Youth engagement is defined as "meaningful participation and sustained involvement of a
young person in an activity, with a focus outside of him or herself" (Crooks et al., 2009). Using the
active energy of the youth in helping the society can be very essential to the growth of the community.
The participation of activities will help the youth to become active citizens to the country and be more
aware of what is going around (Johnson, 2014). According to the ecological perspective of human
development (2012), young people are agents of their own development. Youth are more than
passive recipients of external influences, instead they are actively involved in shaping their
development by interacting with the people and opportunities made available within their
environments. Youth-focused organizations – public, municipal, and nonprofit – are taking the lead,
and have created a broad range of opportunities for youth to engage in advocacy, in social
entrepreneurship, and in organizational and community decision making. Youth and adults are
partnering to address challenges in the public schools, in land use planning processes, and in a
range of social and environmental justice issues (Kirby, Lanyon, & Cronin, 2003; Zeldin, Petrokubi, &
MacNeil, 2007).
Youth civic engagement is also critically important to prepare young people to be active
citizens in a democracy. Not surprisingly, therefore, youth who are civically engaged show lower
levels of alcohol and drug use, later onset of sexual activity, lower pregnancy rates, and reduced
levels of depression. These positive outcomes are most likely when youth form close relationships
and instrumental partnerships with adults (Pancer & Pratt, 1999; Youniss & Hart, 2005). Although
there are a lot of young individuals who wish to get involved in the community, it can sometimes be
misinterpreted by some because the mindset of the people that the youth’s capabilities are limited to
those of student, athlete, consumer, and style-setter. Youth are not typically viewed as citizens who
wish to contribute to their communities (Zeldin, Larson, & Camino, 2005).
Attachment theory attempts to explain the function and need of long-term meaningful
relationships. Historically, attachment theory has been used in the field of psychology to explain the
relationship needs of an infant and a caregiver which refers to the mother. This relationship is
important because it ensures the proper social and emotional development of the child (Kaye, Lynne,
and Murphy 2011). As stated by Brennan and Mcgrath (2009), as youth get older, they will look for
other attachments in addition to the relationship developed with their caregiver(s). Youth who have
developed meaningful positive relationships with other adults in the community have demonstrated
better social and emotional development .In addition, they also demonstrated increased social
participation and community action. Meaningful positive relationships help to transform the community
from a shared space to a set of psychological bonds between its members.
According to Helgeson and Schneider( 2015), empowering youth to be engaged in the
community has shown to decrease traditional problem behaviors. Some have hypothesized that
problem behaviors actually emerge as a result of youth feeling disengaged, and under-valued in their
community. As stated by Royal Borough of Greenwich (2018), youth who do volunteer are less likely
to become involved in at-risk behaviors such as drinking alcohol and skipping school compared with
those who do not. Volunteerism also positively impacts other youth social and behavioral issues like
teen pregnancy, dropout, substance abuse and violence. It can make a dramatic difference in the
lives of young participants by instilling a sense of purpose and reason to achieve. Research on youth
engagement has also been based in attachment theory (Brennan, Barnett, and McGrath 2009).
These interventions are based on making youth feel their status and well-being matter to the
community. Youth who benefit from these interventions tend to shy away from anti-social activities
(e.g., drug use and criminal behavior), and more towards pro-social behaviors because of the
relationship that have with the community (Altman and Feighery 2004). Meaningful youth participation
can enhance a young person’s sense of connectedness, belonging and feeling of being valued, which
contribute to positive mental health and building of the self.
Sources:
Brennan, M. A., & Barnett, R. V. (2009). Bridging community and youth development: Exploring
theory, research, and application. Community Development, 40, 305-310.
Brennan, M. A., Barnett, R. V., & Baugh, E. (2007). Youth involvement in community development:
Implications and possibilities for extension. Journal of Extension, 45 (4), 203-213.
Brennan, M. A., Barnett, R. V., & Lesmeister, M. (2007). Enhancing local capacity and youth
involvement in the community development process. Journal of Community Development, 38 (4), 13-
27.
Brennan, M. A., Barnett, R. V., & McGrath, B. (2009). The intersection of youth and community
development in Ireland and Florida: Building stronger communities through youth civic
engagement. Community Development, 40, 331-345.
Crooks, C. V., Chiodo, D., & Thomas, D. (2010). Strengths-based programing for first nations youth in
schools: Building engagement through healthy relationships and leadership skills. International
Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, 8 (160), 160-173.
Helgeson, S., & Schneider, D. (2015). Authentic community-based youth engagement: Lessons from
across the nation and through the lens of violence prevention. National Civic Review, 104(3), 16-23.
