ABSTRACT
This chapter examines how the physical environment, and in particular the public realm, helps to support adolescent development, health, and well-being. Many of the developmental tasks that youth need to perform are commonly conducted in public settings; however, these places, and the policies that inform their creation and use, typically do not reflect the needs of youth. First, the developmental stage of adolescence and society’s influences on youth access to the public realm are discussed. This contextual background is followed by an examination of adolescents’ developmental tasks. This discussion is situated within a socio-ecological model in order to understand where these tasks occur and also within a developmental affordances framework. This framework provides a means for understanding how youth perceive and interpret environments as they relate to performing these tasks. Lastly, the chapter provides illustrations of how the public realm can and should provide venues that allow and encourage youth to make choices that foster their development. Four developmental tasks, (1) undertaking self-reflection and internal growth, (2) learning to manage their free-time, (3) developing satisfying social relationships, and (4) developing a sense of social responsibility, are explored in this context.
