Youth at Risk KNR 270

Who is considered “at risk”?  Children and adolescents who for a variety of reasons are at risk of becoming juvenile offenders  OR are in danger of negative future events  50% of youth population 36 million

Factors that place youth at risk  Socially disadvantaged backgrounds  Lack of basic academic skills Problems in school  Feelings of alienination Could be gang membership  Limited family support  Low SES  Parental separation or divorce

Factors that place youth at risk  Physical, social, or sexual abuse  Alcoholism Their own or their parents  Frequent residential moves  Violence, physical aggression, destruction of property

Resiliency  Not all youth with negative factors become at risk  Some are resilient  They resist negative and make positive contributions

What factors are protective or help with resiliency?  Neighborhood resources  Presence of a caring adult  Perceived competence  Positive attitudes toward future  Sense of belonging  Others?

What can recreation do?  Provide stimulating and challenging activities Outdoor activities Ropes courses Foster interpersonal skills Foster acceptance of others Foster cooperation

What can recreation do?  Emphasize autonomy and choice Involve youth in planning activities  Create positive, caring, and accepting environments  Encourage family involvement  Reduce fees for programs

What can recreation do?  Early prevention programs With severe behavior problems may need to collaborate with CTRS  Caring leaders  Others?

What skills do leaders need?  Experiential education  Conflict resolution  Youth development  Behavior management  Ability to develop rapport  Ability to set boundaries  Process & debriefing skills