Encouragement and Motivation Articles

When motivating your youth it must provide sustained access to high-quality learning opportunities that are geared toward their specific developmental needs. During early adolescence, young people become more independent and take on new responsibilities. This time is critical for youths discovering new interests. They will need encouragement of a parent or mentor to help overcome some of the challenges they will be facing. Four best practices

  1. Decision-making

Youths that are engaged in decision-making have the opportunities for leadership. Allow youth to make choices about how they will spend their time. Choices can include physical activity, homework with adult help, hands-on experiences in math and science and art projects, and community service. Some choices also allow students to take responsibility for their own learning.

  1. Teamwork

Youths that engage in teamwork will improve confidence in they own ability to use teamwork to take on tough challenges and be successful. The effectiveness of teamwork is a choosing process in which one must have cooperation in doing teamwork tasks where people depend on each other to reach goals.

  1. Supportive relationship

All youths need supportive relationships with they parent or adults who serve as mentors.   Strong, trusting relationships with adults can encourage a youth to stay with they goals and to complete what ever they started over time.

  1. Recognition

Compensation is important. A recognition program does not have to be expensive. The actual rewards can be anything you want. One approach is to have small rewards initially, and receive a larger reward at the end of the year. Some of the awards to consider include the following:

  • Dinner
  • A trophy or plaque
  • Cash
  • Pizza party thrown in the recipient’s honor, or for an entire group that has done a great job
  • A “top achiever” ribbon
  • Movie passes
  • Video games