Ethnic Urban Youth and Out-of-School Activities

Studies show that minority youth are less likely to participate in and reap the benefits of positive out-of-school activities. A new FACT-funded research project in Detroit will help us understand what hinders or attracts African-American, Latino and other ethnic youth to recreational or educational opportunities.

Learn more below. . .

Year Awarded: 2002
Project Leaders:
Francisco Villarruel, Ph.D., MSU Department of Family & Child Ecology; Joanne G. Keith, Ph.D., MSU Department of Family & Child Ecology; Annelise Carlton-Hug, Ph.D., MSU Department of Family & Child Ecology

Project Description:
Numerous studies have shown that structured out-of-school experiences have positive effects on the youth who participate in them. However, these studies also find that minority youth are less likely to reap these benefits because they participate in these activities less often.

This research project will try to determine what is hindering African-American, Arab-Muslim, Arab-Chaldean, and Hispanic/Latino youth from taking a more active part in out-of-school recreational or educational opportunities and what draws them to the activities they do participate in.

"There has been very little research into the factors which motivate or inhibit participation in out-of-school experiences by youth, and even less literature devoted to exploring the perceptions of youth who identify with specific ethnicities," said Annelise Carleton-Hug, project co-leader and researcher in the Department of Family and Child Ecology.

Working in Grand Rapids and Detroit, researchers will distribute surveys and talk to youth to get an understanding of the benefits and barriers they experience when they participate in out-of-school activities. Understanding how these youth define their ethnicity and view themselves within their community will add much needed information to the knowledge base in this research area.

"Given demographic trends that project increasing levels of ethnic representation in urban American centers, information from these groups will provide a foundation for programmers and policy professionals interested in the construction of communities that support their growth and development," said Carleton-Hug.

By understanding the needs of these ethnic populations, community planners, youth leaders, and others who provide out-of-school experiences should be better equipped to implement effective and inclusive programs.