Friday Night Live integrates a youth development approach into the work of its programs and chapters.  Youth Development engages youth in building the skills, attitudes, knowledge and experiences that prepare them for the present and the future.  Currently, there are four main approaches that emphasize youth development.

• Youth have a sense of:  safety & structure; belonging; self-worth; closeness in relationships; competence & mastery
• Competencies for success:  health & physical competence; personal & social competence; cognitive & creative competence; vocational competence; citizenship competence
• Adolescent Needs:  diverse opportunities & expectations; need to explore self & environment; need for physical activity; need for supervision

• External Assets: support; empowerment; boundaries & expectations; constructive use of time
• Internal Assets:  commitment to learning; positive values; social competence; positive identity

• Support & Opportunities for Youth:  relationship-building; youth participation; community building
• Youth Development Outcomes:  learning to be productive; learning to navigate; learning to connect
• Long Term Societal Outcomes:  Economically self-sufficient; healthy family & social relationships; contributor to community; healthy self-identity

• Strong Positive Social Bonds:  social bonding, positive responses; social competence, social skills; personal competence, self efficacy, identity
• Resilient Person:  positive outlook; responsive & flexible; satisfactory involvement