They say it takes a village to raise a child, but when does the village stop being a vital part of a young person’s life?
The answer should, surely, be never. The communities which young people are part of help to shape and change them. There are communities everywhere and at many levels and they include families, friends, schools and colleges, faith groups, national and cultural groups, clubs, sports teams, ideology and political groups, sexuality groups, businesses and work-places, and neighbours and local resources. They all impact how a young person grows up, their perception of the world and how they interact with others.
Firstly, let’s start with the age-old debate that nurture, or the environment, is what affects a person’s behaviour, development and health. Psychologists have long debated nature vs nurture and the impact of these on how children and young people develop. Nurture is the idea that a person’s environment is what influences how they develop and behave. Psychologists have found that environmental factors (such as nutrition, attachment to parents, adverse experiences, quality of education, behaviour modelling and observational learning, and interventions) can greatly impact on young people’s development, behaviour and mental health. Communities have a critical role on these environmental factors; being part of positive, wholesome and supportive communities can increase the wellbeing and positive development of young people, and the opposite can be applied to the negative and destructive communities. Examples of positive larger communities include those that support high-quality education, that provide high-quality interventions (for mental health/criminal behaviours), those with relevant role models for young people and that have support systems. So, there is no doubt that young people being surrounded by positive experiences and influences will help them to become healthy and well developed adults.
Furthermore, a sense of belonging to communities has been directly linked to better mental health and lower instances of mental health conditions. It is human nature to be part of societal groups, so it is no wonder it has such an impact on our physical and mental health. Our whole society has been built on the idea of community and collectivism - that is evident from ancient history and theology. Therefore, weight needs to be given to the effects of positive communities in young people’s lives and we should be doing more to forge those relationships.
But, what happens when a young person becomes an outcast from a community; how does that present in the young person and how can it be healed? Young people can become detached from their communities for a number of reasons. These could be from poor health and mental health; from antisocial behaviour that can lead to being excluded from school and other places; from being perceived as different from others and experiencing discrimination; or from socioeconomic disadvantages. The effects of becoming isolated can lead to worsened mental health, feelings of resentment towards people and groups, drug and alcohol abuse and antisocial behaviour. As well as having a negative impact on the individual, it can have a negative impact on the whole community and perpetuate negative experiences in the local area.
When this happens to young people, youth work can be a lifeline and can help to bridge the gap between these young people and their communities and help to heal that relationship. Youth work can take many forms but the aims are to provide a safe space for young people to develop holistically in their personal, social, emotional, mental and educational capabilities. It is designed to support young people as they are going through the trying time in the transition from childhood to adulthood. Youth work spaces can become communities within themselves and therefore give young people a positive perception of being part of communities. Youth work groups also provide support systems for young people and include role models and informal interventions for mental health and drugs/alcohol. This can help young people find a sense of belonging and become more in touch with their wider community.
Some forms of youth work will also connect young people directly with communities. Youth Social Action allows young people to deal with issues that directly affect them and, in turn, connect with areas of the community. Young people become empowered to use their voices and make impactful change for the greater good. When people feel they can make change in their community they will form a better attitude towards the society of which they are part. Creating those connections can be transformative during these times when young people are feeling isolated.
At the same time, youth work can benefit the wider community, as it can prevent all the negative effects of outcasting on young people and thus the impact of that on the community. It can break this cycle of negative experiences by providing that space for changing attitudes and forming relationships.
In summary, it takes a village to raise a child, a young person and a healthy adult, so we should be doing all we can to stay in touch with it.