Protect, prepare and engage: Does extracurricular activity participation offer sustained benefits for youth?

有组织的课外活动，如体育和音乐，有可能促进青少年的健康发展，减少青少年的危险行为。然而，目前的研究证据，往往是基于中产阶级的青年在美国，是不够的政策建议，以改善澳大利亚青年的课余生活。这项研究将深入了解为澳大利亚青少年提供各种有组织活动的长期好处，并将提高我们对参与哪些方面最有可能提高他们的社会和教育机会的理解。

Organized extracurricular activities such as sport and music have the potential to promote healthy development and to reduce the levels of risk behaviours in teenagers. However, current research evidence, often based on middle-class youth in the US, is inadequate for making policy recommendations for improvement to the after-school lives of Australian youth. This study will offer insight into the long-term benefits of making a diverse selection of organised activities available to Australian teenagers, and will improve our understanding of which aspects of participation are most likely to enhance their social and educational opportunities.