Building Supportive Communities for At-Risk Adolescents: It Takes More Than Services
| Author (s) |
Burt, M.R., Resnick, G., & Novick, E.R. |
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| Year of Publication |
1998 |
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| Publication Type |
book |
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| Name of Periodical |
Building Supportive Communities for At-Risk Adolescents: It Takes More Than Services |
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| Publisher &
Address |
American Psychological Association
750 First Street, NE
Washington, DC 20002
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| Available From |
publisher |
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| URL |
http://www.apa.org/ |
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| Suggested Audience |
- Mental health professionals
- Educators
- Policymakers
- Researchers
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| Descriptors |
- School/community relationships
- Urban youth culture
- Violence and violence prevention
- At-risk youth
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Content Abstract
All adolescents need good friends, caring families, and supportive communities that provide them with constructive activities. Young people who live in environments or engage in behaviors that put them ”at risk,” either for violence, substance abuse, school dropout, or pregnancy, often suffer from a lack of adequate supports. This book explores the challenges involved in creating and sustaining supportive communities for at-risk youth. The first section provides an introduction to the concept and history of service integration and comprehensive-service models, a thorough review of the literature on risk and adolescence, and a new paradigm for thinking about adolescence and risk. The second section presents case studies of nine programs that serve youth and their families. The third section identifies the program elements that are critical to meeting the complex needs of adolescents and their families and discusses the challenges of funding and evaluating youth programs. The book concludes with a summary of themes and issues raised by the previous chapters. (abstract from book preface)
Methodological Notes
Additional Comments
This is a book that deserves to be read and re-read. It should be kept on the desk reference by anyone who wants ready recourse to sophisticated analysis about what it takes to organize and deliver effective services to young people. The authors get it right in so many ways. They communicate in rich detail the kaleidoscopic nature of local facts on the ground, which means that every community faces different terrain when it sets out to organize help for young people who need something extra. They offer an exhaustive review of the literature on youth development, conveying the nuances of the differing perspectives and worldviews and explaining the challenges involved in doing good evaluation. They make clear the number of dimensions and disciplines that have to mesh and cooperate to serve effectively - how many different areas of expertise are implicated in working with young people with problems, and the complicated organizational and bureaucratic issues and turfs that arise unavoidably as a result. - Peter Edelman, professor, Georgetown University Law Center
Reviews and Commentary by the Field
