Youth Programs as Alternative Spaces to be: A Study of Neighborhood Youth Programs in Chicago's West Town

This article presents the findings of a year-long, qualitative study of a network of neighborhood youth programs in a low-income, Latino neighborhood in Chicago. It discusses the characteristics of youth served by the programs, the programs' daily functioning, how youth workers construct and carry out their roles, the nature of youth-worker-youth relationships, and implementation issues. The authors also reflect on the strengths and limitations of the programs, and their role in the lives of youth served.