Thesis (DEd (Education))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2017. / Many youth experience some form of identity crisis as they transition into adulthood. This crisis is amplified in the lives of many working-class youth who have to contend with heading households owing to the absence or death of parents and a socioeconomic context of poverty, lack of access to quality learning opportunities, unemployment and deepening inequality. A recent analysis of youth unemployment statistics in South Africa shows that at the end of 2016, at least 7.5 million youth were not in employment, education or training (NEET), with a large percentage residing in the Western Cape. The growing NEET numbers present a huge problem to youth, communities and the state, as youth who are not in employment, education or training have a greater propensity to become disengaged and disconnected from self, family and social, economic, political and cultural activities, further minimising their opportunities for growth and development. Despite the growing NEET numbers, there remains a paucity of research on credible and sustainable solutions to the NEET crises, including research that gives credence to youth voice and experience. The key purpose of the study was to explore youth experiences of a holistic approach to personal transformation as one particular programmatic approach or developmental pathway for vulnerable youth. The imperative is to explore ways of addressing the current NEET crisis and simultaneously deepen the theory and practice of youth development. The study used an ecological perspective as its theoretical framework that illuminated the influence of relationships and contexts on the development of children and youth. A phenomenological approach was chosen as it was deemed best suited to exploring and understanding people’s perceptions and experiences of a particular phenomenon. Narrative inquiry was employed as the methodological framework to explore the views of five youth respondents and their parents or guardians. Techniques to enhance the credibility and trustworthiness of the data included triangulation, which was effected through the collection of two sets of data, an extensive literature review and use of a reflective journal. The findings illustrate that a holistic perspective, as one particular philosophical and programmatic approach to personal transformation, has the potential to foster connection with self and family, enhance the psychological capital of young people and provide the impetus for them to remain on a positive developmental trajectory. The significance of a holistic approach lies in its ability to recognise and integrate all dimensions of their being into the learning process and meet a variety of needs as a result of their particular socioeconomic and psychosocial realities.

There is a rationale for investigating the impact of racism and discrimination on adolescents and young adults in the United States. Racist or discriminatory experiences within educational settings, as well as in their communities, place Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) students in a precarious position. This study examined potential factors related to high frequency of exposure to school-based racial and ethnic microaggressions, including: teacher cultural competence, school disciplinary structures, everyday discrimination, the race-related stress potentially associated with these experiences for BIPOC adolescents and young people, as well as mental health impacts. Through an online social media campaign, Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) ages 18-25 were surveyed (N = 287), recalling experiences in high school and society with racism, microaggressions, and discrimination. The study sought to identify predictors of school-based racial and ethnic microaggressions. While controlling for social desirability, findings showed how having experienced a higher frequency of school-based racial and ethnic microaggressions while in high school was significantly predicted by various factors, such as: (1) older age; (2) darker skin; (3) lower education; (4) less teacher cultural competence; (5) more discrimination; (6) less fair discipline; (7) greater race-related stress; (8) better mental health during the past year; and (9) higher drop-out rates or consideration of dropping out due to racism. Additionally, participants experienced moderate levels of depression, anxiety, and trauma in the past year due to race. The study provides future researchers with a set of measures for examining what BIPOC students endure in school settings, along with the frequency and impact of such encounters with racism, microaggressions, and discrimination. This research is especially useful for the fields of counseling and education, given implications for meeting the needs of BIPOC adolescents while they are in high school, in order to address their experiences with racism, microaggressions, and discrimination—and to prevent drop-out from high school. The needs of BIPOC young adults also need to be addressed, given evidence of an impact for young adults beyond their high school years from school-based racial and ethnic microaggressions—which are compounded by exposure to societal-wide racism, microaggressions, and discrimination.

This research set out to investigate the role that community radio can potentially play as a space in which young people engage with their own role as citizens and, in so doing, participate in discussions that seek to address social problems in a community divided by class, income, gender and race. The study examines how a local community radio station - Radio Grahamstown - developed a youth programme Y4Yin which the producers of the show and its audience came together to negotiate the meaning of citizenship. The study examines whether this interactive programme was able to function as something like a public sphere where in young people were able to develop a greater sense of agency, at least in the realm of citizenship. Using evidence gathered through focus group discussions with a group of young school-going leamers, interviews conducted with the producers of the show Y4Y, and drawing on Dahlgren's elaboration of a functional public sphere, the research concludes that the show provided a useful platform for Grahamstown high school students to develop their own notions of citizenship and to, at least partially and tentatively, build some 'bridges' across the vectors of socio-economic division in the town. However, the research also concludes that the Y4Y producers often failed to use a mode of address contemporary to the youth and often did not use production techniques congruent with young people's cultural tastes. This limited the programme's appeal and its potential as an enabler of discussion about notions of citizenship and as a platform for social bridging. In addition, because of the producers' control over the choice of topics put up for discussion, open interaction was more limited than could have been expected. In addition, the study also concludes that various limitations to the leamers' freedom of expression (including their fear that teachers might be listening in to the shows) inhibited the programme's role as a deliberative public sphere where issues could be aired, common ground found, and solutions discussed.

This research is based on a youth intervention organisation founded by the researcher in 1997. The organisation (Agape Copeland Train) is located in the Northern Cape. Youths’ contexts in the Northern Cape are fraught with psychological, social and relational problems, including violence, alcoholism, teenage pregnancies, depression, crime, poverty, and curtailed future prospects. An exploratory enquiry, informed by ecological and positive psychology, is undertaken. In particular, this research focuses on the (often neglected) perspectives of facilitators who work with youth. Exploration of how facilitators’ well-­‐being is impacted on whilst serving youth in this challenging context is undertaken. Interviews with facilitators yielded themes of positive transformation, including shifts in mindsets and positive affect. In addition, aspects of the organisation’s development, as relevant to the context of the research, are described and a model of youth facilitation This research is based on a youth intervention organisation founded by the researcher in 1997. The organisation (Agape Copeland Train) is located in the Northern Cape. Youths’ contexts in the Northern Cape are fraught with psychological, social and relational problems, including violence, alcoholism, teenage pregnancies, depression, crime, poverty, and curtailed future prospects. An exploratory enquiry, informed by ecological and positive psychology, is undertaken. In particular, this research focuses on the (often neglected) perspectives of facilitators who work with youth. Exploration of how facilitators’ well-­‐being is impacted on whilst serving youth in this challenging context is undertaken. Interviews with facilitators yielded themes of positive transformation, including shifts in mindsets and positive affect. In addition, aspects of the organisation’s development, as relevant to the context of the research, are described and a model of youth facilitation process, as developed by facilitators within the organisation, is presented. The researcher’s own experiences in the organisation (as director and as a facilitator) are reflected upon. Observations, incidents, and experiences are used as additional data sources. Facilitating vulnerable youth from an ecological systems perspective is an intricate, reflexive, complex and challenging process. / Psychology / MA (Clinical Psychology)

by Charles, Cheung Chi Wai. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1995. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 103-105). / Chapter Chapter One --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter I. --- Statement of Research Problem --- p.1 / Chapter II. --- Organization of Chapters --- p.2 / Chapter Chapter Two --- Theoretical Review and Research Agenda --- p.4 / Chapter I. --- The Background of the Formation of Subcultural Theories --- p.4 / Chapter II. --- Delinquent Subculture in America: Repudiation of the Middle Class Norm --- p.8 / Chapter III. --- Youth Subculture in Britain: Resisting the Middle Class Ideology --- p.12 / Chapter IV. --- Local Studies on Youth Subcultures --- p.16 / Chapter V. --- Criticisms on Subcultural Theories --- p.18 / Chapter VI. --- New Research Agenda and research method --- p.22 / Chapter Chapter Three --- Research Method and Procedure --- p.24 / Chapter I. --- Sample: 13 Prevocational School Male Students --- p.24 / Chapter II. --- Snowball Sampling --- p.26 / Chapter III. --- In-Depth Interview --- p.27 / Chapter Chapter Four --- Job Aspiration and Academic Pressure --- p.29 / Chapter I. --- "Ideal Jobs: Professionals, Managers, and Entrepreneurs" --- p.29 / Chapter II. --- Academic Pressure --- p.33 / Chapter III. --- Conclusion --- p.36 / Chapter Chapter Five --- Gradual Study Subculture --- p.37 / Chapter I. --- The Continuing Studies Strategy: Becoming Designers and Engineers During Mid-Twenties --- p.38 / Chapter A. --- The Continuing Strategy --- p.38 / Chapter 1. --- Full Time Technician Courses --- p.38 / Chapter 2. --- Part-Time Courses --- p.40 / Chapter 3. --- Repeating Form Five as the Last Resort --- p.40 / Chapter B. --- Reducing Academic Strain --- p.43 / Chapter II. --- Try One's Best Strategy at the School: Pass in Five HKCEE Subjects and a Good Conduct Record --- p.44 / Chapter A. --- Try One's Best to Study --- p.45 / Chapter 1. --- Paying Attention in Lesson --- p.45 / Chapter 2. --- Try One's Best to Do Homework --- p.46 / Chapter 3. --- Serious Revision for Examination --- p.48 / Chapter B. --- Try One's Best to Behave Well --- p.49 / Chapter 1. --- Following the Conduct Rules --- p.49 / Chapter 2. --- Performing School Services --- p.51 / Chapter III. --- Leisure Usage: Recreation --- p.53 / Chapter A. --- Improving Academic Knowledge: Subjects-Related Leisure --- p.53 / Chapter B. --- Refreshing Oneself: Sports --- p.55 / Chapter IV. --- Conclusion --- p.56 / Chapter Chapter Six --- Transitional Pleasure Seeking Subculture --- p.57 / Chapter I. --- The Working Experience Strategy: Becoming Managers or Shop Owners --- p.58 / Chapter A. --- The Working Experience Strategy --- p.58 / Chapter 1. --- Practical Working Knowledge --- p.59 / Chapter 2. --- Working Connections --- p.60 / Chapter 3. --- Form Five as Minimum Qualification --- p.60 / Chapter B. --- Reducing Academic Strain --- p.63 / Chapter II. --- Pleasure Seeking Strategy at the School --- p.65 / Chapter A. --- Seeking Pleasure by Academic Schoolwork --- p.67 / Chapter 1. --- Making fun in the Boring Lesson But Cannot Play Too Much --- p.67 / Chapter 2. --- "Copy, Postpone, but Never Neglect to Do Homework" --- p.70 / Chapter 3. --- "No Revision before Examination, but Cannot be Absent" --- p.72 / Chapter B. --- Seeking Pleasure by Violating the Conduct Rules --- p.72 / Chapter 1. --- "Lunch Time, Lessons Breaks, and Recess: Bringing Prohibited Articles, Throwing Chalks, and Fighting" --- p.73 / Chapter 2. --- Modifying the School Uniform --- p.75 / Chapter III. --- Leisure Usage: Diversion --- p.76 / Chapter A. --- Instant Humour: Comic Films and Comics --- p.77 / Chapter B. --- Sensational Violence: Comics and Films --- p.78 / Chapter C. --- Short-Term Success: TV Game and Football Match --- p.80 / Chapter D. --- Immediate Excitement: Spontaneous Leisure Activities --- p.82 / Chapter IV. --- Conclusion --- p.83 / Chapter Chapter Seven --- Conclusion: Rethinking Subcultural Theories --- p.85 / Chapter I. --- Rethinking Subcultural Theories --- p.85 / Chapter A. --- Inadequate Understanding of Alternative Social Channels --- p.86 / Chapter B. --- Inadequate Understanding of the Drive for Career Success of the Underachievers --- p.87 / Chapter II. --- Further Research on Upwardly Mobile Subcultures --- p.88 / Chapter A. --- Why Join a Particular Upwardly Mobile Subculture? --- p.89 / Chapter B. --- Underachievers at Work: Occupational and Leisure Life --- p.90 / Chapter III. --- Concluding Remarks: Limitations of the Study --- p.91 / Appendices --- p.93 / Bibliography --- p.103

University of Macau / Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities / Department of Communication

This research is based on a youth intervention organisation founded by the researcher in 1997. The organisation (Agape Copeland Train) is located in the Northern Cape. Youths’ contexts in the Northern Cape are fraught with psychological, social and relational problems, including violence, alcoholism, teenage pregnancies, depression, crime, poverty, and curtailed future prospects. An exploratory enquiry, informed by ecological and positive psychology, is undertaken. In particular, this research focuses on the (often neglected) perspectives of facilitators who work with youth. Exploration of how facilitators’ well-­‐being is impacted on whilst serving youth in this challenging context is undertaken. Interviews with facilitators yielded themes of positive transformation, including shifts in mindsets and positive affect. In addition, aspects of the organisation’s development, as relevant to the context of the research, are described and a model of youth facilitation This research is based on a youth intervention organisation founded by the researcher in 1997. The organisation (Agape Copeland Train) is located in the Northern Cape. Youths’ contexts in the Northern Cape are fraught with psychological, social and relational problems, including violence, alcoholism, teenage pregnancies, depression, crime, poverty, and curtailed future prospects. An exploratory enquiry, informed by ecological and positive psychology, is undertaken. In particular, this research focuses on the (often neglected) perspectives of facilitators who work with youth. Exploration of how facilitators’ well-­‐being is impacted on whilst serving youth in this challenging context is undertaken. Interviews with facilitators yielded themes of positive transformation, including shifts in mindsets and positive affect. In addition, aspects of the organisation’s development, as relevant to the context of the research, are described and a model of youth facilitation process, as developed by facilitators within the organisation, is presented. The researcher’s own experiences in the organisation (as director and as a facilitator) are reflected upon. Observations, incidents, and experiences are used as additional data sources. Facilitating vulnerable youth from an ecological systems perspective is an intricate, reflexive, complex and challenging process. / Psychology / MA (Clinical Psychology)

Thesis (M. A. (Social Work)) -- University of Limpopo, 2021 / Southern Africa encounters an exceptional international human mobility. Several studies view South Africa as a host country for a large number of immigrants, particularly migrant youth who come from other African countries. Upon their arrival in South Africa, studies show that migrant youth encounter a vast number of challenges such as being excluded from welfare services of South Africa. It is from this background that this study sought to explore survival strategies that migrant youth in Musina Town employ for their sustainability. This study presents qualitative findings on the survival strategies employed by migrant youth in Musina Town, Limpopo Province of South Africa. Ten migrant youth in Musina Town who are accommodated in shelters managed by churches were used as a case study and were purposively and conveniently selected to participate in the study. Data was collected through face to face semi-structured interviews and analysed thematically through the assistance of the Nvivo software. The resilience, neoclassical and network theories were used to guide the study. However, the resilience theory served as the over-arching theory of the study as it is more relevant and appropriate in explaining how migrant youth bounced back to normality after the hardships they experienced in South Africa. Findings reveal that bad economic conditions from countries of origin pushed young people to South Africa for better livelihoods. However, due to lack of funds, some crossed borders fraudulently for their survival. Upon their arrival in South Africa, findings further revealed that some migrant youth engage in criminal acts to make a living. It was also found that some migrant youth are involved in sex work to make a living. Social networking with their counterparts, street vending, cheap and exploitative labour were also found to be strategies employed by migrant youth for their sustainable livelihoods. It is thus concluded that migrant youth in South Africa are exposed to bad conditions upon their arrival in the country for their sustainable livelihoods. Findings also reveal various coping strategies that migrant youth employ to mitigate their exclusion from South African welfare services. Recommendations which include integrated intervention and future research are provided in this study

This study uses grounded theory method to explore how effective China's social policy in promoting social integration through an investigation of the social consequences of youth unemployment in Shanghai. Research questions include: What is the impact of unemployment on the social integration of young people in Shanghai? What are the roles of state welfare institution and family system in the influencing process? The results show that the unemployed young persons in Shanghai face the risks of social exclusion in their lives, such as, access to state welfare, economic condition, consumption, leisure activities, time structure, social relations, and life transition. The reason for the emergence of these risks is that the state gives the highest priority to system integration and shifts its unemployment protection obligation to the family without well-developed family-supportive polices to assure and promote the realization of the protecting function of family. Thus, under the current framework of social policy, family becomes the primary social institution to promote social integration among the unemployed youth. However, the realization of family protecting function is not automatic inevitable, but a negotiated consequence of the harmonic interaction among family economic resource, family structure, family obligation and family relationship. The failure of family support would make the young unemployed socially excluded. This study suggests that China's social policy should emphasize both system integration as well as social integration: establishing the social right value based upon fair reciprocity of rights and responsibilities, formulating family-supportive polices, and applying the perspective of "new social policy" to broaden the scope of social policy interventions. / 曾群. / 論文(哲學博士)--香港中文大學, 2005. / 參考文獻(p. 251-267). / Adviser: Ngan-pun Ngai. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 67-07, Section: A, page: 2756. / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. [Ann Arbor, MI] : ProQuest Information and Learning, [200-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. Ann Arbor, MI : ProQuest Information and Learning Company, [200-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstracts also in English. / School code: 1307. / Lun wen (Zhe xue bo shi)--Xianggang Zhong wen da xue, 2005. / Can kao wen xian (p. 251-267). / Zeng Qun.

Thesis (MPA (Public Management and Planning))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Swartland Municipality is situated in the West Coast of the Western Cape Province as one of the thirty municipalities in the province. Swartland Municipality, like other municipalities, is faced with socio-economic challenges such as crime, unemployment and low levels of education. although the unemployment rate is not so high when compared with some of the municipalities in the province, Swartland amongst other challenges is faced with the problem of access to tertiary education. As a result the agricultural sector dominates as the main economic activity. As part of the effort to address some of its socio-economic challenges, Swartland Municipality’s Youth Development programme was established in partnership with Umsobomvu Youth Fund and named Youth Advisory Centre (YAC). It was established mainly to uplift the living conditions of youth in Swartland by assisting them with career guidance advice, CV writing, and to start own businesses. To achieve this two officials were employed, one as Career Guidance Advisor, and the other one as an Outreach Officer. These two officials had the same duties but the Outreach Officer was appointed mainly to bring services to Swartland areas which are far from where the Youth Advisory Centre is located. However, to ensure that the programme achieves its goals, programme evaluation has to be carried out. Programme evaluation assists in determining the programme’s shortcomings and the areas that need improvement. In this study programme evaluation has been carried out to determine if what is planned gets implemented, and the extent to which programme plans are achieved. In doing so, the researcher used the YAC’s plans, reports, Swartland Municipality annual reports and held semistructured interviews with two senior officials of Swartland Municipality who are involved in the YAC and with the two appointed YAC officials mentioned above. These data collection instruments provided the researcher with the information on what the YAC planned and what it achieved from July 2006 to April 2009. The researcher analysed this data and found that not all YAC plans and reports were available and some contradictions existed in targets between YAC plans, the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between Swartland Municipality and Umsobomvu, and Swartland Municipality’s Annual reports. Despite these findings, it was found that the YAC plans correspond with the YAC results reported; therefore the YAC has been implementing its plans. Although the YAC did not meet all of its targets, the difference between the planned outputs and achieve outputs was not big. On the basis of these findings, the researcher recommended that there should be an integrated planning process to set up YAC’s performance standards and the YAC has to improve its performance in most of its key outputs, especially in supporting the youth in business development and opportunities. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Swartland Munisipaliteit is aan die Weskus van die Wes-Kaap Provinsie as een van die dertig munisipaliteite in die provinsie. Soos ander munisipaliteite, staar Swartland Munisipaliteit sosio-ekonomiese uitdagings soos misdaad, werkloosheid en lae vlakke van opvoeding in die gesig. Swartland staar, onder andere, die uitdaging van toegang tot tersiêre opvoeding in die gesig, alhoewel die werkloosheidsyfer nie so hoog is as dit met dié van ander munisipaliteite in die provinsie vergelyk word nie. Gebrek aan toegang tot tersiêre opvoeding veroorsaak dat die landbousektor oorheers as die hoof ekonomiese aktiwiteit wat die meeste van die mense in die Swartland gebied in diens neem. Swartland munisipaliteit se Jeugontwikkelingsprogram is in samewerking met die Umsobomvu Jeugfonds as deel van die inisiatief om van die sosio-ekonomiese uitdagings aan te spreek gestig en die Jeug Raadgewende Sentrum (JRS) het tot stand gekom. Dit is hoofsaaklike gestig om die lewensomstandighede van die jeug in Swartland te verbeter deur hulle by te staan met loopbaanvoorligting, die skryf van CV’s en om hul eie besighede op die been te bring. Twee beamptes is aangestel om hierdie doelwit te bereik, een as Loopbaan Voorligting Raadgewer en die ander as Uitreikbeampte. Hierdie twee beamptes het dieselfde pligte, maar die uitreikbeampte is hoofsaaklik aangestel om dienste wat ver vanaf die Jeug Raadgewende Sentrum geleë is, nader aan die Swartland areas te bring. ’n Evaluasie moet uitgevoer word om te verseker dat die program sy doelwitte bereik. Programevaluering het ten doel om die program se tekortkominge en die areas vir verbetering te bepaal. Programevaluasie is in hierdie studie uitgevoer om te bepaal of dit wat beplan is, geïmplementeer word, en in watter mate die program planne verwesenlik word. Die navorser het gebruik gemaak van JRS planne, verslae en Swartland Munisipaliteit se jaarverslae. Semi-gestruktureede onderhoude is met twee senior beamptes van die Swartland Munisipaliteit wat by die JRS betrokke is, en die bogenoemde aangestelde JRS beamptes gevoer. Hierdie data insameling instrumente het aan die navorser die inligting gegee oor wat die JRS beplan en wat dit vanaf July 2006 Tot April 2009 vermag het. Die navorser het hierdie data ontleed en gevind dat nie alle JRS planne en verslae beskikbaar was nie. Daar was ook teenstrydighede in doelwitte tussen JRS planne, die Oorenkoms Memorandum tussen Swartland Munisipaliteit en Umsobomvu en Swartland Munisipaliteit se Jaarverslae. Ten spyte van hierdie bevindings is daar bevind dat die JRS planne met die JRS resultate soos gerapporteer in die verslae ooreenstem, dus het die JRS hul planne geïmplementeer. Die JRS het egter nie al die doelwitte bereik nie, maar die verskil tussne die beplande en werklike uitsette was nie groot nie. In die lig van hierdie bevindings stel die navorser voor dat daar geïntegreerde beplanning moet wees om die JRS se prestasie standaarde op te trek, en die JRS moet hul prestasie in die meeste van die sleutel uitsette verbeter, veral in die ondersteuning van die jeug in besigheidsontwikkeling en geleenthede.