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Best Practices for Youth Development and
Youth Health Promotion Programs

• Community and family ensure that the basic needs of young people are met: shelter, food, clothing, health care, physical and emotional safety.

• Promotion of sustained and caring relationships between young people and adults;

• These adults articulate, model, and reinforce clear norms about healthy behavior;

• Experiences that build competencies and confidence: the arts, sports, hobbies, outdoor adventures;

• Opportunities to take on adult roles and participate in the world of work: community service, paid employment, leadership activities, career awareness;

• Programs that assist young people in developing social and strategic networks--guidance on a path to a future;

• Comprehensive health care, including reproductive health care and mental health care.

• Comprehensive and developmentally appropriate information and guidance about sexuality and relationships. Curriculum provides examples of and practice with communication, negotiation, and refusal skills; it employs teaching methods designed to involve participants and have them personalize the information.

• Academic supports;

• Programs that reach young women and young men, and programs that promote interaction across class or achievement lines.

• Use of peer educators;

• Management practices:
— incorporating youth leadership into the design and evaluation of programs
— building capacity in community and persons;
— strategic planning;
— minimizing overhead and maximizing services;
— insuring accessibility of services, especially to those most in need;
— cultural competency;
— using clearly defined outcomes and evaluating program effectiveness.