By Amber Shanahan Graduation is a joyous and proud occasion filled with anticipation of what's to come. But emotionally, it's a mixed bag -- anxiety, apprehension, grief, fear or sadness may live alongside relief, joy and delight. One graduate's next steps and outlook can look quite different from another's and so can their attitudes about their future. Some may be thrilled to say goodbye to the comforts of home to explore parts unknown, but others may feel apprehensive about their new found freedom, and a few may have no plan in place at all -- causing feelings of unease, pressure and confusion. No matter the emotion, we as youth workers and caring adults can both acknowledge the spectrum of feelings and help youth prepare to step into the big wide world. The experiential learning model is a tried and true way to guide discussion by focusing on what has been done, what skills have been gained and how these skills can be applied to future endeavors. Experience...
Our youth development educators bridge research and practice. In this blog, they offer their views on what's happening in the field of youth development, with an eye to evidence-based research written by themselves and others in our field. We welcome your comments.