My philosophy regarding youth development stems from a lifelong love for nature, many summers participating in a camp for children with diabetes, several years of experience leading youth programs and camps, and the knowledge gained from the curriculum of the Youth Development Leadership program at Clemson University.
Youth spend less time outdoors and more time on screens and, as a result, have not developed sufficient interpersonal skills to respond to the changing nature of social interactions (Larson et al., 2018). To help achieve these skills, programs and instructors need more support in attaining the scant resources available for youth programs. Successful programs require trained youth development staff and quality leadership that creates positive youth and program personnel environments. I believe that significant gains can be made by aiding youth development leaders in understanding and implementing the positive youth development model.
Positive Youth Development (PYD) begins with an individual's inherent strengths, then nurtures them, building upon them through scaffolding and other supports, thereby fostering their development. There is no better place for positive youth development than in nature. The “Big Three of PYD” (Lerner 2004) is a framework for developing and implementing programs focusing on youth’s time outdoors.
1. Positive and sustained youth-adult connection.
2. Life-skill building activities.
3. The opportunity for youth participation in leadership in settings they value.
I have seen first-hand how programs that facilitate positive experiences in nature embody the Big 3. Youth can experience physical and cognitive development, enhancing their problem-solving abilities and strengthening what their bodies can do. Youth often realize they are more able than previously realized, giving them confidence and realizing areas of competence. Programs that employ qualified mentors and staff have the unique opportunity to develop relationships with youth that are positive and span years. In outdoor programs, youth can take on leadership roles; they naturally take the lead on a hike or organize a game, experiencing important leadership moments.
I firmly believe that youth flourish when they spend time in nature, and I aim to work toward a world where youth and people of all ages and stages can engage with and spend time in nature. In my experience, and backed by numerous studies (for example, Bratman et al., 2021) and books— “The Nature Fix” (Williams, 2017) and “Last Child in the Woods” (Louv, 2005)—humans derive great and numerous benefits from expose to nature. This is a core belief that grounds my philosophy concerning Positive Youth Development.
