Coupling Royster's (2000) conceptual framework of "zamani" with Rosenblatt's (1978) reader response theory, the researcher explores the ways African American women's writings supported, nurtured, and "mentored" the writings of adolescent girls. Findings show that the mentor texts helped in generating ideas for writing, thinking…

This article explores Bolivian schoolteachers' attitudes and practices surrounding gender in the context of a national educational reform law that mandated gender equity. Teacher interviews and primary school classroom observations indicate teachers' discourses and practices reflect a sometimes paradoxical blend of advocacy for gender equality and…

This paper examines the significance of social network and social capital in youth transition from school to work, with a focus on both instrumental and expressive aspects. In recent years the transition of Japanese young people has changed drastically, similar to young people in other industrialised countries. The individualisation of transition…

This study measures the nationwide participation rates of girls and boys in exercise and organized team sports. The central focus is on how the intersections among families, schools and communities are related to children's involvement and interest in athletics and physical activity. Some of the personal and social benefits associated with…

School and community agency collaboration can potentially increase physical activity opportunities for youth. Few studies have examined the role of community agencies in promoting physical activity, much less in collaboration with schools. This article describes formative research data collection from community agencies to inform the development…

The Youth Employment Planning Team (YEPT) was a joint project of the city of Portland, Oregon, and the School of Urban Affairs at Portland State University. The purpose of the project was to train a group of Portland youths to do youth employment planning by involving them in each stage of an actual planning effort. The results of the project, as…

Using data on variability in West Virginia high school dropout rates, this study examined contextual factors in teen pregnancy. Results indicated that teen pregnancy was explained in a similar way to dropping out. The presence or absence of opportunities and valued participation in a socially, culturally stable community affected both issues. (SM)

The author has examined the prospects for successful application of career education principles to the problems of youth unemployment in the United States, the relationship of occupationally relevant content in curricula to school dropout and student alienation, the location and control of youth occupational preparation programs, and the…

This collection of papers on the youth employment problem consists of 15 papers that cover the dimensions, causes, and consequences of youth unemployment and that also focus on problems in measuring the extent of the problem, the dynamic aspects of youth labor force participation, and problems associated with adequately assessing the consequences…