Community youth development involves partnerships between youth-based organizations and local institutions to address issues such as health, crime, and education. It requires collaboration between educators and community leaders and can be funded through various sources, including grants and donations.
Community youth development (CYD) is a concept based on the mutualism of a community and its young people and should be understood as an action plan that supports relationships and partnerships between youth-based organizations and institutions and the towns, cities or counties in which they are located. Community youth development is not a new concept, but it has become an integral consideration in community planning and development.
Community youth development programs are designed and exist to provide mutually beneficial outcomes within youth organizations and the community at large. Schools, churches, youth clubs and organizations and libraries are examples of institutions that can partner with local governments to create initiatives that offer a range of services to youth in the community. Services can be designed to address any number of issues.
Examples of issues CYD initiatives can address include health and wellness, community involvement, character building, at-risk youth, college readiness, violence and crime, and any other community issues that may be prevalent or deemed necessary. for young people in the area. Initiatives are basically a way to help solve problems and create opportunities for young people, with the reasonable assumption that the community as a whole will benefit.
Many community youth development programs and initiatives are community-tailored, but some are more universal. For example, initiatives that address health and wellness, such as community gyms or after-school sports and fitness programs, can be part of every community. On the other hand, areas where youth crime and violence are especially high can develop initiatives to reduce occurrences by introducing programs that encourage participation, personal development and involvement with community youth leaders and volunteers. Many communities employ youth volunteers from area schools to help community leaders identify programs and initiatives that would be beneficial and attractive to their youth.
Ideas for community youth development can be compared to the saying “it takes a village to raise a child”. Communities that participate in and nurture CYD initiatives, building connections between themselves and grassroots youth organizations in the area, are trying to invest in their youth, with the expectation that the results will generate an increase in future productive members of society. Typically, educators and community leaders must work hand in hand for community youth development initiatives to be successful. Funding is another issue faced by many communities, but sources include local and state money, as well as federal grants, and occasionally can be obtained through private non-profit organizations and corporate donations.
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