Positive Youth Development Practices Research Articles

Comparing Virtual and In-Person Implementation of a School-Based Sexual Health Promotion Program in High Schools with Large Latino Populations

Many sexual health programs transitioned to virtual implementation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite its devastation, the pandemic provided an opportunity to learn about virtual compared to in-person implementation of a sexual health promotion program—El Camino. This study assessed differences in program attendance, engagement, quality, and student ratings for virtual versus in-person implementation of El Camino as part of a rigorous evaluation in high schools with high Latino populations in Maryland. Drawing on positive youth development practices, El Camino helps participants identify personal goals and learn about sexual reproductive health and healthy relationships. This mixed-methods study incorporates data from performance measures, baseline and post-intervention participant surveys, observations, monthly implementation reports, and debriefs with facilitators to describe and compare virtual and in-person program implementation. At baseline, participants were an average of 16.2 years old; between 8 and 12th grade; 61% female; 79% Hispanic, Latino, or of Spanish origin; and 54% spoke mostly Spanish at home. Recruitment and retention of students outside of school classes were challenging for both forms of implementation. However, attendance was higher during in-person implementation and in schools where the organization implementing El Camino had a strong presence before the pandemic. Findings indicate high fidelity, excellent quality ratings, and positive student perceptions of the program and facilitators in both the virtual and in-person cohorts, which suggest that both forms of implementation were comparable and furthermore highlight the strength of the virtual adaptation of the El Camino program.

Integrating positive youth development into coordinated specialty care for a recent onset of psychosis

ABSTRACT Coordinated Specialty Care (CSC) for a recent onset of psychosis is widely implemented in the U.S., yet high disengagement rates persist. Integrating a Positive Youth Development approach (e.g., Transition to Independence Process (TIP) Model) may boost CSC engagement. TIP and CSC experts (n = 14) compared the TIP fidelity scale to an international CSC fidelity scale. Notes were thematically coded. To become more PYD-informed, CSC providers might: (1) re-conceptualize recovery, engagement, and goals; (2) adopt developmentally attuned language uniting multidisciplinary staff; and (3) strategically involve and expand participant social networks. Findings lay groundwork for CSC providers to integrate strategies to prevent premature disengagement.Takeaways Positive Youth Development practices likely can be integrated into Coordinated Specialty Care for first-episode psychosis. The TIP Model’s multi-phase developmentally focused futures planning process and strategic social support involvement may boost CSC engagement. The TIP Model holds merit for uniting multidisciplinary perspectives on CSC teams, promoting team collaboration and young person (and family & other relevant supportive people) engagement.

Environmental Action Programs Using Positive Youth Development May Increase Civic Engagement

Civic engagement in adults may be influenced by their participation as young people in environmental action programs. To assess this hypothesis, we conducted a case study to see if an environmental action program at the St. Louis Zoo impacted participants’ civic engagement in respect to positive youth development practices. During 2019, we surveyed youth from the St. Louis, Missouri area participating in the Bye-to-Bags program, which was a student-initiated program. We used a modified measurement scale for civic engagement outcomes, and measured three positive youth development practices: sparks, or an individual’s passions; adult relationships; and voice. We found that civic engagement and positive youth development outcomes were both present in the Bye-to-Bags program, which offered opportunities for youth engagement in environmental action in the community. Our results also showed that zoos with environmental action programs may increase youth civic engagement, especially when young people are given a sense of voice in programmatic decisions supported by strong adult relationships. Environmental education programs promoting sustainable behavior may help young people become environmentally responsible and civically engaged adults.

Cultural Values and Practice When Serving Children, Youth, and Families

Three case studies will be shared in this paper in the context of organizational values and practices implemented at the PHILLIPS Programs for Children and Families, located in Annandale, VA. The youth voices integrated in the case studies provide reasons for participating in special education and family strengthening programs. An overview of services and support received is given. Key challenges, successes, and emerging outcomes are considered. This study provides information on how to make organizational and cultural values come to life and how to recognize the positive youth development practices in special education and family strengthening services. This study also includes information on those working with crossover youth in special education day schools and family strengthening programs.

4-H Volunteer Attainment of Quality Positive Youth Development Practices

The University of Florida 4-H program evaluated volunteer perceptions of behavior adoption resulting from the completion of training focused on best practices that promote positive youth development. The evaluation effort was a quasi-experimental design that surveyed all enrolled volunteers electronically. The survey was designed to determine the types and frequency of training that 4-H volunteers participated in, their satisfaction with the training, the volunteer’s role of service, and outcomes of adopting best practices of program quality. A response rate of 27% (n = 340) provided a representative sample of the enrolled volunteers across demographic categories and geographical regions of the state. The results show that volunteers report practicing elements of positive youth development as categorized by the Essential Elements framework and that correlations between the type of training volunteers participate in and their implementation of quality practices are significant. Implications for volunteer trainings include the consideration of frequency, expanding opportunities beyond traditional delivery, and incorporating training elements that promote high-quality youth programming. This evaluation effort provides baseline data that informs future research for the Florida 4-H program.

Positive youth development as an improvement resource in odds-beating secondary schools

This multiple case study examines practices of educators in high schools called “odds-beaters”. These schools are exemplary in that they consistently achieve better-than-predicted graduation outcomes among economically disadvantaged, African-American/Black, Hispanic/Latino, and English language learners. Findings from this study revealed that these schools are characterized in part by educators’ priorities for an interdisciplinary specialization known as positive youth development (PYD). These priorities are expressed in how educators talk about young people; their use of PYD practices as a school improvement resource; and their strategies for facilitating students’ engagement, agency, and identity development. The PYD practices evidenced in these schools offer insights for others and serve as a source for those struggling to improve college and career readiness among their diverse students.

Commentary: Positive Youth Development Goes Mainstream.

Evidence has accumulated that confirms the success of a positive youth development (PYD) approach. Importantly, a positive development approach is just that-an approach. It is not a particular program or curriculum but a set of practices designed to achieve one or more positive outcomes. As such, PYD practices can be added onto other programs to make positive outcomes more likely. For example, a tutoring program can work hard to hire and train staff to work with students in a trusting, respectful relationship. Camp counselors can be encouraged to build rapport and positive bonds among the campers.

Positive youth development practices and better outcomes for high risk youth

This paper reports on the findings from a New Zealand longitudinal study of outcomes for a group of high risk, service-using youth (13–21 years, n = 495). Consistent use of positive youth development practices (PYD) (rather than the total number of services used) predicted better outcomes. Patterns of risk and resilience endured over time. Individual risks undermined outcomes while resilience had a significant positive impact on outcomes. Contextual risks predicted increases in individual risks, but service delivery that adopted PYD practices contributed to reductions in levels of contextual risks over time. Youth with higher individual and contextual risks were less likely to report PYD service experiences. Individual risks were highest for indigenous youth (Māori) at entry to the study, levels which dropped significantly over time. White (Pākehā) youth had the lowest resilience and highest contextual risks over the course of the study. These differential patterns in risks and resilience indicate a need for services to adapt their responses to youth based on ethnicity and overall study findings confirm that when used consistently across service systems PYD-oriented service delivery produces better outcomes for high risk youth.

The role of positive youth development practices in building resilience and enhancing wellbeing for at-risk youth

Services that utilise positive youth development practices (PYD) are thought to improve the quality of the service experience leading to better outcomes for at-risk youth. This article reports on a study of 605 adolescents (aged 12–17 years) who were concurrent clients of two or more service systems (child welfare, juvenile justice, additional education, mental health). It was hypothesised that services adopting PYD approaches would be related to increases in youth resilience and better wellbeing outcomes. It was also hypothesised that risks, resilience, service experiences and wellbeing outcomes would differ by age, gender and ethnicity. Youth completed a self-report questionnaire administered individually. Path analysis was used to determine the relationship between risk, service use, resilience and a wellbeing outcome measure. MANOVA was then used to determine patterns of risk, service use, resilience and wellbeing among participants based on their demographic characteristics. Services using PYD approaches were significantly related to higher levels of youth resilience. Similarly, increased resilience was related to increased indicators of wellbeing, suggesting the mediating role of resilience between risk factors and wellbeing outcomes. When professionals adopt PYD practices and work with the positive resources around youth (their own resilience processes) interventions can make a significant contribution to wellbeing outcomes for at-risk youth.

Youth-centred practice: Positive youth development practices and pathways to better outcomes for vulnerable youth

This paper reports on a longitudinal study of 1012 youth (aged 13–17years). Half were clients of two or more services and were followed for three years to enable analysis of the impact over time of services delivered using positive youth development practices (PYD). Youth completed self-report questionnaires administered by trained interviewers. It was hypothesised that youth reporting two positive service experiences at Time 1 would report better wellbeing and resilience and lower risk at Time 3 than youth reporting inconsistent or two negative service experiences at Time 1. MANCOVA was used to determine the relationships between service quality and wellbeing, resilience, and risk, with three covariates that assessed the presence of positive relational resources (with caregivers, friends and school) around youth. Results indicated that service quality at Time 1 had a positive effect on wellbeing and resilience at Time 3, but not on risk levels. The importance of consistent use of PYD approaches across services is discussed, as is the need for services to more directly address risk levels for vulnerable youth.

Listening to the Experts

AbstractA uniquely organized conference served as a tool for participatory evaluation. Positive youth development practices were empowering, and youth and adults worked as democratic equals in achieving common goals.

Positive Youth Development Practices in Recreation Settings in the United States

Recreation programs sponsored by park and recreation departments in the United State are moving beyond simply offering programs designed to reduce at-risk youth deficit behaviors to approaches that include the broader focus of positive youth development for all youth. Using the Developmental Assets Model and the Protective Factors/Resiliency framework, language and practice are moving from a “fun and games” approach to one that includes supplying the supports and opportunities necessary to enable youth to thrive. Building on ideas such as “Problem free is not fully prepared” and “Fully prepared is not fully engaged,” programs have been paying more attention to services that do more than reduce violence, problem use of drugs and alcohol, and unprotected sex among adolescents, to approaches emphasizing young people and families as partners in shaping and delivering services; developing comprehensive service systems that encompass home, school and non-school settings; along with serving the needs of all youth in the community, not just those labeled at-risk. In this paper these approaches to services are described along with case examples of how selected communities are applying these principles in their youth work efforts.