Positive youth development: An approach for community awareness and action

This chapter presents an overview of human ecological theory and positive youth development. An ecological model is particularly well-suited to understanding youth development and protective factors. From theories about human development and learning we conclude that people have preferred styles for receiving information based on their most refined intelligence(s). A positive youth development orientation involves shifting attention away from concentrating on problems, toward increasing young people’s exposure to the positive and constructive activities that nurture healthy, responsible, and compassionate young people. Positive youth development is about providing opportunities and positive relationships that help young people gain the skills they need to be successful. Positive youth development is described by K. J. Pittman and M. Wright as “an ongoing process in which young people are engaged and invested”. The chronosystem refers to development within the person and within the environment occurring over time.