Magister Artium (Development Studies) - MA(DVS) / This thesis seeks to answer the research question, if and how youth-oriented empowerment trainings like the one of the Chrysalis Academy are able to contribute positively to the social integration of ‘youth-at-risk’. The theoretical framework as the basis for the empirical field research includes the key concepts ‘youth-at-risk’, ‘socialization/social integration’, empowerment and resiliency. Using socialization theories, Gidden’s sociological structuration theory and Amartya Sen’s approach of development as freedom, the researcher assesses the Chrysalis Academy’s empowerment training as an alternative socialization process that aims at developing ‘youth-at-risk’ into self-aware, resilient and integrated role models with expanded choices. The research methodology utilized is the case study, combining different quantitative and qualitative research methods as participant observation, questionnaires, face-to-face interviews as well as focus group interviews to evaluate the long-term impact of the empowerment training from the graduates’ perspective. The outcomes of the data collection and analysis confirm the hypothesis that the Chrysalis Academy’s empowerment training has a positive effect on integrating young people ‘atrisk’,also through the higher level of resiliency that enables them to cope better with their challenging environments. To sum up, the Chrysalis Academy presents a good practice example for empowering ‘youth-at-risk’, however, it still needs to improve its aftercare program for the graduates to achieve sustainable success.14. November 2008