What is youth development?

Youth development works to prepare young people to meet the challenges that come with becoming an older adolescent and an adult. Individuals who work in this field help children to achieve their potential. These jobs often involve creating experiences and activities to aid young participants in developing their social, emotional, cognitive, ethical, and physical competencies, such as having kids work in their community or plan events for themselves. In this type of role, you may work one-on-one with children and adolescents or host group events, depending on your employer, the program, and the kind of work that you do. You may also work with specific age groups, such as older teens or young children.