Presents findings from a 1-year study of a network of neighborhood and youth programs in a low-income, Latino, Chicago neighborhood. Data from observations and interviews with workers and youths describe youth characteristics, the programs' daily functioning, how workers constructed and carried out their roles, the nature of worker-youth…

Social exclusion and widespread unemployment present a dim future for many of England's youth. Article presents two innovative community intervention programs that are working to restore hope and highlights the projects' positive results. (Author/GCP)

A Singapore educator reflects on the transformation of Singapore to an urban, consumer society. Reviews the need and opportunities for adventure in Singapore, including commercially operated play programs for young children, field trips and extracurricular activities for school-age children, leadership training programs for the upper secondary…

A resident of a center for homeless youth in Birmingham, England, describes a three-day outing to Wales in which eight male and female residents hiked, camped, participated in rock climbing and abseiling, appreciated the magnificent scenery, and had a great time. (SV)

Discusses the Los Angeles Public Library's TeenS'cape, located in the middle of the city's Central Library. This technically sophisticated library space, opened after the 1992 L.A. riots, provides custom furnishings, postmodernist architecture, and equipment and materials specifically catered to the local teens, amid the culture of…

A Winnipeg (Manitoba) school teacher started a nonprofit job skills training program for at-risk youth. Police donated equipment confiscated from marijuana cultivators to the program, which trains youth aged 15-29 in hydroponics, horticulture, and greenhouse operations. More than 75 percent of its graduates are employed in greenhouse or related…

California 4-H, a program of the University of California Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources, delivers a rich mix of educational activities during, before, and after school that go beyond the traditional focus on agriculture. Programs include a study of adolescent career choices, a homework club, several science education programs,…

Describes various organizations that offer programs and services for youth in their early teens. Explains the philosophy of positive youth development that is an emerging theme in this long-standing but newly self-conscious field. Reviews principles of best practice and key implementation challenges. (SLD)

Profiles programs of two youth centers that are successfully bridging cultural differences through the development of cultural competence. Both centers acknowledge that actualizing cross-cultural competency means providing a way for their ethnic groups to interact with the larger population without losing their cultural heritage. Programs include…

Youth-adult partnerships (Y-APs) for organizational and community change represent an innovative practice in the United States. Innovations are typically a challenge to implement, so it is not surprising that youth organizations are seeking guidance on how to adopt and sustain Y-APs. This article brings contemporary scholarship to bear on the…

A Michigan study of children's agencies found that very few had any former youth in care either in leadership or board roles. The author, himself a product of the child welfare system, suggests that quality services will require perspectives of these former consumers of care. Exciting new practices have emerged in the field of youth development…

The Teaching Family program is one of the most extensively researched models for residential care. A major meta-analysis found that the Teaching Family Model (TFM) was one of the five most consistently effective treatments for delinquents. However, two recent publications imply that behaviorally based and/or group treatments might be harmful.…

As First Lady of the United States, Laura Bush is leading the Helping America's Youth initiative of the federal government. She articulates the goal of enlisting public and volunteer resources to foster healthy growth by early intervention and mentoring of youngsters at risk. Helping America's Youth will benefit children and teenagers by…

In 1996, the Youth Leadership Institute (a youth development institute) and California Friday Night Live Partnership (a statewide prevention program serving over 800,000 young people) undertook a major challenge: to come together as partners in an effort to bridge youth development research and practice. With guidance and strategic support from…

A focus on youth development is the strongest means of prevention of problems faced by Latino youths. Latino youths are the fastest growing segment of the U.S. population and have high rates of developmental deficits. However, youth development researchers have not attended to the inclusion and reporting of results for Latino youths. This study…