NCJ Number
231121
Journal
Youth Studies Australia Volume: 29 Issue: 2 Dated: June 2010 Pages: 9-15
Date Published
June 2010
Length
7 pages
Annotation
This article examines the tensions that exist between Australia's policy of encouraging civic participation in young people and the way these policies are enforced in low socioeconomic areas.
Abstract
The escalating policy emphasis on civic participation is designed to increase the participation of young people within their communities. Young people have the will to participate but, in low socioeconomic contexts, their participation remains both contested and compromised. This is particularly evident in relation to the role of schools in low socioeconomic areas. These schools are charged with fostering young people's civic participation, yet the way in which they enact this mandate is subject to numerous tensions between policy and practice. This article examines these tensions and their implications for the participation of the most marginalized young people. It also outlines a research agenda with the potential to reveal more about this situation and inform future policy and practice. References (Published Abstract)