What happens when we stop thinking of young people as projects and recognize them for who they are, here and now? Wesley Ellis exposes the insidious impact of developmental psychology upon youth ministry and practice, arguing instead for a theological anthropology of youth that can help us see all people--including adolescents--as uniquely created in the image of God. Propelled by the conviction that ministry requires us to see youth as beings rather than becomings, Ellis demonstrates how we can reorient our vision toward ministry that prioritizes relationship and inclusion over rigid developmental frameworks. A veteran youth minister across multiple denominations, Ellis knows his subject deeply as both practitioner and theologian. Youth beyond the Developmental Lens mines personal accounts, the biblical narrative, and a vast array of theological expertise to release readers from restrictive assumptions that have long bound youth ministry. Ellis's finely tuned pastoral sensibilities bring all these elements into focus, helping us understand ministry as relational and all humans as part of God's story. Rostered ministers, lay leaders, and others engaged with youth will find an antidote to anxiety about the future of the church. Ellis reminds us that God is here already. Our call is simply to be.

Wesley Ellis exposes the harmful impact of developmental psychology in youth ministry, proposing a theological anthropology that frees us for deeper relationship with young people. Propelled by the conviction that we must see youth as beings rather than becomings, Ellis reorients us toward relational inclusion and away from rigid developmentalism.

Adolescenceâ€"beginning with the onset of puberty and ending in the mid-20sâ€"is a critical period of development during which key areas of the brain mature and develop. These changes in brain structure, function, and connectivity mark adolescence as a period of opportunity to discover new vistas, to form relationships with peers and adults, and to explore one's developing identity. It is also a period of resilience that can ameliorate childhood setbacks and set the stage for a thriving trajectory over the life course. Because adolescents comprise nearly one-fourth of the entire U.S. population, the nation needs policies and practices that will better leverage these developmental opportunities to harness the promise of adolescenceâ€"rather than focusing myopically on containing its risks. This report examines the neurobiological and socio-behavioral science of adolescent development and outlines how this knowledge can be applied, both to promote adolescent well-being, resilience, and development, and to rectify structural barriers and inequalities in opportunity, enabling all adolescents to flourish.

Youth, Crime, and Justice is a comprehensive introduction to juvenile justice through a unique case-study approach. Each chapter opens with an engaging case, followed by an explanatory chapter that teaches core concepts, key terms, and critical issues. This accessible textbook covers the historical evolution of the core institutions charged with the socialization, guidance, and regulation of children and youth in the modern era, including the family, schools, communities, child welfare, and the juvenile justice system. Adopting a life course perspective, the book examines the changing legal, social, and political landscape of childhood and adolescence in America. The authors take an intersectional focus, examining the dynamics of race, ethnicity, class, gender, sexuality, power, and privilege. The book discusses the juvenile justice system, including police, courts, corrections, and recent community innovations, in relation to the latest research on positive youth development and best practices. A complimentary Instructor’s Manual and Test Bank are available, as well as an open-access Companion Website for students that includes interactive flashcards and other learning material. Visit http://textbooks.rowman.com/gebo or email [email protected] for more information.

Young adulthood - ages approximately 18 to 26 - is a critical period of development with long-lasting implications for a person's economic security, health and well-being. Young adults are key contributors to the nation's workforce and military services and, since many are parents, to the healthy development of the next generation. Although 'millennials' have received attention in the popular media in recent years, young adults are too rarely treated as a distinct population in policy, programs, and research. Instead, they are often grouped with adolescents or, more often, with all adults. Currently, the nation is experiencing economic restructuring, widening inequality, a rapidly rising ratio of older adults, and an increasingly diverse population. The possible transformative effects of these features make focus on young adults especially important. A systematic approach to understanding and responding to the unique circumstances and needs of today's young adults can help to pave the way to a more productive and equitable tomorrow for young adults in particular and our society at large. Investing in The Health and Well-Being of Young Adults describes what is meant by the term young adulthood, who young adults are, what they are doing, and what they need. This study recommends actions that nonprofit programs and federal, state, and local agencies can take to help young adults make a successful transition from adolescence to adulthood. According to this report, young adults should be considered as a separate group from adolescents and older adults. Investing in The Health and Well-Being of Young Adults makes the case that increased efforts to improve high school and college graduate rates and education and workforce development systems that are more closely tied to high-demand economic sectors will help this age group achieve greater opportunity and success. The report also discusses the health status of young adults and makes recommendations to develop evidence-based practices for young adults for medical and behavioral health, including preventions. What happens during the young adult years has profound implications for the rest of the life course, and the stability and progress of society at large depends on how any cohort of young adults fares as a whole. Investing in The Health and Well-Being of Young Adults will provide a roadmap to improving outcomes for this age group as they transition from adolescence to adulthood.

Many providers have difficulty implementing exposure-based cognitive behavioral therapy for youth with anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), despite it being the leading treatment for this condition. Exposure Therapy for Children with Anxiety and OCD: Clinician's Guide to Integrated Treatment provides a step-by-step framework for how providers apply exposure therapy in practice. The book begins with empirical support for the treatment followed by suggested implementation of exposures for specific conditions and ages. Tables of sample exposures and case illustrations are provided throughout the book and common challenges that may complicate implementation are addressed. Intended for busy providers to implement directly into practice, chapters provide clinical excerpts and illustrate techniques in an easy "how-to" format. - Summarizes empirical support for exposure treatment efficacy - Recommends how to implement exposure therapy treatment for anxiety and OCD - Provides guidance on overcoming common challenges when implementing exposures in practice - Offers separate treatment guidelines for children and adolescents - Integrates exposure therapy with other therapy modalities - Includes case studies and clinical excerpts illustrating techniques

Securitizing Youth offers new insights on young people’s engagement in a wide range of contexts related to the peace and security field. It presents empirical findings on the challenges and opportunities faced by young women and men in their efforts to build more peaceful, inclusive, and environmentally secure societies. The chapters included in this edited volume examine the diversity and complexity of young people’s engagement for peace and security in different countries across the globe and in different types and phases of conflict and violence, including both conflict-affected and relatively peaceful societies. Chapter contributors, young peacebuilders, and seasoned scholars and practitioners alike propose ways to support youth’s agency and facilitate their meaningful participation in decision-making. The chapters are organized around five broad thematic issues that correspond to the 5 Pillars of Action identified by UN Security Council Resolution 2250. Lessons learned are intended to inform the global youth, peace, and security agenda so that it better responds to on-the-ground realities, hence promoting more sustainable and inclusive approaches to long-lasting peace.