About this Research Topic
This Research Topic in Frontiers in Public Health focuses on practical ways of strengthening evidence of resilience approaches for youth who face adversity, using the lens of systems sciences. In a systems approach, youth challenges are part of a wider dynamic socio-ecological systems of family, school, employment, health and other services, and environment, all of which can impact on their daily lives. Through the lens of systems approaches, wellbeing improvement occurs through modifying the linkages, relationships, interactions and behaviours between these elements. This Research Topic will draw on a range of disciplines - education, health, social work, and youth work. We welcome papers that review the literature about systems approaches to youth resilience; describe, evaluate or report the design of systems-based approaches or the effects of related interventions; or theorise systemic models of youth resilience.
The Research Topic will also focus on interventions by, with and for youth living in colonised or formerly colonised nations. Youth is defined as the developmental period in which people transition from the dependence of childhood to adulthood’s independence - generally between 12 and 25 years of age. Compared to benchmark populations, inequities in health status and its determinants are reported globally for Indigenous and other ethnic minority/majority youth. For example, the International Working Group on Indigenous Affairs reported that: "Indigenous peoples remain on the margins of society: they are poorer, less educated, die at a younger age, are much more likely to commit suicide, and are generally in worse health than the rest of the population”. Eliminating inequities is documented as a priority in almost every jurisdiction but remains a challenge.
There is global recognition that youth health improves by making “structural changes to improve access to education and employment for young people”. Another way is ensuring that the individual abilities of young people to overcome structural adversity and continue normal development, including accessing education and employment. Resilience approaches aim to improve access by young people to resources that sustain wellbeing and to negotiate for these resources to be provided in culturally meaningful ways. Resilience approaches are not limited to formal interventions/programs but can also include informal ways that families and communities champion youth resilience.
The Research Topic will also focus on interventions by, with and for youth living in colonised or formerly colonised nations. Youth is defined as the developmental period in which people transition from the dependence of childhood to adulthood’s independence - generally between 12 and 25 years of age. Compared to benchmark populations, inequities in health status and its determinants are reported globally for Indigenous and other ethnic minority/majority youth. For example, the International Working Group on Indigenous Affairs reported that: "Indigenous peoples remain on the margins of society: they are poorer, less educated, die at a younger age, are much more likely to commit suicide, and are generally in worse health than the rest of the population”. Eliminating inequities is documented as a priority in almost every jurisdiction but remains a challenge.
There is global recognition that youth health improves by making “structural changes to improve access to education and employment for young people”. Another way is ensuring that the individual abilities of young people to overcome structural adversity and continue normal development, including accessing education and employment. Resilience approaches aim to improve access by young people to resources that sustain wellbeing and to negotiate for these resources to be provided in culturally meaningful ways. Resilience approaches are not limited to formal interventions/programs but can also include informal ways that families and communities champion youth resilience.
Keywords: Resilience, Systems approach, Socio-ecological approach, youth, interventions
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
