Youth Villages in the Era of the Global Village – Redefining the Concept of Identity Moratorium
Based on the village way philosophy and methodology.
The concept of Identity Moratorium is well known for demarcating the "grace period" granted to adolescents prior to their entering adulthood. According to Erikson, the moratorium period is meant to provide modern-day adolescents the maneuvering space for accumulating experiences and consolidating their identity.
With constructive, skillful feedback and guidance, teens can potentially enhance their sense of self-worth and ableness during this time frame, a kind of personality development that for at-risk youth is hugely critical. Especially when raised in residential care, it is imperative that we provide them with optimal, supportive conditions in terms of space and time.
Based on experience accumulated in Israeli Youth Villages over decades, I will examine the validity of the Identity Moratorium in the 21st century, bearing in mind the extreme transformation society has undergone in recent years. Our understanding of today`s teenagers would be enriched if we examine and consider deep-rooted social traditions and sensibilities, since the structure of the human psyche has never radically changed. I will base my discourse on findings by contemporary theoreticians and practitioners in the fields of the humanities, public health, education and social care.