The Power of Community: How Foster Parents, Teachers, and Community Members Support Academic Achievement for Foster Youth

Foster children have been identified as one of the most high-risk groups for academic failure in schools today. However, a small number of foster youth are beating the odds by achieving academically. How are they able to overcome tremendous barriers and succeed? This phenomenological study reports the findings of former foster youth and their P-12 education experience. In-depth interviews are shared, offering a rare glimpse into the challenging lives of foster youth and revealing the supports that contributed to their success. The significance of each support entity identified by the participants must be broadly shared. The support entities are family, school, community, and self-reliance. The insights of the foster youth show how family, teachers, and community can work together to support the academic achievement of foster youth

Illinois Youth - Ready for Life? Illinois Youth Share their Perspective on Challenges and Opportunities as They Make the Transition from Childhood to Adulthood

Today's youth are tomorrow's leaders and decision makers. They are the future teachers, business owners, parents, and community members of our state. As youth make the important and often difficult transition from childhood to adulthood, families, communities, and the state provide critical opportunities and supports. Investments made in youth today through programs, services, and other opportunities are a wise contribution to Illinois' collective future. In order to ensure that all young people in Illinois are ready for life, Illinois policymakers, parents, and other adult leaders must work intentionally and collaboratively to devise a comprehensive youth development strategy

The Effects and Implications of Vaping on the Youth Population

Youth today have adopted the “cessation tool” known as the e-cigarette as a form of recreational activity. An examination of the history of tobacco use and prevention enables a fuller understanding of the problem presented by this product. Youth around the country are addicted to the sensation of vaping and are largely unaware of the associated health dangers. To address this growing issue among adolescents, vaping and its impact on the youth population should be carefully examined by health professionals. Although an overall solution has not yet been determined, there are several ways to impede the spread of the vaping epidemic from a public health standpoint

Suicidal Ideation and Attempts Among Sexual Minority Youth Receiving Social Services

The increased risk for suicidal ideation and attempts among sexual minority youth has been documented in studies using both convenience samples and representative community samples. However, as most youth do not access social services, these studies do not necessarily represent the sexual minority youth that community-based social workers may encounter in their day-today practice. As such, the present study on risk and protective factors related to suicidality surveyed 182 sexual minority youth (ages 14-21) who sought assistance at a community-based social service agency in Denver, CO. Similar to existing literature, the findings suggest that risk factors related to suicidality include hopelessness, methamphetamine use, homelessness, and inschool victimization. However, unlike studies of the general youth population, this study found that African American and male sexual minority youth were not at lower risk of suicidality than sexual minority youth who were, respectively, white or female. Additionally, our findings suggest that the presence of gay-straight alliances in schools may function as a protective resource for sexual minority youth. Implications for social work practice are discussed

Case Study: Out of the Box: Queer Youth in South Africa Today

Describes LGBTI youths' challenges in negotiating being gay in a straight environment, lack of inclusive policy, and effects of homophobia; youths' perspectives on efforts toward change; and ways to build their confidence in youth groups and at school

Youth Political Engagement and Democratic Culture in Republican Nepal

Nepal’s transformation from an autocratic monarchy to a democratic republic presupposes the development of democratic institutions, and the current generation of Nepali youth, particularly those in higher education, are uniquely situated in that process. As such Nepali youth constitute a distinct generation along the lines specified by Karl Mannheim and others. In the past efforts to mobilize Nepalese youth have been aimed at integrating them as useful assets in the service of Nepalese political institutions, such as political student unions, but in this paper, based on fieldwork and interview data collected in 2013 and 2016, we argue that politically active youth today should be understood as an autonomous though heterogeneous constituent force that is in counterpoint with normative political institutions

New York City South Asian Youth: Critical Mass, Urgent Needs

There are now more than 100,000 South Asian youth in New York City. This milestone for the community was reached during the last decade and is confirmed by the 2010 Census. Today, more than 5% of the city's youth (defined as residents under the age of 20) are South Asian. Poverty is a major obstacle on their path to achievement. More than one-quarter of South Asian youth (26%) live in households with incomes lower than the federal poverty level (FPL). Over half of South Asian youth live in families where income is below 200% of the FPL. In New York City, where the cost of living is much higher than the national average, this means real hardship. Besides poverty, South Asian youth face additional hurdles that are particular to their experience in New York City today. Many parents of South Asian youth confront language barriers, cultural obstacles and a lack of familiarity with the American school system. The schools themselves often lack cultural competence when it comes to appreciating the needs of South Asian youth and interacting constructively with their families. And both in school and in the broader community, the post-9/11 environment continues to exhibit suspicion, bias, and discrimination. The bullying of South Asian youth, Muslim youth, and youth who wear turbans and hijabs is a persistent issue. This discourages many youth, lowers their engagement with school and other programs, and can lead to detrimental internalized behaviors.This report by South Asian Youth Action (SAYA!) presents the new demographics of South Asian youth in New York City, details the issues they face, and offers an agenda for action. Drawing on 17 years of experience providing youth-development services to the city's South Asian community, SAYA! Intends this report to inform policymakers, school officials, and all New Yorkers about the city's growing South Asian youth population, the unique pressures they face, and the ways to overcome these obstacles to opportunity. In our view, school leaders, city officials, community organizations, and South Asian families can take immediate steps that will improve youth college and career readiness and benefit the community as a whole. These steps include:Improving parental engagement in schools bydeveloping a new one-on-one parent advocacy programenhancing translation and interpretation support for parentsscaling up community organization resources for parental educationMaking schools a safe and welcoming space for South Asian youth byimproving school staff cultural competenceimproving school staff diversity and language proficiencyenhancing curriculum focused on South Asian youthcreating a safe, bullying-free space for South Asian youthPreventing South Asian youth from falling through the cracks byensuring availability of preparation tools, particularly for new immigrant youthenhancing the college readiness of public school studentsenhancing local community-based organization support for South Asian youthThese steps make up a practical, feasible agenda to ensure that New York City's South Asian youth have the tools necessary to succeed in a knowledge- and skills-based economy and avoid falling into a cycle of intergenerational poverty

Addressing HIV/AIDS Among Youth

The HIV/AIDS epidemic continues to play a significant role in the lives of adolescents and young adults today. In 2000, youth ages 15-24 represented only 25% of the sexually experienced population in the United States, but had 48% of all new STIs that year (Weinstock, 2004). To make a difference in reducing HIV among new generations, youth need accurate, culturally relevant, age-appropriate information about HIV transmission and infection, as well as, how to protect themselves, including abstinence, contraception, safer sex practices and where to get tested. HIV education and services must be also readily available to all youth, regardless of ability to pay and in a variety of settings