University Presentation Showcase: Graduate Division
Parks and Recreation Programs Changing The Lives Of At-risk Youth
Presenter Hometown
Louisville, KY
Major
MS Recreation and Park Administration
Department
Recreation and Park Administration
Degree
Graduate
Mentor
Michelle Gerken
Mentor Department
Recreation and Park Administration
Recommended Citation
Childress, Kenna, "Parks and Recreation Programs Changing The Lives Of At-risk Youth" (2023). University Presentation Showcase Event. 2.
https://encompass.eku.edu/swps/2023/graduate/2
Abstract
Parks and Recreation programs have helped support and improve the overall well-being of at-risk youth. Most at-risk youth reside urban neighborhoods that has issues of gang-violence, drugs, and other negative influence on youth. According to an article Youth at risk, most youth at risk have a greater deal of behavior issues with substance abuse, school failure and dropout, juvenile delinquency, and multiple types of mental health disorder like depression or anxiety. With national recreation programs like the Boys and Girls club of America, at-risk get to have the necessary access they have to after school recreation activities, summer camps, and mental health services. Due to various barriers at- risk youth have become less involved in parks and recreation activities resulting in hindering their well-being. It’s imperative that parks and recreation agencies continue working toward creating more opportunities for at-risk youth across all low-income communities year-round. With the on-going support of parks and recreation programs youth have more opportunities to gain necessary life-skills, build relationships, and have positive experiences beyond their communities nationwide. Implementing the correct programing and creating more out-reach opportunities will improve the decline of current at-risk youth’s involvement in parks and recreation programs. This research will investigate the on-going support and need for at risk youth engagement in parks and recreation organizations.
Keywords: Park and Recreation, communities, at-risk, youth, organizations
Presentation format
Poster
Parks and Recreation Programs Changing The Lives Of At-risk Youth
Parks and Recreation programs have helped support and improve the overall well-being of at-risk youth. Most at-risk youth reside urban neighborhoods that has issues of gang-violence, drugs, and other negative influence on youth. According to an article Youth at risk, most youth at risk have a greater deal of behavior issues with substance abuse, school failure and dropout, juvenile delinquency, and multiple types of mental health disorder like depression or anxiety. With national recreation programs like the Boys and Girls club of America, at-risk get to have the necessary access they have to after school recreation activities, summer camps, and mental health services. Due to various barriers at- risk youth have become less involved in parks and recreation activities resulting in hindering their well-being. It’s imperative that parks and recreation agencies continue working toward creating more opportunities for at-risk youth across all low-income communities year-round. With the on-going support of parks and recreation programs youth have more opportunities to gain necessary life-skills, build relationships, and have positive experiences beyond their communities nationwide. Implementing the correct programing and creating more out-reach opportunities will improve the decline of current at-risk youth’s involvement in parks and recreation programs. This research will investigate the on-going support and need for at risk youth engagement in parks and recreation organizations.
Keywords: Park and Recreation, communities, at-risk, youth, organizations
