Youth-Nex

  • Research Center

What We Do

Youth-Nex is a trans-disciplinary center with a translational approach to scholarship and innovation that is central to its work. 

Our Focus

We focus on three core domains: a) Out-of-School Time; b) Educational Systems: Middle School; and c) Community Engagement: Civic and Political.  

Our Aim

We aim to expand and apply the science of Positive Youth Development to enhance the strengths of youth and to prevent developmental risk such as violence; physical and mental health issues; substance abuse and school failure 

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What's New

Check out the latest news and resources this month from Youth-Nex. Click arrows below to scroll to the left or right for more.

A screenshot of a zoom presentation featuring a picture of a marker and milkshake.
Celebrating Youth Art Month!

Joyce, a UVA student, talks about an arts non-profit she founded, the importance of arts education & what you can do to get more youth in the arts.

Seven pamphlets are fanned out on a table.
Refugee Youth Voices: Journey from Afghanistan to Kyrgyzstan

In the 2nd post of the series, Gigi talks about her life in Afghanistan before her family had to relocate to Kyrgyzstan.

Woman sits with elbows on the table and hands resting on mouth. Her eyes are closed and the sun in shining through the window behind her.
School Mental Health Brief on Trauma-Informed Mindfulness Practice

This brief summarizes a research article situating equity in mindfulness practice within trauma-informed principles in the classroom.

11 small boxes of people's headshots
2024 Speaker Bureau

Youth-Nex launches their 2024 speaker bureau highlighting scholars to give upcoming talks & workshops for organizations!

Youth-Nex Initiatives and Projects

Connect with Us

Youth-Nex Research

A Portrait of a Thriving Youth

The full Portrait provides an overview of adolescent development and describes the six key domains of adolescent development.

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Department or Center Associated

Portrait Self-Assessment

This self-assessment can help you reflect on how well your program, setting, or system is supporting thriving in each of the six domains described in the Portrait of a Thriving Youth.

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Department or Center Associated

Portrait Knowledge, Skills, and Competencies Overview

This overview offers a starter list of the knowledge, skills, and competencies that adolescents develop over time.

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Department or Center Associated

Portrait Infographic Resource

This 1-page flyer introduces the domains of the Portrait of a Thriving Youth.

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Department or Center Associated

Remaking Middle School Social and Emotional Learning Resource Guide

This guide provides a set of resources to accompany the SEL Learning Series videos.

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Department or Center Associated

Lab or Initiative Associated

Remaking Middle School Social and Emotional Learning Facilitation Guide

This guide includes key takeaways and reflection questions for group facilitators.

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Department or Center Associated

Lab or Initiative Associated

Youth-Nex News

Related Labs

  • RMS
  • Research Lab

Remaking Middle School

Remaking Middle School is a multi-phase initiative, elevating the innovation that is present in middle schools across the country and soliciting national input on how we ensure all students thrive in, and grow from, their experience in the middle grades. 
 

  • PIT CREW
  • Research Lab

Preventive Interventions Team: Collaborative Research on Engagement and Wellbeing

We are a multidisciplinary and transdisciplinary research lab with a focus on prevention interventions that optimize implementation of evidence-based practices to improve behavior, classroom, and school experiences for youth and school personnel, and/or reduce risk for behavioral and mental health problems. 

  • READY
  • Research Lab

Relationships, Ecologies and Activities for Developing Youth Lab

We are interested in how settings and interactions can be optimized to best meet adolescents’ developmental needs. In particular, we are focused on the role that relationships (with peers, mentors, non-familial adults) and activities play in adolescent development.

Contact Us

Mailing Address

  • PO Box 400281
    405 Emmet Street South
    Charlottesville, VA 22904