Increase Positive Youth Development & Resiliency Promotion

Goal

• Increase the percentage of all Alaska high school students who they feel comfortable seeking help from three or more adults if they had an important question affecting their life from 44.6% (2010) to 47% by 2020.
  Source: Healthy Alaskans 2020

The Adolescent Health Program has a vision where all Alaskan youth:

• Feel they matter in their community
• Feel that their teachers care about them
• Participate in supervised afterschool activities
• Volunteer in their schools or community
• Have three or more supportive adults they can turn to

Positive youth development is an approach, a way to think about young people, which focuses on their assets (capacities, strengths, and developmental needs) and not solely on their deficits (risks, negative behaviors, and problems). This approach calls for shifting attention away from a crisis mentality that concentrates on stopping problems, to developing careful strategies that increase young people’s exposure to positive and constructive relationships and activities that promote healthy, responsible, and compassionate choices. Adapted from A Guide to Positive Youth Development.

For an example of Positive Youth Development through Peer Education, please check out the digital copy of our Alaska Peer Education Program Guidebook.

• Measuring Positive Youth Development Toolkit
• ACT for Youth: Positive Youth Development 101 training

Current Positive Youth Development Resiliency Promotion programs in Alaska:

• Healthy Relationships Plus Program
• The Fourth R for Healthy Relationships
• Youth Alliance for a Healthier Alaska
• Positive Youth Development Publications & Resources