Social wellbeing as a contributor to young people's leisure

Abstract

This chapter examines social wellbeing (SW) and its implications on young people’s leisure. It captures the perspectives of Maltese professionals on young people’s leisure practices in Malta with a focus on social wellbeing as an important contributor to their leisure. Data were collected by means of focus group discussions held with 68 Maltese professionals working directly with young people. These included youth workers, leaders of youth organisations, teachers, counsellors, heads of school, learning support educators, policymakers and other professionals working in youth services. The participants were informed about the findings of a quantitative survey about the leisure activities of young people in Malta, presented to them prior to the focus group discussions. The quantitative study found out that swimming and social media networking were the most preferred choices of leisure activities. The barriers which hinder leisure were also identified through the quantitative study. With reference to this survey’s findings, the focus group discussions with professionals explored ways, which suggest how Maltese young people could increase their wellbeing through participation in leisure activities. The professionals suggested strategies on how to create more awareness about the leisure options available to young people and how to counteract barriers. The professionals identified ways that link leisure with both individual and social wellbeing. Leisure participation by the wider community was considered a reflection of healthy social functioning that impacts on young people’s wellbeing.