Children and Youth: Growth and Development
Human development is a continuous process that proceeds in a fairly orderly manner throughout life. All individuals experience the various stages of physical, psychological, and social development.
A child would continue to grow and develop from when he/ she was born throughout his/ her life time.
The early elementary school age child has moved from preschool to middle childhood. Rather than being home based, closely tied to the family, the child is learning to function more independently in a much larger world. This is a major transition.
There are three great “outward journeys” of middle childhood. They are:
- social—out of the home and into the friend group;
- physical—into the world of games and school work;
- mental—into the world of adult ideas, logic, and communication.
These journeys form the foundation for adolescence. Gaining early success with them is extremely important for feelings of competence and self-esteem later on.
The period between the ages of 12 and 15 represents a special time in the life of a person. It is during these years that childhood is left behind and the individual, both boy and girl, undergoes profound changes. The changes can be positive or negative.
Youth between the ages of 12 and 15 have much to say, and whoever treats them as mere children misses the opportunity to help them form a positive identity. This means that treating a junior youth between these age bracket as a child would always propel a rebellious action because they no longer see themselves as Children but as one ready to explore life and find out what it holds for them.
Engaging the individual during the period of junior youth in programs that seek to enhance their intellectual capacities will anticipate the changes that will occur and prepare them to participate positively in the elevation of their lives as individuals and in their communities.
Stalwart Communities Africa being a social enterprise that provide social services has designed different Programs to engage the children and youths in activities that would help them during these growth and development stages. The programs would assist them to recognize the moral issues underlying everyday decisions and identify the moral implications of speech and action and empower them to channel their energies towards both strengthening their own characters and to serve their communities.