Adolescent Development

(Ages Thirteen through Eighteen)

Community

Among our priorities in adolescent development are the following Result Areas:

Actively involving parents in the quality of their child’s education.

Shifting traditional learning environments’ focus on adult needs toward a concentration on adolescents’ needs.

Changing traditional learning environments so that they become more closely aligned with adolescent’s developmental needs.

Adding to the number of the 40 Developmental Assets that adolescents possess.

Increasing the ability of youth-serving organizations to address the developmental needs of 13-18 year-olds.

Strengthening community involvement in the development of 13-18 year-olds.

Providing leadership opportunities where young people can gain a closer connection to their community.

Creating opportunities for young people to gain real responsibility and take meaningful steps toward economic freedom.

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We believe that adolescent development builds on a child’s experiences in middle childhood. We believe further that each adolescent develops in their own way, and on a timetable that reflects their unique needs.

Youth development research tells us that young people of this age:

  • Exhibit an extreme push for independence.
  • Are less interested in formal learning.
  • Become interested in society and their role.
  • Are capable of advanced reasoning and logical thought processes.
  • Begin to carefully think through issues of social justice.
  • Start to ponder their purpose in life.
  • Need support and understanding from caring adults as they discover their place in society.
  • Need positive adult role models.
  • Need opportunities for meaningful participation at home, school and within the community.

In this area of focus we want to fund projects that result in opportunities for young people ages thirteen to eighteen to develop socially, emotionally, physically, intellectually, and spiritually.

In the area of Adolescent Development we want to invest in the following results:

  • Increase the number of parents who are actively involved in choosing the quality of their adolescent’s education.
  • Transition learning environments from a focus on adult needs to a focus on adolescents’ needs.
  • Increase the number of learning environments that are closely aligned with adolescents’ developmental needs.  (These environments will include:  engaging, age-appropriate materials and learning processes designed to address the developmental needs of each young person.)
  • Increase the total number of Developmental Assets that adolescents possess.
  • Increase the number of youth-serving organizations that are prepared to address the developmental needs of 13 to 18 year-olds.
  • Increase community involvement in the development of 13 to 18 year-olds.
  • Increase the number of opportunities for young people to participate in leadership experiences that offer strong community connections.
  • Increase opportunities for young people to take on responsibility and make meaningful steps toward economic freedom.


Back to Step 2, Research