Handbook of Youth Development

This handbook provides a comprehensive overview of youth development, including theories and applications across different countries, namely India, the UK, and Australia. It presents the status of youth and their role in society, their education, and their career perspectives. The focus is on developing youth's internal abilities by providing a creative and supportive environment through appropriate mentorship and encouragement. It discusses a wide range of contemporary and relevant issues relating to holistic career growth of youth, whereby youth work is recognized as a profession. Academicians from various disciplinary backgrounds offer conceptual and methodological perspectives. Chapters into five themes focus on a balance between developing stable, protective factors for mental health, and positive youth development to ensure appropriate cognitive, social, emotional, and behavioral skills needed to thrive in an evolving world. It discusses the status of the youth in terms of digital competency, engagement of youth in sports, teaching, political process, and community development activities in the present and rapidly altering world scenario. The book also discusses the role of institution-based family counseling for healthy youth development. Given its comprehensive coverage, the handbook is an essential resource for a broad audience of youth researchers, practitioners and policymakers of population sciences, childhood and youth studies, development studies, and psychology.