ABSTRACT
Engaging youth in social change efforts yields demonstrable benefits to both young people and their communities (Hart, 1992; Irby, Ferber, Pittman, Tolman, & Yohalem, 2001; Mitra, 2004; O'Donoghue & Kirshner, 2003;Zeldin, McDaniel, Topitzes, & Calvert, 2001). Youth who are engaged in programs that address neighborhood, school, or community issues develop feelings of social responsibility, a sense of connectedness to their community, improved self-esteem, and an increased understanding of social issues (see Yates & Youniss, 1996). Despite emerging interest in such benefits, researchers have not sufficiently explored the full range of positive developmental outcomes. Rather than focus primarily on youths' civic development, it is important to consider the ways in which involvement in social change affects multiple areas of young people's lives, including academic, interpersonal, and civic domains. Additionally, the benefits to communities that result from youth engagement in reform efforts remain relatively unexamined.
