TY - JOUR
T1 - Participation in structured youth programs
T2 - Why ethnic minority urban youth choose to participate or not to participate
AU - Perkins, Daniel F.
AU - Borden, Lynne M.
AU - Villarruel, Francisco A.
AU - Carlton-Hug, Annelise
AU - Stone, Margaret R.
AU - Keith, Joanne G.
PY - 2007/6
Y1 - 2007/6
N2 - This study examines the cultural and contextual factors that influence the decisions of underrepresented urban youth, who identify themselves as Black/ African American, Latino, Arab, or Chaldean, to participate in youth programs. Although youth programs are increasingly recognized for their positive influences, little is known about the factors that influence a young person's decision to participate. Using the concept systems method, participants engaged in brainstorming sessions that led to more in-depth discussions about why youth participate in youth programs. Overall, youth emphasized how youth programs help young people stay off the streets, learn new skills, avoid boredom, and provide opportunities for fun and enjoyable activities. The perceived barriers preventing young people from participating differed between genders and ethnicities and included barriers related to personal decisions, peer influence, and parental restrictions.
AB - This study examines the cultural and contextual factors that influence the decisions of underrepresented urban youth, who identify themselves as Black/ African American, Latino, Arab, or Chaldean, to participate in youth programs. Although youth programs are increasingly recognized for their positive influences, little is known about the factors that influence a young person's decision to participate. Using the concept systems method, participants engaged in brainstorming sessions that led to more in-depth discussions about why youth participate in youth programs. Overall, youth emphasized how youth programs help young people stay off the streets, learn new skills, avoid boredom, and provide opportunities for fun and enjoyable activities. The perceived barriers preventing young people from participating differed between genders and ethnicities and included barriers related to personal decisions, peer influence, and parental restrictions.
KW - Minority youth
KW - Participation
KW - Urban youth
KW - Youth programs
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=34249736346&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=34249736346&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/0044118X06295051
DO - 10.1177/0044118X06295051
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:34249736346
SN - 0044-118X
VL - 38
SP - 420
EP - 442
JO - Youth and Society
JF - Youth and Society
IS - 4
ER -