Gratitude, generosity and hope: perspectives of opportunity youth and observations of their caseworkers.
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| Title: | Gratitude, generosity and hope: perspectives of opportunity youth and observations of their caseworkers. |
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| Authors: | Nashandi, Ndilimeke Johanna Christa1,2 (AUTHOR) jnashandi@unam.na, Samuelson, Peter L.3 (AUTHOR) peterlsamuelson@gmail.com, Gibson, Priscilla4 (AUTHOR) pgibson@umn.edu |
| Source: | Journal of Character Education. 2026, Vol. 22 Issue 1, p49-65. 17p. |
| Subject Terms: | *At-risk youth, *Social workers, *Moral education, Gratitude, Hope, Benevolence, Youth development, Social services |
| Abstract: | Purpose: Although studies have examined character virtues among youth, few have explored the perspectives of young people who move from disconnection with social structures to reconnection and engagement—often referred to as "opportunity youth"—through the lens of positive youth development. Design/methodology/approach: This qualitative study explores gratitude, generosity and hope from the experience of youth receiving social services to support stability in the transition to adulthood and the observations of their caseworkers. Findings: Focus groups with 23 opportunity youth and individual interviews with 10 caseworkers reveal that youth connected gratitude to spirituality for the help they had received and viewed helping peers as a chance to give back and pay it forward. Caseworkers' accounts concurred. Despite having limited resources, opportunity youth reflected on and valued generosity as contributing to positive outcomes for themselves and their peers. Some caseworkers expressed concerns about opportunity youth's generosity being exploited. Most opportunity youth saw hope as a guiding philosophy, while some noted that experiences of hopelessness also shaped their understanding of hope. Some caseworkers were concerned about the hesitancy of opportunity youth to hope due to fear of disappointment. Practical implications: The views of opportunity youth on integrating character education into youth services are discussed. Originality/value: Findings have implications for character education from the voices of opportunity youth and their caseworkers through strength perspectives relative to a deficit-centered lens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Journal of Character Education is the property of Emerald Publishing Limited and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Education Research Complete |
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| Header | DbId: ehh DbLabel: Education Research Complete An: 194053632 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Gratitude, generosity and hope: perspectives of opportunity youth and observations of their caseworkers. – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Nashandi%2C+Ndilimeke+Johanna+Christa%22">Nashandi, Ndilimeke Johanna Christa</searchLink><relatesTo>1,2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> jnashandi@unam.na</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Samuelson%2C+Peter+L%2E%22">Samuelson, Peter L.</searchLink><relatesTo>3</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> peterlsamuelson@gmail.com</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Gibson%2C+Priscilla%22">Gibson, Priscilla</searchLink><relatesTo>4</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> pgibson@umn.edu</i> – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Journal+of+Character+Education%22">Journal of Character Education</searchLink>. 2026, Vol. 22 Issue 1, p49-65. 17p. – Name: Subject Label: Subject Terms Group: Su Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22At-risk+youth%22">At-risk youth</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Social+workers%22">Social workers</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Moral+education%22">Moral education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Gratitude%22">Gratitude</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Hope%22">Hope</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Benevolence%22">Benevolence</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Youth+development%22">Youth development</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Social+services%22">Social services</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: Purpose: Although studies have examined character virtues among youth, few have explored the perspectives of young people who move from disconnection with social structures to reconnection and engagement—often referred to as "opportunity youth"—through the lens of positive youth development. Design/methodology/approach: This qualitative study explores gratitude, generosity and hope from the experience of youth receiving social services to support stability in the transition to adulthood and the observations of their caseworkers. Findings: Focus groups with 23 opportunity youth and individual interviews with 10 caseworkers reveal that youth connected gratitude to spirituality for the help they had received and viewed helping peers as a chance to give back and pay it forward. Caseworkers' accounts concurred. Despite having limited resources, opportunity youth reflected on and valued generosity as contributing to positive outcomes for themselves and their peers. Some caseworkers expressed concerns about opportunity youth's generosity being exploited. Most opportunity youth saw hope as a guiding philosophy, while some noted that experiences of hopelessness also shaped their understanding of hope. Some caseworkers were concerned about the hesitancy of opportunity youth to hope due to fear of disappointment. Practical implications: The views of opportunity youth on integrating character education into youth services are discussed. Originality/value: Findings have implications for character education from the voices of opportunity youth and their caseworkers through strength perspectives relative to a deficit-centered lens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] – Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright Label: Group: Ab Data: <i>Copyright of Journal of Character Education is the property of Emerald Publishing Limited and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
| PLink | https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=ehh&AN=194053632 |
| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 17 StartPage: 49 Subjects: – SubjectFull: At-risk youth Type: general – SubjectFull: Social workers Type: general – SubjectFull: Moral education Type: general – SubjectFull: Gratitude Type: general – SubjectFull: Hope Type: general – SubjectFull: Benevolence Type: general – SubjectFull: Youth development Type: general – SubjectFull: Social services Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Gratitude, generosity and hope: perspectives of opportunity youth and observations of their caseworkers. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Nashandi, Ndilimeke Johanna Christa – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Samuelson, Peter L. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Gibson, Priscilla IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 01 Text: 2026 Type: published Y: 2026 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 29956196 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 22 – Type: issue Value: 1 Titles: – TitleFull: Journal of Character Education Type: main |
| ResultId | 1 |
