Experiences of adolescent participation in a four-week community-based workshop designed to improve psychosocial skills: what are the key benefits? |
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| Authors: | Stephen Gallagher Jason Randall Emily Buckley Grant Punnett Essie Li Sarah Grogan |
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| Institution: | 1. Department of Psychology, Faculty of Education and Health Sciences , University of Limerick , Limerick , Ireland;2. Department of Sport and Exercise, Faculty of Health , Staffordshire University , Staffordshire , UK;3. Centre for Health Psychology, Faculty of Sciences , Staffordshire University , Staffordshire , UK;4. Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service , Liverpool , UK |
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| Abstract: | The present study sought to explore the experiences of young adolescents who participated in a community-based workshop designed to improve psychosocial competence. The workshop involved 14 adolescent children aged between 10 and 14 years, who lived in socially disadvantaged areas of Liverpool, UK. Focus groups were employed to assess whether participation in ‘Skills for the Street’ workshops improved adolescents’ psychosocial functioning and personal development. A number of themes were identified in the analyses, including increased confidence, increased self-awareness, admiration and team building. These themes are discussed, and we argue that the findings attest to the benefit of community-based approaches for young people living in socially disadvantaged neighbourhoods in the UK. |
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| Keywords: | adolescents community-based development resilience social bonds workshops |
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