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Principles and practices of impactful nature-based positive youth development programs
Barry A Garst1, Michael Vanic1, Theresa N Melton1
1Clemson University, United States.
Abstract:
Nature is a profound developmental setting across life, and the youth development field has a critical role in leveraging affordances and maximizing the potential of nature. Youth programs are uniquely situated to advance youth connection with nature while also promoting prosocial outcomes that position youth to thrive. Framed by Hamilton's tripartite model of positive youth development, we highlight evidence-based principles and practices of impactful nature-based positive youth development programs, emphasizing the role of social interaction, direct experience, graduated nature access, escape, novelty, and outdoor leadership. These principles and practices have broad applications across formal and informal youth spaces. We discuss future directions to strengthen the theoretical underpinnings of bidirectional nature-youth developmental relations and associated practices across youth development settings.
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