Youth Social Development Methodologies

Course details

This program is designed to help you understand some of the theoretical background of youth development work, so that you can relate what you are doing to the social context in which you are working. You will already be aware that young people have roles and responsibilities. These responsibilities are different in each society, yet particular aspects are common across most societies.
Understanding the social situations of young people is crucial. This program aims to illuminate the situation of young people in your society by exploring what researchers and theorists have said about youth in different social contexts, and relating that to general theories about society. Your role as a youth development worker is to help to improve conditions for young people. In doing this, you will be helping to develop the society in which they live.

Program Benefits

When you successfully complete this program, you should be able to:
Understand how young people are seen in various societies, and from different sociological perspectives.
Examine the range of definitions of 'youth', 'adolescence' and 'family'.
Understand the problems and issues facing young people and the societies in which they live.
Work in a way that is sensitive to social and cultural traditions.

Who Should Attend?

Youth workers in government departments, corporations and NGOs.
Young leaders.
Student activities coordinators.
School and University teachers.
Professionals responsible for policy formulation and strategy development in youth focused organizations.

Program Outline

Day 1
Ways of seeing young people
The concepts of society and culture
Defining youth
The nature of youth work
Adolescence
Describing and defining adolescence
Psychoanalytic theories of adolescence
Sociological theories of adolescence

Day 2
Young people and the family
Family types
Approaches to the study of the family
Issues facing families today
The concept of community

Day 3
Young people and social issues
Images of young people
Young people and unemployment
Young people and crime
The implications for youth development workers Updated on 09 July, 2019