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Working in Jamie's kitchen : salvation, passion and young workers
\"In the UK in 2002, the celebrity chef Jamie Oliver set out to transform a group of unemployed young Londoners into enterprising, passionate workers. Their struggles, and those that train and manage them, to develop a passionate orientation to work, highlight many of the challenges we all face in the globalized labour markets of the 21st century\"--Provided by publisher.
Book
It’s Not a Bug, It’s a Feature: Evaluating Mentoring Programs with Heterogeneous Activities
BackgroundMentoring programs pair non-familial adults with children and adolescents for the purposes of promoting positive youth development. Although these programs are widely popular, evaluations tend to show that mentoring programs have, on average, modest effects on youth outcomes. Some researchers have suggested that mentoring programs should homogenize mentoring activities as a means for increasing effect sizes of programs. :ObjectiveThis paper describes why heterogeneity of mentoring activities should not necessarily be regarded as a problem (i.e., a bug) that needs correction; rather it is more representative of the construct of mentoring as it is popularly understood and also desirable because of the potential to improve access and quality of prevention services (i.e., it is a feature).MethodWe present different simulated scenarios demonstrating how evaluations of mentoring programs may change the estimates of treatment effects depending on how evaluators measure programmatic activities and approach analyses.ResultsAnalyses illustrate that commonly used evaluation strategies that treatment effects may be underestimated when mentoring activities are not measured and are paired with common analytic approaches (e.g., intent-to-treat analyses). Simulated scenarios also highlight alternative approaches for defining programmatic elements and evaluating programs to produce a more robust estimate of effects.ConclusionsThe optimal strategy for evaluating mentoring services depends on the particular features of the program as well as the goals of the evaluation. One approach researchers might take is to evaluate specific mentoring practices, before evaluating mentoring programs, to begin to understand program impact.
Journal Article
Toward a Measure for Assessing Features of Effective Youth Development Programs: Contextual Safety and the “Big Three” Components of Positive Youth Development Programs in Rwanda
BackgroundWhen delivered in a safe space, programs effective in promoting positive youth development (PYD) involve key features termed the Big Three: (1) Positive and sustained adult–youth relationships; (2) Life-skill-building activities; and (3) Opportunities for youth contribution and leadership. However, no measures exist in the literature for assessing the Big Three.ObjectiveThe present study sought to develop a quantitative measure of program quality.MethodUsing data collected from Rwandese participants from the Compassion International (CI) Study of PYD, we developed a youth-report measure with two groups: 603 youth enrolled in CI-supported programs, and 320 youth not enrolled in CI but involved in other youth development programs (total N = 923, Mage = 11.81 years, SD = 1.68). We used exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses to refine the item pool. Using a propensity-score matched subsample, we added a measure of youth contribution to assess predictive validity of the measure, and tested for between-group measurement invariance across age, gender, and CI-enrollment status. We then compared CI-supported and non-CI-supported youth as an initial assessment using the measure.ResultsWe established a parsimonious and robust measure of the Big Three demonstrating strong psychometric properties. CI-supported-youth reported higher levels of each of the Big Three features.ConclusionsThese results provide information about the usefulness of a measure assessing the Big Three attributes of effective PYD programs. We discuss how future research using this approach to understanding the content of youth development programs may provide evidence of how PYD may be promoted.
Journal Article
Experiencing and Learning About Emotions: A Longitudinal Analysis of Youth Program Participants
Organized youth programs provide a context where adolescents experience strong emotions and may develop new ways of thinking about and dealing with emotions. The current study examined youth’s reports of positive and negative emotions arising during the course of their work in different types of project-based programs; learning about emotions from different sources (e.g., from observing peers, interacting with adult staff, or engaging in self-reflection); and longitudinal associations between emotional experiences and learning. Quantitative data were collected at two time points from 319 youth (57% female; M age = 15.8 years; 33% Latino, 29% Black, 32% White, 6% other) participating in 14 Midwestern programs focused on Leadership, Arts and Performance (Arts), and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM). Overall, positive emotions occurred more frequently than negative emotions, but emotional experiences differed based on the focus of the program. There were few significant differences in emotional learning from various sources (self, peers, staff) across the three types of programs. Multiple regression models controlling for prior learning indicated that, consistent with theory, positive emotions predicted subsequent learning about emotions from all sources. In contrast, negative emotions predicted increased learning from peers but decreased learning from self, suggesting that experiencing negative (vs. positive) emotions may lead youth to attend to different sources of information. The study’s findings have implications for theory, research, and practice.
Journal Article
Youth Development Program Participation and Changes in Help-Seeking Intentions
An important effect often overlooked in prevention-based programs is the possibility that positive experiences with a youth development program before youth problems arise may influence families’ willingness to seek mental health support in the future. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of one such youth development program on caregivers’ future intentions to seek help for mental health issues. One hundred twenty-four adolescents (
M
age = 11.98 years; 87.4 % female; 86.6 % African-American) and 135 caregivers (
M
age = 37.49 years; 82.1 % female; 80.7 % African-American) participated in a 6-week youth development program that included physical activity and a curriculum consistent with typical youth development programs (self-expression, drug awareness, sexual education, and conflict resolution skills). Prior service utilization, program satisfaction, and initial help-seeking intentions were included as predictors of intentions for seeking help after program completion. Families’ willingness to seek help for child mental health trended towards an increase post-program but did not change in a statistically significant way. Contrary to expectations, child and parent program satisfaction did not mediate any change in help-seeking. This study illustrates that satisfaction with an initial low-dose youth development program does not necessarily bolster most families’ interest in accessing future services, but could be a pathway to future services for some. Future evaluations should continue to assess the long-term effects of program participation to better understand causal mechanisms of shifting attitudes towards seeking more help.
Journal Article
The U.S. Homeless Student Population: Homeless Youth Education, Review of Research Classifications and Typologies, and the U.S. Federal Legislative Response
Background
The drastic surge in the number of homeless families in the United States (U.S.) has resulted in an increase in the number of homeless students attending U.S. public schools. Meanwhile, the U.S. public school system is struggling to meet the educational needs of their homeless students.
Objective
This study examined the historical trajectory of U.S. federal initiatives that aim to respond to the needs of homeless youth; homeless youth research, classifications and typologies; homeless youth social conditions; and the factors that foster or impede their education.
Methods
This study reviewed U.S. federal policies that intend to address homeless youth needs and education; the causes and impact of homelessness on youth; the economics of homelessness; and the relevance of resiliency in improving homeless youth prospects.
Results
Despite the enormous challenges homeless youth face, some manage to successfully graduate from high school. While homeless youth are incapable of building or institutionalizing the support networks and structures they need, they are capable of utilizing available support systems within their surroundings.
Conclusion
Without responsive structural support this vulnerable population is at high risk of failure. Several federal programs are mandated to assist homeless youth meet their basic needs and education. For these programs to realize their objectives, deliberate efforts must be expanded to assess and evaluate program efficiency. Also, past federal educational initiatives may offer insights on how to better chart and inform the many existing federal homeless youth programs that aim to meet the diverse and complex needs of homeless students.
Journal Article
Promoting Positive Youth Development Through School-Based Social and Emotional Learning Interventions: A Meta-Analysis of Follow-Up Effects
This meta-analysis reviewed 82 school-based, universal social and emotional learning (SEL) interventions involving 97,406 kindergarten to high school students (Mage = 11.09 years; mean percent low socioeconomic status = 41.1; mean percent students of color = 45.9). Thirty-eight interventions took place outside the United States. Follow-up outcomes (collected 6 months to 18 years postintervention) demonstrate SEL's enhancement of positive youth development. Participants fared significantly better than controls in social-emotional skills, attitudes, and indicators of well-being. Benefits were similar regardless of students' race, socioeconomic background, or school location. Postintervention social-emotional skill development was the strongest predictor of well-being at follow-up. Infrequently assessed but notable outcomes (e.g., graduation and safe sexual behaviors) illustrate SEL's improvement of critical aspects of students' developmental trajectories.
Journal Article
A Systematic Review of Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR) in the United States
Objectives. To use a systematic review methodology to describe the state of the youth participatory action research (YPAR) literature and synthesize findings about the youth outcomes reported in these studies. Methods. We screened and coded studies using a process consistent with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). Of the 3,724 articles found in the database search, 67 reports of 63 distinct studies were included in the final sample. These reports were coded for reports of YPAR principles and project characteristics, study methods, and reported youth outcomes. Results. The YPAR literature comprises predominantly qualitative studies, with only two randomized trials. The most common outcomes associated with participation in YPAR were those related to agency and leadership (75.0%), followed by academic or career (55.8%), social (36.5%), interpersonal (34.6%), and cognitive (23.1%) outcomes. Conclusions. This systematic review provides emerging evidence of the skills and competencies youth may develop through YPAR and offers methodological recommendations for future research that can provide greater evidence of causality.
Journal Article
On the Right Path: Youth Development Amidst Colombia’s Sociocultural Transition
Colombia is amidst a sociocultural transition due to recent political movements towards ending the long-standing internal armed conflict. Development and implementation of youth programs that are responsive to the current societal context can contribute to this transition by investing in younger generations. This study features findings from the exploration phase of a community-based participatory research study to adapt a youth program from the United States for implementation in Colombia. Through focus group interviews, participants representing 4 different microsystems surrounding youth shared perceptions of youth who will be successful in this transitional context. Perceptions coalesced to reveal a process of positive development for use as a framework for responsive and culturally sensitive program adaptations. The emergent process mirrors positive youth development principles and shares similarities with other positive youth development models. The discussion explores considerations for the sociocultural context when designing youth programs for use in Colombia.
Journal Article
The Five Cs of Positive Youth Development in an Aotearoa/New Zealand Program Context
This study took a qualitative look at an Aotearoa/New Zealand-based positive youth development outdoor-education program in schools using the 5 Cs model of positive youth development. The viewpoints of young people, parents, and teachers were gathered, providing an opportunity to explore additional perspectives of the 5 Cs. All 5 Cs were seen to be present in the program and the 6th C of contribution was also observed. The Cs of competence, confidence and connection featured strongly, whilst the C of connection appeared to be important to young people’s experience of the program. Young people and adults prioritized different outcomes, with adults focusing more on future impacts and young people identifying more immediate benefits. The findings of this study add to an understanding of the 5 Cs model beyond the American context and highlight areas for future research.
Journal Article