Youth clubs do not foster risk takers

22 December 2009 2 mins read Jon Jolly Youth Work

I must confess to having been a bit worried about the results of the recent Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) report Risky Behaviour and Social Activities, as it seemed to suggest that those who attend youth clubs were more likely to be involved in risky behaviour such as fighting, shoplifting and vandalism.

The study looked at young people's involvement in risky behaviour during secondary school, the social activities they engage in, and how these may prevent or reduce risky behaviour. It found that young people who had a higher involvement in activities such as sports or attending youth clubs also had an increase in risky behaviour.

The sceptical explanation to these findings is that generic youth clubs actually foster and encourage risk-taking behaviour rather than reduce it. By socialising together, young people can have a negative impact on each other causing more of them to take part in risky activities. This negative interpretation could raise some difficult questions about the nature of youth clubs and how they are run.

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