This is for the parents of troubled teens or at-risk teens or problem teens, etc. .
Facing Life Sized Issues
Being a teenager today is risky business. Among the risks are alcohol and drug dependency, pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, and violence. Consequently, high risk acts may lead to single parenting, prolonged poverty, or physical danger.
The reality of the lives of youth are evidenced in statistics such as:
The firearm homicide rate for ten- to fourteen-year-olds more than doubled between 1985 and 1992 (Carnegie, 1995).
From 1980 to 1992, the rate of suicide among young adolescents increased 120 percent (Carnegie, 1995).
One in 15 teenagers say they currently use both alcohol and illegal drugs (Children's Defense Fund, 1991)
Almost 1.8 million teens were victims of violent crimes in 1988, and 3.2 million were victims of theft (Children's Defense Fund, 1991).
The problems facing youth are so immense, many adults throw up their hands in frustration. And in many communities, teens are written off as "unsalvageable by their schools (pp. vii, Children's Defense Fund, 1991)." Early adolescence, however, is recognized as the last best chance for communities to ensure that youth have the coping mechanisms in place to prevent their entry into high risk practices (Scales, 1996).
Answers to many complex societal problems are costly, but professionals are working diligently to discover solutions. In response to glaring statistics, politicians and others are calling upon families and community organizations to address human values. But even this does not represent a clear cut response. There is controversy over ambiguous definitions between what values to teach and whose values are taught.
This brief article uses comments made by 15 urban North Carolina youth, 14-17 years of age. Their collective comments address the issues that concern them the most. They were asked to respond to one open-ended question in a non-random sample. Their comments, gathered as part of a county teen needs assessment, provided the impetus for Extension youth professionals locally to begin to rethink their practices with adolescents labeled as "at risk" of failure in the social, economic, and educational world. Their responses to "What issues are youth facing today?" focused not only on issues of concern, but were sprinkled with concerns about growing up and being exposed to high risk environments.
Each youth comment is followed by examples of how a preventive or educational organization can recognize and respond to their expressed concerns. A programmatic framework -- based in the "caring" literature -- is offered. The caring framework can undergird training programs for adults working with youth in schools, families, and community organizations.
For the full articles on the subject summaries, click on link below.
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