Rationale for Recreation Services for Youth: An Evidenced Based Approach
Posted by on June 13, 2011
The Rationale for Recreation Services for Youth: An Evidenced Based Approach
by
Dr. Peter A. Witt
Department of Recreation, Park, and Tourism Sciences
Texas A&M University
Dr. Linda L. Caldwell
Department of Recreation, Park and Tourism Management and Human Development and Family Studies
The Pennsylvania State University
Executive Summary
This monograph was written to assist park and recreation professionals and elected officials to better
understand the important role of park and recreation services, facilities, and programs in the process of
youth development.
Park and recreation departments are ideally situated to supply the supports, opportunities, programs,
and services to facilitate adolescents’ development into healthy and fully functioning adults. However,
adolescents do not need adults to do things “to” or “for” them, rather adolescents need to be involved
in the learning and growing process—they need to have opportunities to “develop themselves,” and they
need adults to serve as enablers in this process.
The youth development approach is opposite of a problems-based approach, which holds that there
is something wrong with the individual and that park and recreation departments need to provide the skills
and knowledge to correct deficiencies. Recreation services provided by park and recreation departments
need to both help reduce problem behaviors, as well as increase pro-social attitudes and skills. Critical to
an understanding of youth development is the phrase “problem free is not fully prepared,” which recognizes that it is possible to be problem free but not grow to be a fully functioning adult. Efforts need to be made
to create family structures, communities, and organizations that enable youth to move along pathways to
adulthood by supplying the appropriate supports, opportunities, programs, and services.
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