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Sport and physical activity is often utilized as a tool for engagement within interventions designed to support wider social and personal change for marginalized young people. The implicit discourse that underpins such interventions is the assumed transference of skills, qualities, and attributes acquired and developed through sport to broader societal contexts. However, there is a scarcity of studies that have critically examined this relationship. By way of correction, the purpose of this article is to examine the concept of transferability and explore how sport-based interventions might enable marginalized young people to thrive in other life domains. More precisely, the article calls for a rethink on what skills, attributes, and qualities might need to be transferred from sport-based interventions, while also outlining suggestions for how transfer might be facilitated. As a context for this discussion, the article draws upon empirical insights derived from a study of a youth-focused, golf-based intervention delivered in the south–west of England. Specifically, the article examines how providing opportunities for its youth participants to accumulate various forms of capital (rather than specific skills or qualifications) supported transfer, in combination with a pedagogical approach that resonated with notions of critical pedagogy.

There is a growing movement in Canada towards youth homelessness prevention. One such response, called shelter diversion aims to move young people into safe and supportive housing as quickly as possible. The objective of this project is to assess how, and in what ways, shelter diversion operates and whether this intervention permanently or temporarily diverts youth from homelessness. Our project is grounded in principles of community-based participatory research including community/university partnerships and an advisory committee of lived-experience experts. Our team is utilizing mixed methods to capture the outcomes of diversion programs. Data collection began in September 2022 and ended in May 2024. Quantitative and qualitative data analysis is underway. Preliminary results show differences in how diversion is defined and implemented across organizations. There are also differences in staffing models and program budgets. The findings from this study will contribute to a recommendation for a national definition and adaptable program model for shelter diversion, easily accessible to support the expansion of diversion programs into youth-serving organizations across Canada. This study is the first in Canada to examine the effectiveness of shelter diversion as an early intervention strategy to prevent youth homelessness on a national scale.

Building on previous work examining the three central theoretical models driving the youth mentoring literature, the present paper presents an updated conceptual framework on how youth mentoring can equitably support health outcomes for young people, particularly minoritized or otherwise marginalized youth. Youth mentoring has been demonstrated to support positive health outcomes (e.g., mental health, well-being) for all young people, and has a growing literature base to match the enthusiasm in findings. The core conceptual models, however, had not been updated for nearly 20 years. This paper starts with the guiding values behind the updated model, including centering the pursuit of social justice, a recognition of structural oppression, and utilizing key modern theoretical bases (healing-centered engagement, a strengths-based approach, and community cultural wealth). Ultimately, this paper presents an updated conceptual model, outlining key aspects needed to support mental health for minoritized young people through youth mentoring, including building a foundational relationship, key mechanisms of mentoring, reciprocal benefits, and context-specific support.

Family characteristics and service barriers influence children’s access to health and social care. Systematic assessment of family service barriers may help practitioners in their efforts to support family engagement with needed services. To address this need, this study utilized data from a 12-week service navigation intervention to examine associations between family characteristics, service barriers, service need, and service access. Twenty-nine caregivers of youth under age 18 participated. Pre-test measures included a family demographic questionnaire, service barriers checklist, and family service plan. Post-test outcome measures were the type and number of services accessed in the family service plan. At baseline, participants reported an average of 10 barriers to care. The family characteristics, caregiver age, child age, and community group involvement, were associated with a greater number of service barriers. Over the course of the intervention, the service barrier “provider waitlists” was associated with an increased service access, while having a male child was associated with a decrease in service access. Results indicate families experience multiple service barriers and specific family characteristics influence service access. Systematic assessment of service barriers and consideration of family characteristics can assist practitioner efforts to support youth and family engagement with health and social care.

Abstract Studies on migration aspirations have provided fresh perspectives for two decades by focusing on the changing nature of aspirations, the aspirations-cap/abilities nexus, and by offering a counterpoint through the ‘aspirations to stay’. Building from these, this article proposes a model to explain the intensity and strength of (im)mobility aspirations, given that these can be strong and specific but also weak, mild, conditional, and even conflicting. To do so, I focus on the preferences to migrate or to stay by examining how the two dimensions of (im)mobility – the intrinsic and the instrumental – interact. I study the different emotions and thoughts attached to (im)mobility, how life and migration aspirations are intertwined, and the ways in which migration and stay aspirations can co-exist. In doing so, I differentiate between three ideal-type strengths of aspirations: harmonious, conflicting, and indeterminate aspirations. Harmonious aspirations capture strong convictions about what is more convenient: staying or migrating. Conflicting aspirations stress that both migration and stay aspirations can be concurrently present and equally strong. Indeterminate aspirations represent uncertainty or indifference about where to be. With this focus, the paper provides a simple approach to orient research beyond ideal-type categories by incorporating complex, often contradictory emotions. The paper draws on 37 qualitative interviews in two former mining regions in North-West Spain to advance theorization on migration aspirations and decision-making and to question if the division between migration and stay aspirations is clear-cut.

Abstract The relationship between feminist movements and racialised migrant women in Europe remains marred by the continued marginalisation of migrant women’s political claims in feminist struggles, despite the circulation of intersectional discourses within academic and activist circles. This article documents important spaces of experimentation which Black activists are creating within the Italian feminist movement to give voice to racialised migrant women without the mediating intervention of white feminists. Rooted in an understanding of the margins as a site of resistance, such efforts engage in practices of refusal and talking back to reclaim a Black epistemic identity which powerfully interpellates Italian institutions and feminist activists. Black migrant women demand the recognition not only of their inherent capacity to speak, act, decide, but also of their ability to articulate a political analysis and a political project to challenge the intersectional discrimination and violence they face. Their struggle centres work as a site of compounding gendered and racialised exploitation, thus carrying the potential to expand feminist thinking and action on reproductive labour, labour participation and equal pay.

Abstract Migration often impacts the mental and emotional health of those needing to move from their home countries. Studies have focused on migrants’ levels of distress or well-being, and recent research looks at older migrants’ experience with loneliness. What has yet to be researched is how different migrant groups experience loneliness, and how these feelings are affected by the contexts of leaving one country and reception in another. Drawing on the theoretical framework of integration, this article asks whether newly arrived refugees in Germany differ in their perception of loneliness from other newly arrived migrants. It examines these perceptions as related to social contacts and the context—and interplay—of exit and reception. Using OLS regressions with data from the Recent Immigration Processes and Early Integration Trajectories in Germany (ENTRA) project, we find that Syrian refugees have higher levels of loneliness than migrant groups from Poland, Italy, and Turkey. The difference is largely attributable to Syrians not having local German contacts, surviving traumatic experiences at home, and migrating specifically for physical safety. We also find that discrimination and not being in the labor force are determinants of loneliness across all four groups, and that even when considering migrant origins and other effects, having local social contacts lowers levels of loneliness. Our results point to migration policies, such as those related to family reunification and labor market access, for producing inequalities in loneliness between Syrian refugees and other migrants in Germany.

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This article identifies community-based alternatives to secure care being utilised in The Netherlands, Canada, Hawaii and Scotland. These countries offer ways to not only reduce or eliminate the need to deprive children and young people of their liberty in secure care but also reduce rates of child removal and alternative care placements. Secure care is the containment of children and young people, often subject to child protection interventions and residing in residential care, in a locked facility when they pose a significant risk of harm to the community and themselves. An admission to secure care exposes children to restrictive practices, such as seclusion, use of force and restraint. Jurisdictions have an ethical imperative, and often legislative obligation, to ensure there are less intrusive community-based supports available, which could be utilised instead of a secure care admission where possible. However, there is little research on what alternatives effectively divert secure care admissions. Hawaii, Canada, The Netherlands and Scotland demonstrate how countries can reduce the number of vulnerable children deprived of their liberty and exposed to restrictive practices by enhancing research linkages, responding to the voice of lived experience, and positioning secure care and alternatives within system-wide reform.

Despite the well-documented detrimental health effects of prolonged engagement in sedentary behaviors, children and adolescents spent a large amount of time with seated activities. The present study examined the association between participation in club sports and various sedentary behaviors during weekdays and the weekend in youth between 11 and 17 years of age. A total of 1225 (50.1% male) adolescents completed a validated questionnaire that examined sitting time in activities related to work as well as during leisure time such as screen use, reading, and listening to music in addition to sleep time. Participants spent an average of 12.7 ± 1.7 and 9.9 ± 2.0 h/day during weekdays and the weekend, respectively, in seated behaviors while they were awake. Club sports participants reported less time spent sitting (p < 0.01), which was mainly attributed to recreational activities (e.g., screen use, reading, listening to music). Sleep time during weekdays, on the other hand, was higher in club sports participants. Sex-specific results further showed that differences by club sports participation were more pronounced in girls compared to boys. Despite the potential beneficial effects of club sports participation, additional efforts are needed to reduce sitting time in adolescents as either group spent the majority of their time awake with sedentary behaviors.

Youth work has become a well-developed European field of activity in terms of structure and content, not at least since the adoption of the European Youth Work Agenda (2020). Through a meta-synthesis of three structural studies on youth work in Europe, this article provides three main considerations. Firstly, the article makes an analytical distinction between European youth work and youth work in Europe, thus clarifying the general concept of “youth work”. Secondly, this analytical distinction helps to systematise and classify the topics being dealt with by actors in the field of youth work: youth work as a European framework (role of European documents; transfer between levels; youth work in times of crises), youth work development at the national, regional and local level (youth work legal framework; funding; recognition, quality and professionalisation; innovations), and the multi-dimensional challenges of shrinking spaces for both young people and youth work (youth work as an independent field of action; shortage of skilled labour; austerity measures; young people moving away; rise of extremism). Thirdly, the discursive openings the different concepts and narratives of youth work can offer are outlined. In this way, the article hopes to contribute to the (further) development of youth work theory in Europe.

Transphobic and homophobic violence and discrimination within homes and housing programs lead many 2-Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (2SLGBTQ+) youth to find alternative, temporary, and insecure housing. These types of living situations are considered “hidden homelessness”. This study interviewed 2SLGBTQ+ youth (n = 6) and key informants (n = 12) who have experienced and/or who support hidden homelessness across three sites in Ontario (Toronto, York Region, and London). The results suggest experiences of hidden homelessness for 2SLGBTQ+ youth are nonlinear, with pathways driven by family conflict combined with the high cost of living and lack of employment, making independent living unaffordable. Additionally, youth avoid services where they experience discrimination and often experience social isolation. In rural and suburban areas, youth have fewer options for safe and inclusive services. When services are accessible, wrap-around supports that address the complexity of their situations help youth exit hidden homelessness. Prevention strategies should focus on addressing family conflict and supporting reunification when it is safe to do so. For those who are unable to return home, there is a need for increased financial support and more affordable housing. Building comprehensive population-based support services is recommended to address the overrepresentation of 2SLGBTQ+ youth experiencing homelessness.

Youth mentoring as a field of study has grown immensely in recent years, with hundreds of peer-reviewed research articles on the subject. A key driver of this interest is the demonstrated ability of youth mentoring to support positive mental health for minoritized youth. Three central theoretical models, published nearly twenty years ago, drive the majority of this body of research: the systemic model, the relational model, and the mechanisms of mentoring model. The present paper examines these theoretical models through conversation with their authors and presents their reflections and insights, the contexts in which these models were originally written, and the similarities and differences among them. By understanding the origins of these three influential theoretical models, what they center, and what they do not center, we can begin to consider the ways in which the body of work on youth mentoring is framed. Ultimately, these analyses and reflections outline future directions for the field and a forthcoming updated conceptual model of youth mentoring that centers issues of equity and social justice.

Young people must navigate intense socio-cultural pressures related to their self-presentation and appearance [...]

Young adults experiencing homelessness face multiple challenges and are often confronted with additional barriers stemming from adverse past experiences. Whereas youth homelessness rates appear to increase across Europe, our knowledge on its nature in Belgium remains limited. Based on recent local point-in-time counts on homelessness in Belgium (2020–2022) and a focus group (2022) to interpret these results, we examine the profiles of more than 2000 homeless young adults and distinguish between three distinct groups (youth care leavers, Belgians with no care history, and newcomers). Alongside the need for universal prevention, tailored interventions are crucial for each subgroup to address their unique needs.

This study investigated the 7-day recovery period post-soccer matches in elite male academy players. We analyzed changes in physical performance, stretch-shortening cycle capability, landing mechanics, muscle damage, and perceived well-being while also considering the influence of players’ maturity status, chronological age, and physical demands on post-match responses. In a prospective, observational, mixed longitudinal study design, twenty-six players (U14 = 14 [age = 13.9 ± 0.2 y, and U16 = 12 [age = 15.1 ± 0.2 y]) undertook testing at baseline (1 h pre-match), immediately post-match (0 h), and 48-, 72-, 96-, and 120 h post-match for measures in creatine kinase (CK), urea (UR), CMJ height, 20 m sprint time, reactive strength index (RSI), leg stiffness (LS), landing mechanics, and perceived well-being. Players were also tested pre [168-h] and post the subsequent match. Results showed significant alterations 0 h post-match in CK (+71.3%), UR (+12.8%), CMJ height (−5.3%), 20 m sprint time (+3.8%), RSI (−9.6%), LS (−11.5%), and perceived well-being (−7.7%), with landing mechanics being unaffected. All parameters returned to baseline at 48 h, except for CK and UR, which remained elevated until 168 h. The players’ initial scores influenced how they responded after the match during the week. In conclusion, coaches should focus on post-match strategies to enhance muscle recovery, especially for youth players with a lower training status, given the extended recovery period observed for muscle damage markers.

Prevention and early intervention have become part of the Australian policy discourse; however, the prevention and early intervention of youth homelessness remain significantly underdeveloped and underfunded in practice. Consequently, too many young people experience homelessness. This article presents the ‘Community of Schools and Services’ (COSS) Model as an innovative approach to the prevention of youth homelessness. The COSS Model is an Australian place-based collective impact approach that uses data gathered via population screening in secondary schools to identify and then support adolescents at risk of homelessness and also reorganizes the local support system available to vulnerable young people and their families. This paper is not the result of a research project. Rather, this paper presents the findings of the Embedded Development and Outcomes Measurement (EDOM) report, which is a feature of the COSS Model. This paper is limited to findings from the COSS Model implementation in Albury, NSW, known as the Albury Project, from 2019 to 2023. The Albury Project has demonstrated significant reductions in the risk of homelessness and entry into the local homelessness service system. Findings reveal that: (1) when COSS Model support is delivered to identified at-risk students, 40–50% of individuals are no longer at such high risk of homelessness 12-months later; (2) only 3–5% of students identified as at risk of homelessness and supported through the COSS Model sought assistance from local homelessness services in the following two years; and (3) the flow of adolescents (12–18 years) into the local homelessness services was reduced by 40% from 2019 to 2023. As an evidence-based, complex innovation, there are major policy, funding, and implementation challenges in scaling the model to multiple community sites.

This qualitative study utilized semi-structured interviews with 22 Indian youth climate activists (mean age = 19) from 13 cities across India to explore factors that sustain or detract from climate activism. Data were analyzed using reflexive Thematic Analysis. In addition to two gatekeeping factors (lack of family support and financial and job pressures) that may prevent youth from joining or cause youth to quit their climate activism entirely, this study identified factors that affected youth’s sustained climate activism: two detracting factors (negative interactions with government, and online and in-person bullying and harassment); four supporting factors (sense of community, internal motivations, seeing tangible achievements, and personal growth); and one factor (climate anxiety) with mixed effects on sustaining youth activism. Further, we describe ways in which youth holding minoritized identities, including lower-income, Muslim, and rural youth, had distinct experiences.

There is a lack of published research on the evaluation of academic success among student-athletes in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division 2 (D2) institutions. Our study focused on comparing academic performance and career prospects between student-athletes and non-athletes (traditional students) at a D2 university. A survey measuring academic and career-related variables was administered to 170 participants, with 92 (54%) being student-athletes and 78 (46%) being non-athlete students. Our findings revealed no statistically significant differences between the two groups in terms of study hours, grade point average, and academic motivation. Moreover, there were no disparities in declared majors, expected graduation timelines, and career aspirations. The academic performance of student-athletes was found to be similar to that of their non-athlete counterparts. Most D2 student-athletes did not foresee pursuing professional sports careers, highlighting the importance of academic achievement in their overall career objectives.

Abstract Applying nation branding literature and the work of Erving Goffman on dramaturgy to the situation of asylum-seeking children in Norway and in the UK, this paper develops a comparative framework for understanding why child rights appear to be de-prioritised in the current climate of ‘migration control’. The paper identifies historically grounded differential approaches towards child rights and children in the two countries, which currently appear to merge into a common trajectory of migration control, framed in terms of national security and economic productivity. It explores similar tensions in both countries between the discourses of national migration management on the one hand and children's welfare and rights on the other. It finds that universal rights which should protect the welfare of all children are limited and fragmented by ideas of nationalism and foreignness. Despite a more robust legal framework for child rights, Norway is on a similar pathway as the UK; a worrying indictment of how nations fulfil their obligations towards children.

Abstract This paper delves into interstitial practice, a phenomenon unfolding in the in-between spaces, with a specific focus on Caracas, Venezuela. It explores the complex relationship between space, art, and power, comprehensively analysing interstitial practice as a flexible resource shaped by diverse interests, thus empowering its political nature and impact on immediate surroundings. Through a multi-faced methodological approach, findings suggest that the institutionalisation of this practice near vulnerable areas becomes a focal point for political sources, emphasising the community sentiment to shape a collective urban identity. This research offers a foundational reference for understanding the dynamic interplay of territory, urban interventions, and power in urban contexts and provides profound insights into the transformative potential of in-between spaces in contemporary cities.

Young organizers are increasingly calling for social movements to center healing alongside activism as they build political power. Campaigns that solely focus on policy wins or base-building can lead to burnout and frustration. Sociopolitical action is more likely to be sustained if accompanied by experiences of care, belonging, and mutual support. Such an approach makes sociopolitical wellbeing central to organizing. Although the research literature has offered conceptualizations of healing, and compelling evidence of health-related outcomes, we still lack empirical examples of what it looks like for youth community organizing (YCO) groups to weave a commitment to healing into sustained collective action. Drawing on qualitative data from the Powerful Youth, Powerful Communities International Study on Youth Organizing, we define and demonstrate three interconnected healing-oriented values that foster what we characterize as sociopolitical wellbeing. The three values, which we illustrate via fieldnotes and interview excerpts, are collectivized care, spiritual activism, and freedom dreaming. YCO holds promising implications for supporting youth engagement in democratic movements for education, racial, gender, economic, and environmental justice.

The aim of this paper is to discuss how young Latinx men living in Australia negotiate, embody, and complicate existing dominant and racialized masculinities. Queer and feminist theories are used to explore how Latinx men negotiate and embody masculinities, sexualities, and being ‘other’ in a White dominant cultural context. These tensions were explored through semi-structured in-depth interviews and a creative visual method known as sandboxing with twenty-one Latinx men. Sandboxing aims to elicit conversation and allows for the reflection and sharing of a visual and symbolic representation of participants’ lives. The findings suggest masculinities are lived and embodied alongside negotiating racialization and sexualities. The fluidity of masculinities surfaces in participants’ reflexive engagement with masculinities and the nuances in negotiating and simultaneously reproducing gender binary norms. Participants’ careful negotiation in engaging with feminine culture led to developing the concept ‘feminine threshold’, a theoretical contribution offered in this article, in understanding how Latinx men negotiate masculinities.

Bullying is a social problem that usually increases during adolescence and can have serious consequences on the wellbeing of students. One of the members of the educational community that is most present in these situations is the teachers. This qualitative research aims to know the teachers’ perceptions about bullying among adolescents within the school environment. It was possible to deepen the experiences of 20 teachers by conducting semistructured interviews with open-ended questions. The results obtained indicate that education professionals have been bystanders to episodes of bullying among their students and that they opt for mediation between both parties (bully and victim) as an intervention measure. Teachers believe that bullied students tend to be young people with low self-esteem, introverted and sad. On the contrary, bullies are shown to be leaders with social support, egocentric, and with low empathy. The need to know the different perceptions and strategies used by teachers in situations of bullying among their students is discussed, with the intention of promoting resources and programs that can help them in this type of situation.

A total of 10% of children looked after in residential care in Scotland are aged 5–11. Although there has been a significant amount of information published about the care trajectories of adolescents in residential care, there is limited information about the experiences of younger children. In this paper, we explore the care trajectories and nature of care received by 5–11-year-olds identified as being in need of residential care. Our results show that younger children who enter residential care have significant trauma histories and experience significant levels of emotional and behavioural dysregulation that foster carers find challenging to manage, resulting in recurrent placement breakdowns. Residential care, particularly small-group-sized care that adopts social pedagogical and psychotherapeutic approaches, was considered beneficial for addressing the psychosocial and emotional needs of younger children. Despite these findings, there were concerns about the long-term use of residential care for younger children. Our results highlight that there is a need to improve access to paediatric mental health services for children in family-based placements. There is also a need to invest in better training and support for foster carers looking after children in severe distress. Community-based outreach services and in-home respite services provided by residential care teams are one way this could be achieved. Finally, in order to promote earlier and more timeous use of residential care, there is a need to shift societal views around residential care being a placement of last resort to rather being a place of recovery and healing that should sometimes be used as a placement of first resort.

In this paper, we draw upon a study exploring how COVID-19 and social isolation impacted young people’s (aged 13–18) experiences of online sexual and gendered risks and harms in England during nationwide lockdowns and upon their return to school. We explore the complexities, tensions and ambiguities in youth navigating algorithmised feeds on social media apps such as TikTok and content featuring idealised cis-gendered, heterosexualised feminine and masculine embodiment. Young people repeatedly witness hateful and abusive comments that are algorithmically boosted. We argue that this toxic content normalises online hate in the form of body shaming and sexual shaming, developing the concept of the postdigital to analyse the offline, affective, embodied and material dimensions of online harm, harassment and abuse. We also explore young people’s direct experiences of receiving harmful comments, including girls’ and gender and sexuality-diverse youth’s experiences of body and sexual shaming, as well as boys’ experiences of fat shaming; which, in many instances, we argue must be classified as forms of image-based abuse. Using our postdigital lens, we argue that the ways heteronormative, cis-gendered masculine and feminine embodiment are policed online shapes behaviour and norms in young people’s everyday lives, including in and around school, and that better understanding and support around these issues is urgently needed.

In this study, we identified differences in characteristics and circumstances, main presenting problems, and types of referrals received among young people who were in crisis, at imminent risk of homelessness, or currently homeless. This study draws on data from 11,566 young people who contacted the National Runaway Safeline (NRS) through the National Communication System (NCS), a federal program for young people at risk or experiencing homelessness in the U.S. and those who care for them. Frontline staff collect information directly from young people during crisis intervention engagement through the NRS. We used multinomial logistic regression analyses to predict membership in each of the homelessness risk categories and logistic regression analyses to predict the type of service referrals young people received. Results revealed that young people’s circumstances and presenting problems were associated with homelessness risk category membership, which in turn was linked with the types of service referrals young people received. This study illuminates valuable opportunities for targeting prevention opportunities to the specific needs of young people with varying levels of homelessness risk.

Most policies to combat gang criminal behavior are rooted in deterrence and punitive strategies. This is fueled by moral panic, a get tough on crime rhetoric, and a lack of understanding for the psychological factors that may influence this behavior. Further, the extant literature has consistently observed that gang membership is associated with increased criminal behavior. In an effort to promote and shift away from punitive approaches in response to gang delinquency, the current study investigates the role psychopathic traits have in violent and property offending, longitudinally, in a sample of gang-involved youth. The study implemented count mixed effect models to investigate the topic longitudinally in waves 3, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11, while controlling for other variables with violent and property offending frequency. The current study found that some psychopathic traits are associated with offending behavior, longitudinally, in gang members and youth with a history of gang involvement. The findings suggest that gang intervention strategies should include empirically supported programs for treating psychopathic traits in gang identified youth to reduce involvement in delinquent behavior. Further, practitioners, researchers, and policymakers should collaborate to develop more empirically supported strategies to reduce and prevent gang delinquent behavior from an empathetic lens.

Throughout history, Black women have taken their unique lived experiences to make changes through civic behaviors. At the same time, they hold a complex position in society, located at the intersection of multiple marginalizing identities that put them at risk of experiencing distinct forms of discrimination. To date, little research has examined the patterns of Black women’s civic behaviors and associations with discrimination experiences and well-being. This may be particularly salient during emerging adulthood, a key period of sociopolitical development and increasing mental health problems. The current study seeks to address this gap, drawing from theories of intersectionality and sociopolitical development. Participants included 103 emerging adult Black women (Mage = 24.27, SD = 2.76) with a range of civic experiences. Overall, anti-racist action was the most prevalent domain of civic behavior. Participants were about twice as likely to engage in traditional political behaviors (e.g., signing petitions, giving money) than political protest. Latent class analysis was used to identify three unique subgroups of civic behaviors: Stably Committed, Traditionally Engaged, or Low Engagement. Findings also showed that emerging adult Black women classified as Stably Committed experienced more discrimination and higher depressive symptoms. The current findings inform the creation of safe spaces for emerging adult Black women to be civically engaged as they navigate racism and sexism and take action to seek racial justice.

European identity among youth remains under-studied despite having the potential to promote inclusive benefits. Through a rapid evidence assessment (REA), this paper addresses two aims. First, it synthesises definitions of European identity among children, adolescents and young adults through thematic analysis, and summarises measurements. Second, it summarises the constructs associated with European identity among youth, providing a broad overview of existing research. Based on thematic analysis, European identity is operationally defined as a complex identity with which youth may choose to identify, uniting people based on a diverse range of factors but acknowledging the diversity of national roots and, in turn, affording benefits due to the sense of belonging it provides. School-based interventions and curricula, knowledge about Europe and the EU, political trust, benefits of the EU, and cross-border experiences, along with enhanced intergroup attitudes and civic engagement, are associated with stronger European identification. Avenues for future research are identified, including the need for a developmentally appropriate measure of European identity, the investigation of its relationship with other constructs, and exploring the potential of curricular interventions to promote the inclusive aspects of European identity on a national scale, particularly among younger pupils.

Several youth volleyball tournaments are played across multiple consecutive days with athletes averaging 3–4 matches/day. This study evaluated the differences in workload of female youth volleyball athletes across days and by position during multi-day tournaments. Athletes (n = 22, 16.4 ± 0.4 years) wore an accelerometer during 12 two- and three-day tournaments. Workload was measured via kinetic energy (KE, J/lb), total jumps (TJ), high jumps (HJ, >51 cm), average jump height (cm), and percentage of high stress movements (%) via VERT accelerometers. Data were analyzed across days and by position as an average per day and analyzed via repeated measures analyses of variance. Across days, workload averages ranged 484.8–558.0 J/lb for KE, 27.3–31.2 TJ/match, 37.5–37.9 cm/jump, 5.2–6.5 HJ/match, and 20.1–20.7% high stress movements/match, with no difference (p = 0.300). Setters (49.2 ± 24.3 jumps) jumped more than liberos (13.0 ± 6.8 TJ, p = 0.005), and middles (45.8 ± 4.1 cm) jumped higher than all other positions (setters: 28.8 ± 3.6 cm, outside hitters: 41.3 ± 4.2 cm, and liberos: 27.0 ± 4.1 cm, p = 0.000–0.044). Athletes appeared to perform and recover sufficiently between days of play such that their external load was not affected. The level of competition tends to become more evenly matched as the tournament progresses, thus there may have been less physical demand early in the tournaments due to unequal competition levels compared to the final day of the tournament.

Abstract The creation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam is indicative of the sharpening tensions surrounding citizenship, belonging and integration in India. Officially aimed at demarcating the “legitimate citizens”, its implementation is believed to have resulted in the partial exclusion of the so-called “Doubtful Voters” and denationalisation of the “illegitimate residents”. These frictions associated with citizenship identity and rights are nowhere as acute as in the northeastern Indian state of Assam, where measures of retroactive revocation, administrative erasure and withdrawal of citizenship rights have been systematically deployed against religious and linguistic minorities. Using new research with some NRC rejected applicants in western Assam and other materials, this article identifies the central aspects of the implementation gap in the crucial, albeit problematic task of locating the rightful “Assamese-Indian” citizens. Linking our work to the idea of the ‘process is the punishment’, we conceptualise these conspicuous inconsistencies in the NRC citizenship determination processes and their results as the “punitive gap”. We have identified the distinctive contours of this gap in terms of the massive economic costs, intensification of social (including gender and religion-based) inequalities, increased control through social suspicion and unpredictable outcomes for the marginal Miya Muslim community. The article highlights how this punitive gap has constantly eroded key components of due process, of procedural and substantive protections of the rights of individuals, during the NRC determination exercise and after the release of the final draft list.

Abstract Since the late 1990s and early 2000s, in what can be called an ‘integrationist wave’, standardised integration requirements for naturalisation have become increasingly common in Europe. To examine the impact of such measures, I combine original ethnographic data on institutions involved in the implementation of citizenship policies in Belgium and the UK with a qualitative meta-analysis of existing ethnographic studies of the implementation of citizenship policies. I show how, in addition to introducing new obstacles to naturalisation, standardised requirements have also reduced the discretion inscribed in earlier procedures, albeit not uniformly across different cases. The integrationist wave could thus be understood not simply as the introduction of restrictive notions of integration, but also as the systemisation of earlier evaluation practices. I further show signs of a more recent tendency for states to retreat from examining the integration of candidates to citizenship, outsourcing the evaluation directly or indirectly to private actors.

Abstract This study aims to obtain a composite index characterizing Bulgarian districts about their creativity by presenting results for the pre-pandemic. The composite index developed by Rodrigues and Franco (2019), use of quantitative method and multivariate statistical techniques have been used to answer this objective. From the data gathered primarily from NSI- The National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria, the results show that creativity is one of the pillars of economic growth, and financial resources and local and foreign investment for its development are still very limited. The government and cultural organisations supported initiatives to showcase the country's cultural diversity and historical significance. The creative sector, including design, arts, media, and technology started to be seen as a driving force for the country's economic growth. Startups and creative entrepreneurs are increasingly gaining weight, which has led to the creation of creative centers, and co-working spaces. Therefore, this study contributes to the intelligent application of creative cities’ ideas in the creative industries and contemporary cities’ management.

Abstract This study focuses on the impact of three attributes of migrants – their reasons for migration, religion, and level of religiosity – on public support for allowing migrants to come and live in Israel. We rely on a factorial survey that was conducted in a representative sample of the Israeli Jewish population analyzing the assessments of 600 respondents of various vignettes (N = 3,595) of hypothetical migrants about admitting them to the country. The findings reveal that Israeli Jews do not evaluate all immigrant groups equally. Preferences for specific groups of migrants are primarily structured along two main attributes: religion and reasons for migration. The result is a hierarchical distinction between immigrants of Jewish ancestry and those who are non-Jewish. Jewish repatriates are perceived as “deserving migrants” who can make legitimate claims about belonging to the host society. As such, they enjoy an ethno-religious premium based on ancestral rights. By contrast, there is less support for the entry of non-Jewish migrants, whether asylum seekers or labor migrants, as their presence is viewed as a threat to the Jewish character of the state and the hegemony of the Jewish majority. The impact of the immigrants’ attributes on attitudes varies based on the level of religiosity of the Jewish population, especially in the case of non-Jewish migrants. Support is stronger in the case of secular respondents and much weaker among their more religious counterparts. The findings are discussed in light of existing theories.

Abstract Land use evaluation and capacity assessment for sustainable urban development in Ahvaz city has become crucial due to rapid urban expansion negatively impacting current and future development. Urban population growth and resource demands have led to a decline in environmental quality. Over the past decades, Ahvaz has identified potential areas for future expansion until 2030. This study assesses the city's physical expansion and spatial development patterns, aiming to identify optimistic future development scenarios. Emphasizing balanced and equitable development, the study focuses on suitable areas, environmental preservation, pollution reduction, and mitigating urban hazards . Various factors, including land use, soil type, vegetation density, landform, groundwater level, geology, and distances from railways, industries, roads, hinterland cities, water networks, faults, and the city itself, are considered. Three decision-making methods—logic, Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP), and integrated Fuzzy-AHP—are applied to map urban physical development. Fuzzy logic, AHP models, Expert Choice, Arc GIS software, and a land fit zoning map are used for data analysis. The AHP assesses the factors' relative importance, followed by standardization based on fuzzy set theory. Criteria factors are then combined using AHP and fuzzy logic to generate a land suitability map. The study identifies five zones for Ahvaz's future development—very high, high, medium, low, and very low—based on their physical expansion potential. The third scenario, supported by maps, indicates favorable conditions for future development in the northwest and southwest zones, considering environmental characteristics, infrastructure, and land continuity.

Abstract This study investigates the role of migration background in the saving behavior of youth, with a focus on immigrant generation, national origin, and the influence of cultural and socioeconomic factors. Drawing on a nationally representative dataset of over 28,000 secondary school students in the Netherlands, we employ binary logit models to analyze two dimensions of saving behavior: the likelihood of saving money and the propensity to use bank accounts for savings. Our findings reveal significant disparities in saving behavior among immigrant and non-immigrant youth. Migrant youth are less likely to save overall, and when they do, they exhibit a reduced inclination to use bank accounts for their savings. Furthermore, the study uncovers nuanced patterns within the immigrant youth population. First-generation immigrant youth display lower levels of saving and bank account usage compared to their second-generation counterparts, particularly to those with one foreign-born parent. Distinct national origin effects are observed, as Turkish and Moroccan youth exhibit reduced likelihoods of saving, particularly through bank accounts, compared to Surinamese and Dutch Antillean youth. The results also indicate that the disparities in saving behavior across migration background, immigrant generation, and national origin are partly explained by socioeconomic and cultural forces. Socio-economic status and parental education emerge as key determinants, with higher parental socio-economic resources and education levels positively associated with youth saving behavior and bank account usage. Additionally, religious affiliation, particularly among Muslim youth, contributes to variations in saving behavior due to the prohibition of interest-bearing transactions.

LGBTQIA+ youth often face stigma from society as they develop their personal identities. In the United States, legislation has recently been focusing on reducing protections in schools for queer youth and limiting access to resources like gender affirming healthcare. Youth have increasingly been targeted for identifying as queer and have experienced verbal and physical violence for expressing their gender identities. Research links stigmatization with increased mental health and substance use problems. However, there is limited information on how stigma experienced during adolescence may continue to impact young adults over time. Using a qualitative retrospective framework, LGBTQIA+-identified undergraduates (N = 8) at a 4-year university participated in one-hour virtual focus groups. Data were recorded and anonymized using individual participant codes with names of people or places removed from transcripts. Students were asked to reflect on their experiences as queer youth in secondary school including access to resources; interactions with teachers, staff, and peers; recommendations for supporting LGBTQIA+ students; and personal coping skills. The researchers used a thematic analysis to examine key issues students raised. Results provide insight into the challenges LGBTQIA+ youth face and highlight the strengths of these college-age young adults.

Cases of historical and contemporary social movements suggest that among activists, reading texts together is a valuable learning experience. However, less research exists on the specific texts youth activists seek out in their work and the role these texts play in shaping their understanding of themselves as activists. Drawing on Rudine Sims Bishop’s classic formulation of books as mirrors, windows, and sliding glass doors, this study explores the under-appreciated role texts may play in drawing young people to activism and shaping their identities as activists. Coupled with interview data from six youth activists engaged in the climate justice movement, survey data from 237 self-identifying youth activists suggest that the texts youth activists name as influential serve a “through the looking glass” function: they often reflect problematic aspects of the social world and one’s place within it, while also revealing new and aspirational roles readers might take on to address social problems. The texts the youth identified as influential were diverse; there were few commonalities among titles, underscoring the importance of ongoing access to a broad range of reading materials. Ultimately, findings suggest that texts work to bind together the various internal and external, micro, meso, and macro influences that collectively shape youth activists’ narratives of becoming.

Abstract COVID-19 has dramatically affected financial markets, economies, and societies worldwide and exposed pre-existing inequalities in cities. This work aims to understand the inequalities in some cities worldwide, their reasons and circumstances, and impacts to drive lessons for future prevention, intervention, and post-catastrophe/ hazard plans such as COVID-19 that would raise resilience and decrease damages. Six major cities were included in the analysis and contrasted based on specific assessment criteria. The study included the impact of the pandemic on the economy and the government's responses global crisis. Additionally, newfound measures and technologies developed to control the hazard, including the community's response and cooperation to solving the issue were explored. The outcomes of this work shed a light on problems to be addressed in the future towards enhances the resilience of cities pre- and post- global crisis. Through the comparisons made in this paper, conclusions regarding the cities' successful combat against COVID-19 were drawn. According to the comparative analysis, it became apparent that poverty, culture, and governance are primary factors that control the success of states under emergency. Moreover, it is understood that technology is a significant factor in combating pandemics and health emergencies as large as COVID-19, especially for tracking and monitoring.

Abstract The massive increase in labor migration to the Middle East during the past three decades has rivaled its historical trends bound to the West. This paper assesses how this growing trend of migration may have helped shape the economic structure and performance across the member countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council. Findings from a descriptive and time series regression analysis of the limited cross-country data show that the experience with labor migration and its linkage with other aspects of the economy are varied. The migration trend coinciding with increasing personal remittances attests to the competitive demand for foreign labor. While labor migration shows mixed association with the key aspects of the economy, the stock of migrant population is negatively associated with economic growth. Albeit seemingly contradictory, the insights from this six-country analysis covering the periods since 1990 are useful to understand the complex nature of relationship between labor migration and economic structure and performance in the region.

Youth homelessness presents a complex and persistent challenge worldwide, particularly affecting young adults between 16 and 24 years of age in the US and Canada. This population faces elevated risks of exploitation, victimization, and various health issues upon detachment from familial support structures. Understanding the multi-faceted nature of youth homelessness requires the consideration of individual, structural, and systemic factors within the socio-ecological model. Historically, when examining youth homelessness, traditional methods have concentrated either on individual factors contributing to homelessness or on broader structural issues within society. The emergence of the new orthodoxy attempted to bridge the apparent gap between individual- and structural-level factors by considering both to be equally significant, but it faced skepticism for its theoretical framework. In response, the “pathways” approach gained traction, emphasizing the subjective experiences and agency of youth experiencing homelessness. Departing from conventional epidemiological models, the pathways approach views homelessness as a dynamic process intertwined with individual life contexts. This paper navigates the scholarly discourse on youth homelessness and examines the distinct characteristics of the pathways approach. By exploring its implications for research and policy, this study contributes to a nuanced understanding of youth homelessness and informs future prevention-focused interventions.

Dyslexia is classed as a neurobiological difficulty and is referred to as a Specific Learning Disability (SPLD) that primarily affects reading, writing, working memory (WM), and organisational skills. Positive psychology interventions (PPIs) have been found to increase self-esteem, self-efficacy, and confidence and lower anxiety among students with dyslexia. Therefore, to summarise the current evidence on PPIs, a narrative review was undertaken. The review synthesised the findings from six studies that investigated PPIs for dyslexic individuals across various education settings. Four key themes emerged: (1) characteristics and effectiveness of PPIs, (2) level of education, (3) gender differences, and (4) PPIs differences in Western and Eastern countries. The analysis revealed that group interventions in secondary schools positively impacted self-esteem and social skills among dyslexic pupils, while the efficacy of sunflower therapy for dyslexic children showed inconclusive results on academic performance but potential psychological benefits. Socioemotional wellbeing programmes for dyslexic children yielded mixed outcomes, with temporary increases in self-esteem post-programme. Mindfulness meditation demonstrated promise in improving reading accuracy and attention functions in adults with dyslexia. Positive psychology group interventions effectively enhanced subjective wellbeing, academic self-concept, and achievement among dyslexic children. Early interventions showed promise in improving coping strategies, perceived control, and overall wellbeing among students with dyslexia. This review highlights the potential benefits of diverse interventions across different educational settings, emphasising the importance of early support and targeted interventions for individuals with dyslexia.

Scholars have documented positive and negative relationships between adolescents’ critical consciousness and mental health. This study aims to clarify the role of friendship networks contributing to these associations. Using egocentric network data from a nationwide adolescent sample (N = 984, 55.0% female, 23.9% nonbinary, 72.7% non-white), regression analyses examined whether adolescents’ psychological distress and flourishing were predicted by their friend group’s average critical consciousness and the difference between adolescents and their friends on critical consciousness dimensions (sociopolitical action, critical agency, and critical reflection), accounting for network and demographic covariates. Higher friend group critical consciousness positively predicted flourishing, and higher friend group sociopolitical action negatively predicted psychological distress. Adolescents who participated in sociopolitical action more frequently than their friends had higher psychological distress and lower flourishing. Those with higher agency than their friends had lower flourishing. At the individual level, adolescents’ sociopolitical action predicted higher psychological distress and flourishing, critical agency predicted higher flourishing, and critical reflection predicted higher psychological distress and lower flourishing. Adolescent mental health is uniquely related to their friends’ critical consciousness. Findings highlight the utility of social network analyses for understanding social mechanisms that underlie relationships between critical consciousness and mental health.

Young adulthood is an important developmental milestone during which individuals could greatly benefit from health promotion tools. Civic engagement has been linked with positive mental health and well-being; however, little is known about civic behavior among young adults who do not attend college. We investigated the relationship between civic engagement and well-being among non-college-bound young adults (NCYAs). Investigators conducted semi-structured focus groups and interviews with 14 young adults (aged 18–25 years old) who were not enrolled in college. Using qualitative thematic analysis procedures, coders defined five key themes within the data pertaining to the intersection of civic engagement and mental health: (1) experiencing, witnessing, and believing in the fruits of civic engagement labor; (2) managing emotions and conflict; (3) balancing individual needs with those of the collective; (4) garnering social connectedness and support; and (5) acting in alignment with values. Participants described complex, bidirectional relationships between civic engagement and well-being. Participants experiencing empowerment and political efficacy resulting from their civic engagement experiences reported greater well-being. Some participants used civic engagement as a strategy to cope with distressing emotions, while others were civically disengaged to avoid conflict and negative affect. Participants described the need to attend to personal needs first before engaging in actions to help the collective. Connecting with others was a notable promoter of well-being among those who were civically active, although negative peer influence was also a notable detractor. Finally, participants described strong value systems and identities related to civic engagement. Civic engagement can elicit both positive and negative emotional, psychological, and social well-being. The results underscore potential mechanisms that mediate the civic engagement to well-being pathway, which can be used to inform efforts to engage and retain NCYAs in civic engagement. Interventionists should cultivate strong coping and conflict management skills among engagers to manage difficult emotions that arise before, during, and after civic activity if health outcomes are to be achieved.

In recent years, girls and young women have become particularly visible as leaders of activist campaigns and social movements. Drawing on data collected from an ACLU summer program for youth activists and advocates, this study explores the costs and benefits cisgender girls incur as a result of their activism. The findings reveal that although girls report more benefits than costs overall from their activism, the costs are correlated with the number of marginalized identities they hold. Queer Black girls report the greatest overall costs from their activism, and queer Multiracial girls report the highest rates of burnout. Queer White girls report significantly greater overall costs and problems as a result of their activism than heterosexual White girls, more burnout than heterosexual Black girls, and more empowerment than heterosexual Latinas. Informed by intersectionality and the PVEST framework, implications for supporting the sociopolitical action of girls with different social locations are discussed.

This article explores the experiences of young people navigating an evolving system of housing and homelessness services in Vancouver, Canada. Despite recent shifts toward Housing First policies and calls for prevention-oriented initiatives, many young people continue to rely on temporary emergency accommodations. Amid a surge in youth homelessness and unstable housing in Vancouver, our study examines young people’s “homing” strategies across time and place and temporary and more permanent living environments. We draw from an ongoing ethnographic study that began in 2021 and has involved over 70 interviews and 100 h of fieldwork with 54 young people aged 19 to 29. Our findings emphasize that feeling at home extends beyond having a roof over one’s head for an extended period of time. A focus on homing strategies—that is, the day-to-day practices, routines, and forms of sociality that generate a sense of stability and care even in un-homelike places—highlights how young people can be better supported in making themselves at home in the places where they live, potentially preventing returns to street-based homelessness. This study contributes insights to youth homelessness prevention policies, urging a strengths-based approach that aligns with young people’s needs, priorities, and desires for homemaking.

The primary research question driving this paper is the following: “What are the schooling experiences of young people who are at risk of or experiencing homelessness?” Through interviews with 28 young people in two cities in Ontario, Canada, the authors identified several common experiences, including the following: lack of available information that could help them cope with their housing difficulties; prejudice and bullying from other students, sometimes stemming from their housing problems but also due to factors such as racialization, gender identity, poverty, and substance use; and individual support from some teachers and support staff, although this was dependent on being in school. They proposed changes to help young people still in school, including the inclusion of non-judgmental information and guidance on dealing with poverty and homelessness in school curricula, educating school staff about the ‘symptoms’ of homelessness to help them identify students at risk, and creating more safe and supportive school environments overall.

Youth homelessness represents a persistent and significant challenge for service sectors with limited best practice guidance. Housing supports, in particular, are widely deployed, with the practice-oriented literature providing little detail regarding service design beyond broad domains such as employment support and life skills coaching. The present multiple case study investigation was designed to develop a preliminary understanding of the guiding principles that attend the development of interventions that support youth exiting homelessness in the Canadian context. These case studies were conducted with a diverse group of five organizations recognized as sector leaders, with findings considered in light of practice standards from the better-established adult housing literature. Key findings with respect to service models included the strategies used to provide flexible, culturally responsive, tailored services with an emphasis on specialist support. Implementation factors included the navigation of strategic partnerships, the use of data in capacity-building, and the benefits and drawbacks of larger, centralized service environments versus smaller, dispersed environments. Youth-specific considerations in housing stabilization models are highlighted. This work contributes to a growing body of literature that seeks to articulate best practices in the effort to address and prevent youth homelessness.

Amidst the global discourse on the provision of low-income housing, there has been a growth in studies to assess the governance issues related to the sustainability of housing delivery. Despite housing policy and legislative frameworks existing in developing countries, several governance issues have limited the sustainability of housing delivery mechanisms. Therefore, this study aims to unpack housing delivery approaches through the lens of governance. Adopting an exploratory approach, this study seeks to understand strategic and operational approaches used by government institutions to promote collaborative strategies in the planning and delivery of housing projects. Empirical data is used to understand mechanisms, processes and systems involved in the planning and delivery of low-income housing projects, using the Gauteng City Region as an area of study. The findings reveal there is that there is a limited understanding of the concept of governance within public sector institutions. Additionally, the institutional arrangements of the three spheres of government (national, provincial and local) have an impact in the delivery processes of low-income housing projects. A shift is important in the understanding and application of governance principles in housing policy and programme implementation to realise the value of governance. This study concludes with implications for policy and academics highlighting the role of stakeholder participation, transparency, and accountability.