20 external:
-Support (6)
-Boundaries and expectations (6)
-Empowerment (4)
-Constructive use of time (4)
20 internal:
-Positive values (6)
-Commitment to learning (5)
-Social competencies (5)
-Positive identity (4)
4 C’s of positive youth development
- Competence
- Character/Caring
- Connection
- Confidence
*5th can be added for caring/compassion as separate
Competence
Positive view of one’s action in sport; learning sport specific skills, competing, and performing
Confidence
An internal sense of overall positive self-worth
Connection
Positive bonds with people and institutions
Character/Caring
Respect for societal rules, integrity, empathy for others
8 Setting Features for Youth Programs
- Appropriate Structure
- Physical and Psychological Safety
- Supportive Relationships
- Opportunities to Belong
- Positive Social Norms
- Support for Efficacy and Mastering
- Opportunities for Skill Building
- Integration of Family, School and Community Efforts
*8 features most likely to foster positive youth assets
*Sporting environments that integrate the 8 setting features in their programs provide opportunities to positively change the developmental assets (Competence, Confidence, Connection, and Character) of the youth participants in sport.