Youth Social Development Methodologies

Youth Social Development Methodologies course 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.

Course Outcomes

When you successfully complete this program, you should be able to:

• Understand how young people are seen in various societies, 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.

Course Outlines

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

Young people and the family

• Family types
• Approaches to the study of the family
• Issues facing families today
• The concept of community

Young people and social issues

• Images of young people
• Young people and unemployment
• Young people and crime
• The implications for youth development workers

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