Preventing youth violence with a strength based

For many, fighting and other forms of delinquent behaviour can be a temporary phase of youth that is outgrown as individuals move into adulthood.

Youth is a period marked by rapid physical, emotional, cognitive and behavioural changes that can contribute to both aggression and vulnerability to violence. How young people cope with these challenges depends on the strength of their social and emotional skills, the family and social support they have around them and the cultural and social norms they have learned during childhood.

While violence is one of many challenges in particular facing deprived populations, it is often a barrier to addressing other health and social issues as individual, community and financial investment in affected areas is impeded by fear and instability.

More widely, high levels of youth and other forms of violence can form barriers to economic investment in areas. Further, during youth, relationships with peers can take precedence over the influence of parents and other authority figures, and young people can be exposed for the first time to situations where violence may occur, such as sexual interactions, drinking environments and illicit drug markets.

Effective programmes include home visiting by nurses for new parents, parent training programmes and preschool enrichment programmes World Health Organization, a.

School-based dating programmes can also provide youths with relationship skills and address gender stereotypes and norms with the aim of protecting young people from intimate partner and sexual violence. The Violence prevention: the evidence series published by the World Health Organization details the evidence behind many of the prevention strategies outlined in this text.

Preventing youth violence cdc

For example, biological and neurological changes occurring during puberty, such as a rise in the level of stress hormones, can increase the risk of engaging in aggressive or anti-social behaviour. These programmes can reduce aggressive and violent behaviour in youths World Health Organization, b. These interventions work to strengthen bonds between parents and their children; provide parents with knowledge and skills to understand and care for their child; and develop emotional, social and learning skills in young children. The presence of gangs, weapons and drug markets is an important risk for youth violence. Over 10, year old Europeans lose their lives to violence each year World Health Organization, and far more suffer physical, emotional, psychological or social harm due to involvement in, witnessing or fearing violence. Strategies to reduce the availability of alcohol include those to increase price, implement and enforce age restrictions, reduce alcohol advertising and promotion, and limit the number of outlets that can sell alcohol. They can also incorporate broader support for families with health, social wellbeing and employment. Download