Looking through their eyes: an emic approach to community assets and strengths for African American youth

The goal of this study was to explore the community assets and strengths identified by African American youth that can contribute to positive youth development, taking into consideration the lived experiences and meanings for youth and their cultural characteristics. This study used a semi-participatory approach and a mixed methods design that included survey, focus groups and photovoice. The data obtained through each method was analyzed separately and collectively, in order to contrast and compare the different data sets. The findings suggest that some individual and community assets and strengths identified by African American youth were similar to other assets and strengths that other models of positive youth development and African American youth development have identified. The findings also suggest the dynamic function of some assets. The discussion focused on that dynamic function that some community assets have in moderating and/or mediating the presence and effect of other individual and community assets.

Author

• Elias Rodas, Dina M.

Identifier

hdl:10057/5129

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:soar.wichita.edu:10057/5129