Participants' Experiences of a Community-based Sport Program: a Vehicle to Positive Youth Development
Year: 2014
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Researchers assert that sport can be a context that enhances youth development. As a result, an increasing number of community sport programs have begun to incorporate life skills (Wenger & Foutz, 2010). However, formal evaluations of such programs are sparse and therefore little is known regarding the ir effectiveness. The purpose of this study was to examine the perceived impact of a barrier - free youth sport program. Results indicated that youth perceived PAL (Police Athletic League) as a program where they develop athletic skills (M=3.51), put forth effort (M=3.32), develop a sense of belonging in their community (M=3.12), establish diverse peer relationships (M=3.11), and learn how to take initiative (M=3.10). Results from interviews supported these findings as the themes that emerged detailed PAL as a fun, safe, and accessible environment that enables friendships to emerge, acts as a catalyst for the development of life skills, and facilitates the transference of skills to outside domains.
Authors: Corliss Bean, Tanya Forneris
Language: Spanish
Subfield: Developmental and Educational Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2172259967