Positive youth development and youth-professional relationships: Exploring the nature of strengths-based practices with children and youth from professionals' perspectives

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore the nature of positive youth development as it incorporates aspects of the strengths perspective. This study focused on youth professionals' understanding of the meaning of youth development, the importance of youth-adult relationships, and the benefits and challenges to successful practices. A qualitative study based on in-depth interviews with 18 youth professionals, including nine social workers, was conducted. The analysis revealed that youth development is applied to work with youth in a variety of settings and the strengths perspective has been applied to the field of social work and youth development. The study identified that the field of social work with youth is moving beyond treatment and prevention toward youth promotion practice as a convergence of a strengths perspective and youth development. Insights from participants and the literature were synthesized to present a conceptualization of youth promotion and its implications for social work.