Introducing various perspectives that look at the changes in theories, attitudes, approaches, and practices in adult-youth relationships, this issue stresses a model of growth based on partnership and connection over older theories of autonomy and hierarchy between adults and youth. These ways of viewing young people’s contributions as extremely important to societal development have to be increasingly embedded in a perspective that young people grow and thrive in relationships and that social institutions, especially families, schools, and youth-serving organizations, have to change dramatically. Contributors also demonstrate how much common ground exists between older and emerging models of youth development and how much work remains to be done.

This is the 103rd issue of the Jossey-Bass quarterly report series New Directions for Youth Development.