Youth, Volume 5, Issue 3 (September 2025) – 27 articles

Sexual violence among adolescents remains a persistent social and public health issue. Prevention approaches tend to be designed and executed by adults, with young people serving limited roles. Getting young people involved in the field of prevention can be a lofty goal for community-based organizations, who often work with limited time, capacity, funds, and resources to build impactful youth programs. Young people have grown up observing injustices in their communities and have clear, actionable ideas for addressing sexual violence and advancing social change. Unfortunately, little has explained how and why centering youth voices and leadership matters in sexual violence prevention efforts and how it can be done. In this paper, a collection of youth leaders use interview data from a participatory evaluation of a groundbreaking youth-centered prevention program to introduce the Youth-Led Program to Prevention Model. Using members’ testimonies and co-constructed analysis, and inspired by ripple effect and ecological models, the Youth-Led Program to Prevention Model showcases how youth-centered activism and education can advance the goals of sexual violence prevention and impact young people, communities, and systems. Written by youth leaders themselves and based on their lived experiences in the evaluated program, this paper accompanies the Youth-Led Program to Prevention Model with actionable strategies for practitioners who wish to celebrate young people’s contributions and visions for change. Full article

This conceptual paper advocates for the use of Testimonio as a critical methodological approach in sport-based youth development (SBYD) research, particularly with Latine youth. Recent scholarship has called for critical methodologies that center race, expose systemic inequities, and challenge entrenched power structures in SBYD research. Testimonio does precisely that. Rooted in Latine ways of knowing, Testimonio has long been used to document the injustices faced by Latine communities in both Latin America and the United States. Defined by its five pillars—(1) bearing witness, (2) denouncing injustices, (3) consciousness-raising, (4) social justice orientation, and (5) transformational power—Testimonio is widely used in the fields of education, psychology and sociology, yet it remains absent in SBYD research. This paper argues that Testimonio offers a powerful means of capturing the lived realities of Latine youth that traditional research methods often overlook or erase. Preliminary considerations and best practices are offered for scholars and practitioners seeking to employ Testimonio within SBYD contexts. Full article

Physical activity has been shown to improve the wellbeing of young adults pursuing post-secondary education, yet most college students do not perform adequate amounts of physical activity. Given post-secondary students’ reliance on internet and social media for physical activity information gathering, we questioned whether a lack of activity-promoting information might contribute to the activity deficit. Thus, we sought to determine the accessibility and extent of online physical health activity information and initiatives across a sample of large North American campuses by performing a series of physical wellness related searches through Google, the institutions’ sites, and the institutions’ Instagram accounts. Specifically, we question the extent of limitations to the accessibility and content information on institutions’ sites. We found less than half of all web searches and only three-point-five percent of social media posts had topically relevant information. Google was a more effective tool for finding relevant information than institution websites, suggesting institutions could benefit from improving access to physical activity information on their sites. Social media posts were primarily varsity and sport related, indicating a need for increased content about accessible physical activity options. Investigating possible directions to improve institution website usability could benefit student access to physical wellness resources on campus. Full article

Care-experienced young people often face considerable challenges due to a personal history of trauma and disruption and have a higher risk of homelessness, mental ill health, and involvement with the criminal justice system. A stubborn trend of achieving fewer qualifications than non-care-experienced peers persists, with greater likelihood of becoming NEET (Not in Education, Employment or Training). Accessible and sustainable pre-employment programmes should be a priority for national initiatives designed to generate improved outcomes for vulnerable youth. The I-CAN (Initiating and Supporting Care Leavers into Apprenticeships in Nursing) programme offers young people in England (aged 18–30) a person-focussed pathway to training and employment. However, robust research is needed to evidence the effectiveness of this type of small-scale and short-term funded programme. The current paper reports qualitative findings from a pilot study exploring the perceptions and experiences of (N = 27) young people who attended the 8-week I-CAN programme delivered at a Higher Education Institution. Data were collected from four focus groups and thematically analysed. The findings captured young people’s personal trajectories and exposed underpinning processes as well as unique, shared, and intersectional factors that can either facilitate or impede progression to education, employment and training. Crucially, care-experienced young people are not a homogenous group and capturing their authentic, diverse voices in evaluation research is essential for not only assessing if a programme works but for whom, and why. Furthermore, findings can help to inform meaningful strategies and socially valid interventions to support care-experienced young people navigate the transition ‘cliff edge’. Full article

Where we find and form identity and belonging, meaning and purpose, is often entangled in the dynamics that play out between people and place, and for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, the legacy and ongoing experience of invasion and colonisation. Place-based understandings of identity and its importance in shaping young people’s experience of what is possible and probable in their futures might be critical to framing cross-cultural work with young people impacted by violence and trauma. This paper draws on practitioner reflections of work with young Aboriginal women both on, and off Country, highlighting common and distinct themes related to identity formation and migration in navigating new futures. These include connection to Country and spiritual connection, family and kinship relationships, Women’s Business and felt cultural safety. The findings illustrate a meaningful parallel instructive to practice; for both young women and practitioners, access to cultural knowledge and connection is strengthened by endorsement and in turn strengthens understanding and experienced safety. This work emphasises the importance of creating culturally connected opportunities, sensitive to dynamics of place, to support positive identity expression and wellbeing. Full article

Thailand’s southern border provinces need youth-focused multicultural leadership programs integrating local religious–cultural elements, community involvement, and long-term evaluation to enhance social cohesion and sustainable development. This study aimed to develop and evaluate a program to foster multicultural leadership among youth in Thailand’s three southern border provinces. The research was conducted in two phases. The first phase involved synthesizing key multicultural leadership characteristics, designing a structured program and assessing its relevance and coherence through expert evaluation. The second phase focused on empirical validation by implementing the program with 22 selected youth participants, employing repeated-measures analysis of variance to assess its effectiveness. Additionally, experts evaluated the program’s validity, appropriateness, cost-effectiveness, utility, and feasibility. The resulting program, “EARCA”, comprises five core components: Experiential Exposure, Active Exploration & Engagement, Reflective Thinking & Analysis, Concept Integration & Synthesis, and Application & Extension. Expert assessments confirmed its appropriateness at the highest level, with a consistency index ranging from 0.8 to 1.0. Statistical analyses demonstrated significant improvements in all dimensions of multicultural leadership among participants. Furthermore, the program was rated highly accurate, appropriate, cost-effective, practical, and feasible for real-world implementation. These findings offer valuable insights for policymakers and practitioners seeking to enhance multicultural leadership development through structured, evidence-based interventions. Full article

Participation in organized sport is widely encouraged for youth development, yet positive outcomes are not guaranteed. Parents play a pivotal role in shaping young athletes’ experiences, requiring emotional support, interpersonal skills, and self-regulation. This study examines the meanings parents attribute to their children’s sports participation and how young athletes construct their experiences under parental and coaching influences. An interpretive phenomenological methodology involved semi-structured interviews with coaches, focus groups with parents, and open-ended questionnaires to young athletes. Seventeen players (M = 11.2 years, SD = 0.59), nineteen parents (M = 47.6 years, SD = 3.61), and two coaches from the same football club volunteered to participate in the study. Participants were selected through purposive sampling to ensure a homogeneous experience. The findings reveal that parental involvement balances support and pressure, while trust-building between parents and coaches significantly impacts the athletes’ experiences. The evolving role of technology and the importance of social dynamics within teams also emerged as critical factors. Intrinsic motivation, fostering emotional bonding through the sport, and adopting a developmental rather than purely competitive framework were emphasized factors identified as supporting positive youth sport experiences. These findings offer insights into how interconnected relationships among parents, coaches, and athletes influence children’s sports engagement and development. Full article

This paper presents an ethnographically informed analysis of research in Cairo and Sharm El-Sheikh (Egypt) surrounding the 2022 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conference of Parties (COP27) summit. I discuss the geopolitics and geopolitical disruptions of researching activism and activist lives in politically sensitive environments. As shown here, developing new methodological interventions plays a crucial role in understanding contextual methodological limitations, dealing with logistical challenges, and building authentic relationships with research participants. Here, I introduce counter-interviews as a methodological strategy to build trust and invest in researcher–participant relationships. This article draws on participant observation, conversations with environmental and climate activists and non-activists in Cairo prior to and after COP27 and in Sharm El-Sheikh during the second week of the summit, reflective field notes, and 20 semi-structured interviews conducted online between February and August 2023. Here, I use the term “environmental non-activism” to draw attention to the sensitivity, complexity, and fragility of political or apolitical environmental and climate action in an authoritarian context where any form of collective action is highly monitored, regulated, and sometimes criminalized by the state. The main argument of this paper is that examining interlocking power dynamics that shape and reshape the activist space in relation to the state is a requirement for understanding and researching the complexities and specificities of climate activism and non-activism in authoritarian contexts. Along with this argument, this paper invites climate education researchers to reevaluate what non-movements and non-activists in the Global South offer to their analyses of possible alternatives, socio-political change, and politics of hope (and to the broader field of activism in educational research, where commitment to disruption, refusal, and subversion play a key role. Full article

Introduction: Sexual minority men (SMM) are at increased risk for psychosocial stressor exposure, substance use, and poor mental health relative to heterosexual men. While the burden of mental health is growing in the United States, among SMM these trends are increasing at a greater rate, driving health disparities. Methods: Framed within a minority stress framework, these analyses examine how stressors explain substance use and poorer mental health over time. Participants were asked questions on stressor exposure (stigma, discrimination, internalized homophobia, perceived stress), mental health (anxiety, depression, PTSD), and substance use (alcohol to intoxication, club drugs, poly club drugs) over 36 months among 528 SMM in NYC. Results: Perceived stress increased frequency of all substance use, whereas discrimination decreased days of club and poly club drug use. Depression severity predicted increased days of club drug and poly club drug use. PTSD severity predicted increased days of club drug and poly club drug use. Conclusion: We are able to expand on the literature with granular substance use data to highlight associations with stressors and mental health. These findings support an increased need for systematic policy solutions and public health interventions to address drivers of substance use disparities among young SMM. Full article

The rapidly changing dynamics of the digital age reshape the addiction relationship that high school students establish with technology. While smartphones remove boundaries in terms of communication and access to information, their usage triggers a source of anxiety and nomophobia. The increase in students’ anxiety levels because of their over-reliance on mobile phone use leads to significant behavioral changes in their mental health, academic performance, social interactions and financial dependency. This study examined the nomophobia levels of high school students according to selected socio-demographic indicators. Using the relational screening model, the multistage sampling technique was used to select a sample of 884 participants: 388 from Science High School and 496 from Anatolian High School (459 female, 425 male, Mage = 16.45 ± 1.14 year). Independent sample test and One-way ANOVA were applied. Depending on the homogeneity assumption of the data, Welch values were considered, and Tukey tests were applied as a second-level test from post hoc analyses. Comprehensive analyses of nomophobia levels revealed that young individuals’ attitudes towards digital technology differ significantly according to their demographic and behavioral characteristics. Variables such as gender, physical activity participation, grade level and duration of smartphone use are among the main factors affecting nomophobia levels. Female individuals and students who do not participate in physical activity exhibit higher nomophobia scores. Full article

Though previous studies have demonstrated the protective benefits of sports participation against illicit drug use for a general population, how these findings apply to LGBTQ youth remains unknown. This study specifically looks at the relationship between sports participation and prescription drug misuse among sexual and gender minority youth. Using secondary data from the 2019 YRBS, we analyze associations among sports participation, sexual orientation, gender identity, and prescription drug misuse among a representative sample of U.S. high school students in Florida. Our results show that sexual and gender minority youth are at increased risk for prescription drug misuse compared to their heterosexual and cisgender peers. Moreover, sports participation is associated with higher rates of prescription drug misuse among all students, and the nuances of these trends are discussed with particular attention paid to sexual and gender minority youth. These results challenge conventional wisdom about sports participation. Without the addition of new demographic survey questions and LGBTQ youth participation in the YRBS, common myths about sports might have persisted. Our findings point to the meaningful presence of LGBTQ youth in sports, call for research and programming on LGBTQ athletes’ unique needs regarding substance misuse risk, and encourage LGBTQ-inclusive policies and practices within schools and sports programs in particular. Full article

The global youth mental health crisis is increasingly intertwined with climate change, as young people experience heightened climate anxiety and ecological grief. This study examines the relationship between nature connectedness, climate worry, coping strategies, and mental health outcomes among Canadian university students. Drawing on Pihkala’s process model of eco-anxiety, we propose the Developing Ecological Consciousness Model, a three-act framework that traces young people’s journey from climate awareness to meaningful engagement. Using path analysis on two independent samples (N = 1825), we found that nature connectedness predicts increased climate worry, which in turn correlates with higher levels of depression and anxiety. However, meaning-focused coping emerged as a protective factor, mitigating these negative mental health impacts. Problem-focused coping alone was insufficient, highlighting the need for balanced strategies. The study underscores the dual role of nature connectedness—both as a source of climate distress and a foundation for resilience. These findings highlight the need for interventions that foster ecological consciousness while addressing the emotional toll of climate change, offering insights for policymakers, educators, and mental health practitioners working with youth in a warming world. Full article

Juvenile substance use continues to be well researched. Prior research suggests that youth substance use can have far-reaching impacts. While several causes of substance use have been explored, including parental supervision and family structure, it is unclear if caregiver type can impact a juvenile’s substance-using behavior. The current study uses school-level data to examine self-reported substance use among youth who reside with both biological parents, a single parent, custodial grandparent(s), or other caregiver types. The results identify significant differences in self-reported substance use across primary caregiver types. These findings have implications for specific substance use prevention programs to target youth who reside in custodial grandparent-headed households. Full article

The current study investigates effects from a non-formal coach education program based on mentorship on the coach–athlete working alliance (CAWA), perceived coach performance (PCP), coaches’ perceptions of self (CPS), and social resources in sport (SRS). Fifty-four elite coaches from a variety of sports who participated in a non-formal coach education program based on mentorship over a period of 18 months, and 21 coaches from a control group, completed data collection at both the pre- and post-test. The results from regression analyses show that the group variable significantly explained the variance in the PCP and SRS at the post-test, whereas the group variable did not significantly explain any variance in CAWA and CPS at the post-test. Thus, the results in the current study indicate positive results from the coach education program on PCP and SRS. The current results are discussed based on the effect mentorship might have on coaches’ self-reflections based on their own experiences, and the importance of building social networks among their peer coaches. Full article

This article discusses the importance of cultural identity for ethnic youth, considering the challenges they face as migrants or from migrant backgrounds. It then develops the idea of using safe cultural spaces as a culturally responsive model of care for these youth. The data used are drawn from a qualitative study with 35 African heritage youth living in Aotearoa–New Zealand as participants. The study was guided by participatory action research (PAR) methodology principles. Data was collected using research workshops (adaption of focus groups) and qualitative survey questionnaires. PAR’s transformative lens, narrative inquiry, and inductive thematic analysis were used to identify and analyse the reported themes. Findings show that ethnic youth value their cultural identities primarily because, in the context of migration, where they constantly navigate multiple levels of social exclusion and marginality, it confers a sense of personhood, uniqueness, and belonging. However, trying to live their multiple cultures authentically presents many challenges. Accordingly, intentional initiatives that are culturally responsive and holistic are critical to support them in navigating this process healthily. Creating safe cultural spaces is proposed as a model of care. The article reports and discusses youth perspectives on what these spaces and the model of care would entail. Full article

Strength training has established itself as an essential component in physical conditioning programmes, not only to improve sports performance, but also for health purposes. To evaluate the effects of a strength training protocol with a predominance of the eccentric component on blood count, blood chemistry, and quadriceps muscle ultrasound in university students. 31 students (22.3 ± 4.14 years) of the professional programme in Sports of the Politécnico Colombiano Jaime Isaza Cadavid participated. A mesocycle was developed with three weekly sessions of eccentric training focused on the lower body and core zone. Pre and post-intervention measurements were taken anthropometry, haemogram, lipid profile, ultrasound of the right quadriceps, Bosco test, and Rockport test. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used, and the effect size was calculated using rank correlation. Statistically significant changes were observed in haematocrit, mean corpuscular volume, HDL, muscle thickness and echo-intensity, vertical jump power, and maximal oxygen consumption. A four-week eccentric strength training programme generates improvements in haematology, lipid profile, muscle quality assessed by ultrasound, and functional performance in university students. Full article

The arts can support well-being and provide culturally affirming developmental opportunities for youth of color. Despite what we know about the power of arts, youth of color are less likely to have access to arts in their schools. Culture-centered community-based youth arts (CCYA) programs may provide vital settings to support well-being, particularly for youth of color. We define CCYA in three parts: They are community-based youth development programs that offer high-quality arts learning and center the racial/ethnic cultures of youth-of-color participants. This conceptual paper describes the three components and the significance of CCYA programs in communities of color. We suggest areas for future research that support the deepening of this conceptualization and provide insights for arts programs that cater to the specific developmental needs of arts-interested youth in marginalized communities. Full article

Sport can serve as a powerful tool for community building, fostering inclusion, challenging intolerance, and advancing social justice. It also supports positive youth development and active citizenship. When embedded in local life and accessible beyond athletics, sport creates unique conditions for community development and inclusive action. Sport and equity-focused community development are about relationships. The perspectives and behaviors stemming from youth participation in sport—what they learn about human relationships, relationship building, and life skills—carry forward through time in all phases and facets of their lives. The Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA), Ireland’s largest amateur sporting and cultural organization, exemplifies this potential. More than a sports organization, the GAA plays a central role in Irish society, offering opportunities for people of all ages to engage in sport, fitness, and well-being, while actively contributing to community life. GAA clubs often function as local social hubs, creating spaces for connection across generations. This article uses the GAA as a case study to explore how sport can be a unifying and inclusive structure for community building. Specifically, we will (1) examine the link between sport, youth, and active citizenship; (2) explore connections between sport, community, inclusion, and social justice; (3) offer a historical and cultural overview of the GAA; and (4) consider how organizations like the GAA can support efforts around inclusion, tolerance, and sustainability. The discussion will highlight implications for future community programming and policy. Full article

This article presents a structured review of literature published between 2015 and 2025 on the experiences of rural LGBTQIA+ youth. Using targeted search terms—including “LGBT*,” “rural,” “country,” “young people,” “sexual and gender minority (SGM),” “small town,” “youth,” and “students”—a research team identified 26 peer-reviewed articles that met inclusion criteria. Through team-based thematic analysis, six core themes emerged: (1) gaps in intersectional analysis, (2) mental health outcomes, (3) culturally responsive services and resources, (4) community climate and context, (5) experiences of victimization, and (6) policy. Across these themes, the review highlights the resilience, agency, and strength of LGBTQIA+ youth navigating rural environments. The literature consistently demonstrates how experiences of victimization are closely linked to mental health outcomes, while access to social support—particularly from affirming adults in systems (such as schools)—can mitigate harm and foster well-being. Implications for social work research, practice, and policy are discussed, with an emphasis on supporting LGBTQIA+ youth in U.S. Southern rural settings. Full article

Strong competencies in actual motor competence (AMC) and perceived motor competence (PMC) support lifelong physical activity. However, assessing MC is time-consuming, requiring multiple AMC and PMC evaluations. Streamlining these assessments would improve efficiency at a national level. This study used machine learning (ML) classification to (1) identify AMC assessments that can be accurately predicted in an Irish context using other AMC and PMC assessments, and (2) examine prediction accuracy differences between genders. AMC was measured using the Test of Gross Motor Development (3rd Edition) and the Victorian Fundamental Motor Skills Manual, while PMC was assessed with the Pictorial Scale of Perceived Movement Skill Competence. Five ML classification models were trained and tested on an Irish MC dataset (n = 2098, mean age 9.2 ± 2.04) to predict distinct AMC assessment outcomes. The highest prediction accuracies (>85%) were found for the Catch (female and gender-combined subsets) and Bounce (male subset) AMC assessments. These assessments could potentially be removed from the current Irish testing battery for their respective gender groups. Our findings highlight the effectiveness of ML classification in optimising Irish MC assessment procedures, reducing redundancy, and enhancing efficiency. Full article

It is by now a common trope that youth climate activism has become a ‘global phenomenon’. Yet, it also has significant regional variations. This literature review analyses eighteen academic articles on the topic of youth climate activism in Asia. We found that the literature from Asia overall had ambitions to contextualise and nuance international scholarship on youth climate activism. This was achieved by emphasising social and cultural constructions of youth in different Asian contexts; by exploring inequality-related barriers for young people to enter into climate activism; by emphasising solidarity across classes and ages as a particular aspect of much Asian youth climate activism; and by showcasing the political restrictions in many Asian states, which inhibit (scholarship on) activism. We conclude that Asian avatars of youth climate activism have evolved in response to their distinct social, cultural, and political contexts, and that they challenge not easily transferable concepts such as ‘school strike’ and ‘future generations’. At the end, we offer suggestions for future research, including the need for going beyond desk studies when documenting discrete movements and for conceptualisations of youth climate activism that are inclusive of diverse contexts. Full article

Young people are frustrated and disheartened with the lack of adult leadership and action to address the climate crisis. Although youth representation in global, regional, and local decision-making contexts on climate change is steadily growing, the desired role and effect of youth in environmental and climate decision-making has shifted from a focus on having youth voices heard, to having a direct and meaningful impact on policy and action. To meaningfully integrate youth perspectives into climate policies and programs, intergenerational approaches and youth–adult partnerships are key. This paper explores strategies to support youth action and engagement as adult partners by investigating youth perspectives on what adults and adult-led organizations should consider when engaging young people in climate-related work. This qualitative research study introduces a revised version of the 7P youth participation framework, developed through focus groups with high school youth. This paper provides reflective questions and practical recommendations for participants engaged in youth–adult partnerships to help guide engagement beyond token representation and create meaningfully participatory conditions for youth agency in climate organizing spaces. Full article

The process of youth leaving residential care, for those who grew up in care, remains a global challenge. In South Africa, leaving care is complicated by the almost complete absence of aftercare support services, and a general lack of preparation for leaving care. This study aims to describe South African care-leavers’ views on how well they think they were prepared for care-leaving and what they believe could improve preparation for leaving care. This study is framed in resilience theory, to identify the interactional processes that facilitate better-than-expected outcomes. One-on-one qualitative interviews were conducted with 17 care-leavers, from both state-run and non-governmental residential care facilities. Grounded theory methods of data analysis were used. Participants identified both enablers of care-leaving (e.g., supportive relationships and early workplace exposure) and hinderances to their leaving care (e.g., overprotection and lack of family reunification services). This study concludes that more purposeful preparation for leaving care is required, with an emphasis on building youths’ capacity for interdependence, completion of education before leaving care, and ensuring family reunification work is done. Full article

The current article seeks to understand, and critically analyze the implications of, how youth custody workers understand the relationship between sport, physical activity, and health among youth who are incarcerated. Data was collected through surveys (n = 15) and semi-structured interviews (n = 16) with youth custody workers in Ontario, Canada. We present and analyze three themes emerging from participants’ narratives: the potential for sport and physical activity to contribute, in a holistic way, to the physical, mental, and social health of youth who are incarcerated; the possibility for sport and physical activity to create space for building “therapeutic alliances” between staff and youth, which can improve the mental and social health of youth who are incarcerated; and perceptions of health deficits among youth who are incarcerated and their implications for social inequality. Through an analysis of these themes, we deepen the limited scholarly analysis of sport, physical activity, and health among young persons who are incarcerated and connect these discussions to broader considerations of social determinants of health (that is, structural and social factors that create health inequities) as a matter of social justice. Full article

All too often, the Sport for Development (SfD) field minimizes talent development and competition in lieu of youth development. In this article, we deconstruct assumptions about what is important for young people who are marginalized to learn and experience as they grow up, along with the role of talent development and competition in an SfD intervention, by centering their stories. The young people featured in these stories experience marginalization because of their race, ethnicity, and parents’ country of origin (outside the United States), among other factors that play a role in their everyday lives, and yet their stories highlight the symbiotic relationship between talent development and youth development. Full article

Participatory action research (PAR) has been increasingly used in sport for development research due to its potential to challenge hegemonic forms of knowledge production within sport contexts. Drawing on the youth and feminist action literature, we explore the methodological and ethical challenges of conducting participatory research as young academic researchers collaborating with young coaches as community collaborators. This article calls for greater transparency in how researchers conduct YPAR, whether it is youth-centred or youth-led, and underscores the utility of a feminist lens and trauma- and violence-informed framework in grounding critical reflexivity throughout the research process. These contributions aim to advance ethically grounded, trauma-informed action research projects with young people in sport and physical activity settings. Full article