Page 242 - Ana Kozina and Nora Wiium, eds. ▪︎ Positive Youth Development in Contexts. Ljubljana: Educational Research Institute, 2021. Digital Library, Dissertationes (Scientific Monographs), 42.
P. 242
positive youth development in contexts
thriving would have an impact across contexts. While micro contexts con-
tain close systems such as family and school, macro contexts refer to wid-
er and more distal systems that involve for example the political situation,
economy, and the society as a whole. Thus, the context is an important ac-
tor with bearing on young people’s development, involving the develop-
mental assets (individual and contextual) which provide youth with possi-
bilities to thrive (Wiium & Dimitrova, 2019).
Further, the synergy between context and thriving is not simple.
Depending on the cultural, political, and economic situation within the
macro context, thriving could be more, or less straightforward. Cultural,
political as well as economic systems have importance to young people’s
goals, motivations, and developmental and life prospects. The contextu-
al assets available that could serve as a life line towards thriving could be
plentiful or in short supply. Indeed, young people living in low- and mid-
dle-income countries (LAMICs) often have fewer opportunities and re-
sources to achieve their goals, given the precarious situation and limits
on socioeconomic development in many countries (United Nations World
Youth Report, 2020). For example, in a study of Egyptian and Roma ado-
lescents living in Albania, participants perceived an overall low availabili-
ty of developmental assets, which in turn was viewed as posing additional
challenges to participants’ development (Miconi et al., 2021). Lack of devel-
opmental assets was particularly evident during the time period in which
this study was conducted, namely during the Covid-19 pandemic, which
was viewed as compounding pre-existing structural issues such as high un-
employment and discrimination, and local challenges experienced by par-
ticipants such as violence in their neighbourhoods and/or schools (Miconi
et al., 2021).
Innovations and the Call for Interventions and Generative
Policy
In terms of innovations, chapters in this book represent important advanc-
es on several different fronts. Several chapters are forward looking, for ex-
ample, in terms of conducting the theoretical/empirical work that is vital to
advancing the PYD field, such as including different theoretical constructs/
measures and traditions together within the same study (e.g., see Chapters 2
and 4). Other chapters add novel aspects of positive development that have
been overlooked in the existing predominant frameworks of PYD (e.g.,
see Chapter 6 in regards to its consideration of humor and gratitude; see
242
thriving would have an impact across contexts. While micro contexts con-
tain close systems such as family and school, macro contexts refer to wid-
er and more distal systems that involve for example the political situation,
economy, and the society as a whole. Thus, the context is an important ac-
tor with bearing on young people’s development, involving the develop-
mental assets (individual and contextual) which provide youth with possi-
bilities to thrive (Wiium & Dimitrova, 2019).
Further, the synergy between context and thriving is not simple.
Depending on the cultural, political, and economic situation within the
macro context, thriving could be more, or less straightforward. Cultural,
political as well as economic systems have importance to young people’s
goals, motivations, and developmental and life prospects. The contextu-
al assets available that could serve as a life line towards thriving could be
plentiful or in short supply. Indeed, young people living in low- and mid-
dle-income countries (LAMICs) often have fewer opportunities and re-
sources to achieve their goals, given the precarious situation and limits
on socioeconomic development in many countries (United Nations World
Youth Report, 2020). For example, in a study of Egyptian and Roma ado-
lescents living in Albania, participants perceived an overall low availabili-
ty of developmental assets, which in turn was viewed as posing additional
challenges to participants’ development (Miconi et al., 2021). Lack of devel-
opmental assets was particularly evident during the time period in which
this study was conducted, namely during the Covid-19 pandemic, which
was viewed as compounding pre-existing structural issues such as high un-
employment and discrimination, and local challenges experienced by par-
ticipants such as violence in their neighbourhoods and/or schools (Miconi
et al., 2021).
Innovations and the Call for Interventions and Generative
Policy
In terms of innovations, chapters in this book represent important advanc-
es on several different fronts. Several chapters are forward looking, for ex-
ample, in terms of conducting the theoretical/empirical work that is vital to
advancing the PYD field, such as including different theoretical constructs/
measures and traditions together within the same study (e.g., see Chapters 2
and 4). Other chapters add novel aspects of positive development that have
been overlooked in the existing predominant frameworks of PYD (e.g.,
see Chapter 6 in regards to its consideration of humor and gratitude; see
242
