Youth Development: its impact

The impact of youth development particularly in low-income communities is often highlighted through crime related stories and almost always involving black and brown youth. Rarely, do we, if ever, discover the wide range of activities and support systems aimed at nurturing the developing minds of today’s youth. These physical, social, emotional, and cognitive growth activities contribute heavily to the development process. However, it’s the lack of access to quality food, education and healthcare that result in the cycle of disadvantages our youth face, hindering chances for success in the future. The barriers that limit extracurricular activities don’t allow for the fostering of creativity, teamwork and self-confidence. More must be done to address the impact and challenges our youth are facing. We must become more invested in education, mentoring programs and being a REAL model in the community. By encouraging partnership with local community-based organizations we can achieve development success for ALL YOUTH no matter the community!