As a result of recent social and political pressure and an increase in academic standards, there is a call to address academic and behavioral needs of at-risk students at the secondary level. Currently, many secondary schools are struggling to provide research-based interventions for these students. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a school-based mentoring program utilizing existing school staff and functioning within the constraints of a typical high school schedule, on at-risk students. The study aimed to add to the body of research on interventions in secondary settings and extend research on mentoring. Five at-risk high school students participated in the study which took place during the 2008-09 school year. All of the students received basic mentoring procedures, and three were identified for more advanced mentoring procedures half-way through the school year. Data was collected on academic and social outcomes and the viability of the intervention in the secondary setting. Overall, results of the study were mixed but indicated that the intervention was mildly effective for almost all students in at least one of the areas studied. Limitations of the study and implications for future research and practice are identified and discussed.

The use of disciplinary measures to deal with student behavior brings with it the responsibility to educate the student, not only academically, but socially. It is the social or behavioral component of education that is lacking in most Texas Disciplinary Alternative Education Program (DAEP) settings. The current DAEP model does not provide the means nor the method by which students’ behavior can be remediated, so students’ need for learning positive behaviors goes unmet. The Texas Education Code (TEC Chap. 37) mandates that DAEPs provide instruction in “self-discipline,” but it does not specify how this instruction is to be delivered. In addition, it does not provide for oversight or evaluation, so these requirements may be inconsistently fulfilled, or not fulfilled at all. Many of the students who attend DAEPs have behavioral and emotional difficulties, and are considered at risk for academic failure. Although there have been programs to compensate for and remediate academic skill deficits, there is not one comprehensive program to help students learn appropriate behaviors and overcome risk factors. The Thinking Errors program was developed to help students become aware that the choices they make every day are influenced by poor patterns of thinking. It is designed to help students correct these thinking patterns and learn to take responsibility for their own decisions and behaviors. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of the Thinking Errors program in helping students change their behavior.

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The City of Toronto experienced a particularly tremulous year in 2005. Dubbed the "year of the gun," the marked increase in violence among racialized youth lead to an increase in community cultural programming. These programs provide safe productive environments for youth to gather and develop self esteem and as well as important marketable life skills for the labour force. However there is currently a disconnect between these programs and the valuable training that they are imparting to youth. The traditional training and learning-to-work transitions have not enjoyed the success that was envisioned in the early stages of these initiatives. Through interviews and observation, the research documented in this thesis offers an opportunity for practitioners, policy makers and program funders to re-think the traditional approach as it relates to the arts and cultural programs for racialized at-risk youth in Canada's largest urban centre.

A scoping review was used to identify community-based out-of-school programs which employed occupation as a means of intervention to support positive youth development for at-risk children and youth. The purpose of the review was to explore how programs, via their structure and philosophy, may facilitate well-being and positive youth development. Organizations that ran programs which were accessible to children and youth in the boundaries of KFL&A Public Health Unit were located through internet search, word of mouth, and printed resources in the community. Nine programs (Boys and Girls Club, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Camp Outlook, Outward Bound, Tim Horton’s Children’s Foundation Camp, Children’s Aid Society, Youth Diversion, Girls Inc, and Katarokwi Native Friendship Centre) were identified and the associated documents were analyzed. A search of scholarly journals was completed to locate peer-reviewed publications which evaluated the above programs. Six publications were located which evaluated the effectiveness of the Boys and Girls Club (n=3) and Big Brothers Big Sisters (n=3). These evaluations indicated that the programs produce positive effects for youth behaviours and reduce negative attitudes and risk behaviours. Four common goals were identified through the analysis of the program documents: developing confidence/worth, safe supportive environment/relationships, skill development, and positive future outlook/place in the world. From the program documents, key phrases were identified that related to one or more of the components of well-being, namely; physical health (healthy lifestyle and participation), self-esteem (view of self and succeed at new things/skill development), belonging (safe supportive environment, citizenship, relationships/safe adult relationship), security (personal and economic), and self determination (skill development, positive future outlook, choices, self-reliance). Multiple links were observed between the goals and the components of well-being. The component of Belonging appeared to have the greatest emphasis, with all program documents containing at least one statement related to this component. This review provides insight into the role that youth programs which utilize occupation as the means of “intervention” can play in fostering a state of well-being and positive youth development among participants. / Thesis (Master, Rehabilitation Science) -- Queen's University, 2010-01-29 12:19:33.014

The City of Toronto experienced a particularly tremulous year in 2005. Dubbed the "year of the gun," the marked increase in violence among racialized youth lead to an increase in community cultural programming. These programs provide safe productive environments for youth to gather and develop self esteem and as well as important marketable life skills for the labour force. However there is currently a disconnect between these programs and the valuable training that they are imparting to youth. The traditional training and learning-to-work transitions have not enjoyed the success that was envisioned in the early stages of these initiatives. Through interviews and observation, the research documented in this thesis offers an opportunity for practitioners, policy makers and program funders to re-think the traditional approach as it relates to the arts and cultural programs for racialized at-risk youth in Canada's largest urban centre.

St. Gallen, University, Diss., 2005.

Bachelor-Arbeit Univ. St. Gallen, 2005.

Bachelor-Arbeit Univ. St. Gallen, 2006.