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Care Experienced PYD Paper (REVISION - accepted).pdf (188.59 kB)

Care-experienced youth and positive development: an exploratory study into the value and use of leisure-time activities

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journal contribution
posted on 2018-10-18, 10:30 authored by Thomas Quarmby, Rachel SandfordRachel Sandford, Katie Pickering
Numerous youth development outcomes are thought to ensue from participation in ‘positive’ activities (including leisure activities), yet little is known about how care-experienced youth access and benefit from such activities. Underpinned by a positive youth development perspective and informed by the socio-ecological model, this study aimed to: (1) identify how care-experienced youth spent their leisure-time and what shaped their participation; and (2) explore how care-experienced youth think leisure-time activities contributed to their positive development. A questionnaire, designed to capture a quantitative appreciation of care-experienced youths’ leisure-time activities and a qualitative understanding of their experiences, was distributed in the North of England. Descriptive statistics were generated from the quantitative data of 86 questionnaires, while a concurrent inductive and deductive content analysis was applied to the qualitative responses. Sport/physical activities were the most frequently engaged in activities, during leisure-time, with sedentary, self-directed activities also reported. Care-experienced youth identified that engagement in sport/physical activities developed confidence, competence, character and connections, while arts-based activities provided an opportunity to be creative and engage in self-management. Positive peer and adult relationships were viewed as central to securing positive outcomes, but care-experienced youth felt they faced notable challenges in this respect. Finally, implications for practice are considered.

History

School

  • Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences

Published in

Leisure Studies

Citation

QUARMBY, T., SANDFORD, R.A. and PICKERING, K., 2019. Care-experienced youth and positive development: an exploratory study into the value and use of leisure-time activities. Leisure Studies, 38(1), pp. 28-42.

Publisher

© Taylor & Francis (Routledge)

Version

  • AM (Accepted Manuscript)

Publisher statement

This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Leisure Studies on 16 October 2018, available online: http://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/02614367.2018.1535614.

Acceptance date

2018-10-07

Publication date

2018-10-16

ISSN

0261-4367

eISSN

1466-4496

Language

  • en