Reimagining positive youth development and life skills in sport through a social justice lens

Abstract

Since the early 2000s, models of positive youth development (PYD), as well as the concept of life skills, have served as popular approaches by which to situate psychosocial development in youth sport research. However, critiques have been put forth in terms of how the PYD approach fails to address power, privilege, and oppression and how life skills do not fully encompass the wide range of learning outcomes that can arise from sport participation. In light of social justice issues (e.g., systemic racism, gender inequity) that have led citizens in many countries to mobilize for change, there is a need to explore how PYD and life skills can be reimagined in order for youth sport research to be better positioned to promote dialogue and action on social justice issues in youth sport. The purpose of the present paper is to reimagine PYD and life skills in sport through a social justice lens. Following reflections on how PYD and life skills can be framed to further promote social justice in youth sport, implications for practice and research are offered.

 Lay summary: In light of contemporary social justice issues, the present paper is positioned as a reimagining of positive youth development and life skills in sport through a social justice lens. Recommendations are offered to progress positive youth development and evolve life skills. Further, implications for practice and research are provided.

Implications for Practice

• In consideration of accruing critiques, positive youth development and life skills in sport are reimagined through a social justice lens.

• Using example life skills such as teamwork and leadership, illustrations are offered of how life skills can be evolved into social justice life skills.

• Coach education is positioned as an important factor in training coaches on the importance of acting as allies and enabling their athletes to gain the confidence to engage in activism.

Data availability statement

Data sharing is not applicable to this article as no new data were created or analyzed in this study.