Initiatives

Building Community Consensus on Positive Youth Development

Representatives from over 30 community providers and 8 metropolitan Nashville agencies that serve youth have been meeting together to build consensus and strengthen mutual support around positive youth development in our city.

The group has agreed on five principles of positive youth development that can be “used as a way to communicate the city’s values to provide all young people with the critical ‘developmental nutrients’ that they require to be healthy, successful, caring and engaged”.

At present agency representatives are meeting to examine the benefits and challenges of adopting the principles from the various perspectives of youth, agency and community.

If you are interested in joining the conversation please contact:

Candy Markman
Planning Director of the Mayor’s Afterschool Initiatives
Candy.Markman@nashville.gov

Shared Principles of Positive Youth Development in Nashville

  1. Promote a Sense of Physical, Social and Emotional Safety. Youth must feel as though the adults in this setting will protect them from any harm. They also must feel they are valued and accepted by the group.
  2. Encourage Relationship Building. Young people need many supportive long-term relationships to help them navigate their adolescence. They need guidance from caring adults as well as emotional and practical support from their peers.
  3. Foster Meaningful Youth Participation. Youth must have an active role, voice and choice in shaping their experiences. They must have the opportunity to practice and develop leadership skills, and they must know their contributions are valuable.
  4. Provide Opportunities for Building Purpose. Young people must live purposefully and contribute in meaningful ways. Creating opportunities for youth to become involved in the community and for community members to interact with youth is a powerful way to foster a sense of purpose and develop positive values.
  5. Engage Youth in Learning Experiences that Build Valuable Life Skills. Young people need opportunities for experiential learning that will help them build skills needed to succeed in every area of life.