Involving Youth in Running Youth Programs: How Common and What Might it Do for Youth?

Researchers have argued that autonomy in learning settings can have motivational and educational benefits (Deci & Ryan, 2000). Student autonomy in schools may be supported in several ways including provision of academic choice (Denton, 2005), student voice (Mitra, 2006), and through supporting students’ interests, preferences, and personal goals (Jang, Reeve, & Deci, 2010). Democratic schools feature school-wide structures that may support autonomy (Apple & Beane, 2007). But these are exceptions to the rule. The very nature of compulsory education limits autonomy (Brophy, 2004). That is, support for autonomy may always be limited in a school context in which youth do not have a reasonable say in whether or not they have to be there.