JLBC 10 min Examples in your community
15min Why We Do JLBC The Importance of Youth/ AdultPartnerships 5 min Closing thoughts
Research on Community Youth Leadership Programs
Leadership is essential as today’s youth become tomorrow’s business and government decision-makers (Dobosz & Beaty, 1999). Leadership skills are essential for young people to feel satisfaction and contribute to society (Scheer, 1997).
Community Youth Development- “Purposely creating environments that provide constructive, affirmative, and encouraging relationships that are sustained over time with adults and peers, while concurrently providing an array of opportunities that enable youth to build their competencies and become engaged as partners in their development as well as the development of their communities” (Perkins & Borden, quoted in Mincemoyer & Perkins, 2001, 4).
Reasons for involving youth in community projects include: (a) increasing young people’s understanding of their community, (b) developing their sense of empowerment, (c) encouraging their future participation in community affairs, (d) enhancing school-community relations, and (e) helping community leaders and citizens address local needs by recognizing and guiding youthful enthusiasm and energy (Israel & Ilvento, 1992).
Resources
Dobosz, R.P., Beaty, L.A. (1999). The relationship between athletic participation and high school students’ leadership ability. Adolescence, 34(133), 215-220.
Israel, G. D. & Ilvento, T.W. (1992). Building a foundation for community leadership: Involving youth in community development project. Unpublished handbook.
Mincemoyer, C. & Perkins, D. (2001). Building your youth development toolkit: a community youth development orientation for Pennsylvania 4-H/Youth programs. Journal of Extension, 39(4). Retrieved December 8, 2001, from http://www.joe.org/org/2001august/a7.html
Scheer, S.D. (1997). Youth leadership and community service: A perfect combination. Leadership Link. (Winter, 1997). Columbus, OH: The Ohio State University Leadership Center.
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