Chapter 2: Understanding Youth AREA OF STUDY 2 YOUTH HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT

 Period of the human lifespan between the ages of 12 and 18 years  The transition between childhood and adulthood  Other words for youth include:  teenagers  adolescents  Early Youth: age years  Middle Youth: age years  Late Youth: age years DEFINING YOUTH PAGE 30-33

What experiences have you had so far that signify you are experiencing a transition phase from childhood to adulthood?

Many changes occur during youth, can you identify some of these changes?  The changes that occur as part of youth development can be grouped as:  Physical  Social  Emotional  Intellectual YOUTH DEVELOPMENT

Physical development during youth is rapid, including: – Change in size of bones and muscles – Change in height and weight – Sexual development Primary sexual development (sex organs) Secondary sexual development (other changes – e.g. hair, development of breasts and widening of hips in females, deepening of voice and broadening of shoulders in males) Activity 2.2 Questions 1-6 Activity 2.3 Questions 1-5 Homework: Read page and answer Activity 2.4 (pg 43-44) Questions 1-7 CHARACTERISTICS OF PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT PAGE 34-43

 An important part of youth development is forming social relationships  Peer-group relationships are critical as is establishing an identity and being accepted  Self-esteem is a key characteristic of youth development, how might positive self esteem develop in youth? What about negative self esteem? Activity 2.5 (pg 46) Questions 1-6 CHARACTERISTICS OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

 Occurs as an individual develops the capacity to think in broader terms, to conceptualise complex issues and to see how things are connected  Youth intellectual development is not only represented by academic success, how else might it be represented? CHARACTERISTICS OF INTELLECTUAL DEVELOPMENT

 The youth stage of the lifespan is characterised by individuals increasingly understanding their emotions  Emotional development includes:  Managing changing relationships  Meeting basic needs  Managing grief and loss  Coping with stress CHARACTERISTICS OF EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT