MENTORING FACT SHEET U.S. Department of Education I Offi ce of Safe and Drug-Free Schools Mentoring Resource Center #13, January 2007 Understanding the Youth Development Model A theoretical connection has always existed between from adversity. Their ability to develop successfully mentoring and what’s commonly known as “youth depends to a great extent on the support and assis- development.” Mentoring is frequently referred to as tance they receive from the people and institutions a youth development strategy—one that uses posi- around them. tive youth-adult relationships to provide broad guid- ance and support rather than aiming to fi x a problem The “youth development” discussed here is an exten- or teach a specifi c skill. Mentoring programs often sion of that asset/resiliency process. In this context, include basic information about adolescent develop- youth development is a discipline in the fi eld of youth ment during mentor training, encouraging mentors to work, founded on the belief that young people are be “developmental” rather than “prescriptive” in their best able to move through their developmental stages work with young people. But what exactly does it when they are supported across all sectors of the mean to use a developmental approach when serving community—by individuals, family, schools, youth young people? What specifi c skills do mentors and agencies, faith organizations, community governance, staff need? And what programmatic goals, activities, business, and more. The youth development model and environments are needed to fully implement a focuses on activities that nurture developmental as- positive youth development model? sets rather than on reducing particular risks or pre- venting specifi c problems. Its ultimate goal is to help Because youth development is the cornerstone of ef- youth become successful adults—not just problem- fective mentoring, the three fact sheets in this series free, but fully prepared to be responsible, contributing, will provide a basic overview of youth development and healthy adults. theory and practice and describe ways in which these practices can be more fully incorporated into mentor- ing programs. It is hoped that this information will help Background: Resiliency research as the Offi ce of Safe and Drug-Free Schools (OSDFS) grant- foundation for youth development ees enrich the mentoring experience for mentors and mentees and ultimately improve outcomes for youth. Researchers over the last 25 years have delved into the question of resiliency, examining why and how some children and youth from challenging environ- What is youth development? ments and circumstances can survive and even thrive while others do not. A number of landmark longitudinal Youth development in its broadest sense refers to studies on child development, such as a classic study the stages that all children go through to acquire the on the development of poor children and families on attitudes, competencies, values, and social skills they Kauai, Hawaii, identifi ed internal and external factors need to become successful adults. As children move that helped children overcome risks inherent in their through their developmental stages (see Erikson’s lives (Werner and Smith, 1992). What the studies Stages of Development on page 2), they acquire a set found was that at least 50 percent—and often closer of personal assets, or supports, that help them face to 70 percent—of youth growing up in high-risk condi- the challenges and opportunities ahead. These assets tions developed social competence despite exposure allow youth to become resilient—able to bounce back to severe stress, and overcame the odds to lead suc- MENTORING FACT SHEET cessful lives. They also identifi ed specifi c protective Institute’s research involving over 100,000 children in factors, such as strong cognitive and social skills, grades 6 through 12. high self-esteem, connection to family and community, and coping skills, which were believed to be Over the years, youth workers have used this re- instrumental in helping these children develop suc- search into resiliency and assets to develop a com- cessfully (Benard, 1991). prehensive set of strategies designed to help young people achieve their developmental goals. It rejects These research studies and their fi ndings, along with problem-centered interventions and also goes beyond considerable studies of best practices and lessons prevention-focused models that are generally based learned in the prevention fi eld, have helped theoreti- on preventing specifi c behaviors or risks, such as teen cians and practitioners defi ne a set of “developmental pregnancy or delinquency. Youth development practi- assets” that are considered to be the building blocks tioners help youth successfully navigate the develop- of successful youth development. Probably the best- mental stages they must all go through, allowing them known work on these assets is the Search Institute’s to develop a rich set of assets that will help them cope framework of 40 Developmental Assets, an exten- with risk, overcome personal and external challenges, sive list of personal and social assets based on the and become well-adjusted adults. This approach can require a signifi cant shift in thinking for youth workers Erikson’s Stages of Development and programs used to dealing with problem solving, risk reduction, delinquency prevention, and other Psychologist Eric Erikson (1902–1994) is perhaps the forms of behavior-focused interventions. best known theorist in the fi eld of human development. He proposed a model of eight stages of development that all children go through as they move from infant to adult, and built on that theoretical framework to identify The basics of the youth development critical assets that must be mastered in order for the approach: The Five Cs and SOS child to reach successful adulthood. The stages are: A variety of models has been developed to help Trust, which he linked to positive emotional practitioners implement youth development in their relationships with caring adults organizations, most of which have similar principles, A strong sense of self-suffi ciency goals, and strategies. Because youth development has the rather broad goal of helping youth make the Ability to exercise initiative transition to healthy adulthood, there is quite a range Confi dence in one’s ability to master skills and of what “success” looks like. Most youth workers and navigate one’s world educators consider economic independence, intellec- tual and social competence, personal satisfaction, and A well-formed sense of personal identity physical and psychological well-being to be signifi cant A desire to be productive and contributing for measures. There is widespread agreement on fi ve key future generations outcomes for youth that are vital for their transition to adulthood. These are known as the “Five Cs”: The ability to experience true intimacy 1. Competence: Positive view of one’s actions A strong sense of personal integrity in specifi c areas, including social, academic, The work of Erikson and other human development cognitive, and vocational. theorists has provided important foundations to the positive youth development approach to working with 2. Confi dence: The internal sense of overall young people. positive self-worth and self-effi cacy; positive identity; and belief in the future. Child Development Institute: http://www childdevelopmentinfo.com/development/ erickson.shtml Page 2 MENTORING FACT SHEET 3. Connection: Positive bonds with people and Supports are the ongoing positive relationships that institutions—peers, family, school, and young people have with adults, peers, and organiza- community—in which both parties contribute tions that provide the safety, structure, motivation, to the relationship. nurturing, and guidance to allow youth to explore, test, learn, grow, and contribute. Supports catch 4. Character: Respect for societal and cultural youth when they trip up and offer encouragement rules, possession of standards for correct for them to try again. Supportive adults have the behaviors, a sense of right and wrong challenging role of stepping up when needed and (morality), spirituality, integrity. stepping back as often as possible to allow youth to explore on their own. This support allows youth to 5. Caring or Compassion: A sense of sympathy fully take advantage of their opportunities—doing one and empathy for others. without the other is ineffective. (Lerner, Fisher, and Weinberg, 2000) These fi ve developmental outcomes can only be SOS in action achieved with signifi cant support from the entire Youth development programs build their services and community—family, friends, schools, and other com- activities around the SOS structure, ideally using a munity institutions. Yet, this support is often miss- broad range of community partnerships to implement ing from the lives of many young people, especially this multi-faceted model and create the rich environ- those whose environments are unhealthy, unsafe, or ment that youth need to be successful. Organizations lacking opportunities. Organizations using a youth implement the youth development approach by: development approach therefore provide services, opportunities, and supports (SOS) that enhance the Providing services for youth that young person’s environment and increase his or her ability to reach these outcomes. I Ensure that basic needs—physical and psycho- logical health, food and shelter, safety, and other Services are the critical interventions needed