Family leisure involvement may provide the first and most essential context for positive youth development in today's society. Similar to the broader ecological perspective used in the youth development literature, family systems theory suggests that each individual in the family influences the whole, while the whole family also influences each…

Argues that we can help develop resilience in youth by using a nontraditional approach to changing the fragmented manner in which most services are provided. This approach can include demonstrating desired behaviors instead of relying on the enforcement of mandates or directives to support the change process. (GCP)

A description of the Youth Services Demonstration Project currently being conducted at Alcoholism Services of Cleveland is presented. The family systems approach model used by the project incorporates the following procedures into a multiphase program: (1) assessment and contracting sessions; (2) selection of one of three possible treatment…

This paper describes the Youth Resource Center (YRC) of Glastonbury, Connecticut--a multifaceted treatment facility. The YRC is based on a Systems-Interaction (SI) model of service, which maintains that a system can be changed by intervention at any point in the system; consequently, the same goals can be achieved through various target groups or…

A Vermont project, the Environmental Programs/Partnerships in Communities (EPIC) project provides a transferable model for rural development. The program is sensitive to people and environmental needs, and emphasizes long-term functioning of the entire community system, not just specific outcomes. EPIC has supported leadership training, local…

The Workforce Investment Act represents a total customer-driven overhaul of the U.S. job training system that will help employers obtain needed workers and empower job seekers to obtain the training needed for the jobs they want. The Department of Labor will implement the Workforce Investment Act in cooperation with the Department of Education.…

This document profiles nine youth programs, illustrating concepts, strategies, and lessons available to communities as they start to form an integrated network of essential services designed to prepare out-of-school youth for success in the job market of the 21st century. "Introduction" (Marion Pines) lists considerations when planning a…

This document chronicles the experience of the National Training Institute (NTI) for Community Youth Work and four of its Building Exemplary Systems for Training Youth Workers (BEST) affiliates in establishing youth development practitioner apprenticeship (YDPA) programs. Part 1 describes the work of NTI and BEST intermediary organizations to lay…

The extent to which vocational education and training policy is nurturing lifelong learning in Finland was examined. The analysis focused on the following issues: the political and structural framework of education in Finland; mechanisms supporting lifelong learning; and pedagogical solutions and learning environments facilitating lifelong…