Youth health professionals and policy makers do not share a single, consistent definition of what they mean when they say, “youth at risk”, and yet, it is a label used by many who work in the helping industry. It has been the name given to the Breakthrough Program since the 1980’s. However, Youth At Risk (YAR) in Europe is now known as “You Are Responsible”. Much better!
We understand the term ‘at-risk youth’ refers to an individual who is vulnerable in some way. Common alternatives such as ‘historically underserved’, ‘disenfranchised’ and ‘placed at-risk’ also indicate that outside forces have placed the individual in undesirable circumstances. Youth do not choose to be at-risk voluntarily.
The 2021 CDC Youth Risk Behavior Survey in the US revealed that 55% of high school students endure emotional abuse at home, 20% face community violence, and 3% grapple with housing instability.
At-risk youth – youth who are vulnerable to experiencing adverse outcomes – may come as a result of engaging in risk behaviours or experiencing risk factors from the circumstances in their lives.
But the label matters! When we collectively label youth as at-risk, we inadvertently assign a negative identity.
There is a better way. The Kids At Heart Breakthrough Program gives youth a new identity.
When we change our thinking, we change our world. We are all ‘kids at heart’.
