The Psychology and Practice of Youth‐Adult Partnership: Bridging Generations for Youth Development and Community Change

Abstract

Youth-adult partnership (Y-AP) has become a phenomenon of interest to scholars and practitioners. Despite the potential of Y-AP to promote positive youth development, increase civic engagement, and support community change, the practice remains unfamiliar to many. Although research has increased over the past decade, the construct remains vague with an insufficient grounding in developmental theory and community practice. This article seeks to address these gaps by synthesizing data and insights from the historical foundations of Y-AP, community based research, and case study. We propose Y-AP as a unifying concept, distinct from other forms of youth-adult relationships, with four core elements: authentic decision making, natural mentors, reciprocity, and community connectedness. We conclude that Y-AP functions as an active ingredient and fundamental practice for positive youth development and civic engagement. Directions for future research are offered.

The Functions and Longitudinal Outcomes of Adolescents’ Naturally Occurring Mentorships

“…The PYD perspective argues that research should investigate strategies to promote youth well-being in addition to reducing problem behaviors (Lerner, Dowling & Anderson, 2003). Several studies extend the products of developmental relationships beyond school retention and substance use to look at psychological well-being as well as positive contributions to society (Whitney, Hendricker & Offutt, 2011;Zeldin, Christens & Powers, 2013;Zeldin, Krauss, Collura, Lucchesi & Sulaiman, 2014). A strong test of the long-term correlates of naturally occurring mentors in adolescence would entail linking mentoring to competencies in young adulthood.…”

Training Of Social Educator As Organizer Of Social Activity Of Adolescents

“…These qualities of the adult leader of the "natural" groupings attract teenagers and range it to a special type of caregiver. The peculiar position of the adult, whom the children choose as their mentor, tutor and voluntarily follow his advices, experience and behaviors, is an essential educational characteristic of a new type of educator (Peterson, et al, 2011;Zeldin, Christens, Powers, 2013).…”

“…Modern experience of children's public associations enables us to identify their specific educational potential, realized in a specially organized and managed pedagogical process of interaction between children of different ages and adults (Blanchet-Cohen, Brunson, 2014;Zeldin, Christens, Powers, 2013).…”

“…Freinet, "the functional environment" which starts with filling the children's community with essential life values combined with the everyday realities and is manifested in timely pedagogical support of its individual members in their complicated problem life situations, in shaping the environment that becomes a factor for development for the child (Zeldin, Christens, Powers, 2013) The rearing activities of the social educator focus at his civic position (Peterson, et al, 2011;Zeldin, Christens, Powers, 2013).…”

“…(Selivanova, & Sokolova, 2005). These are the theses about the upbringing space, the children-adult community as a subject and object of upbringing, about the development of the children-adult community in the modern system of education, about the criteria and methods of diagnosis of the personal growth of the mentees (Alieva, 2003;Alieva, 2011;Zeldin, Christens, Powers, 2013;Zeldin, Krauss, Collura, Lucchesi, 2014). In the conditions of revealing some new aspects of civil society the role and importance of public social education grows.…”