This study documented the gender-responsive youth programing strategies within Girls Rock camps using grounded theory methodology. Experiencing gender oppression is a stressor that creates an increased risk for mental and physical health concerns for gender-marginalized people. The risks for mental illnesses, because of gender-based oppression, is compounded when an individual holds additional marginalized statuses (e.g., age, race, ethnicity, social class, sexual orientation, ability status, etc.; APA, 2007). Gender bias has also been shown to negatively impact young people’s self-esteem, academic achievement, and vocational aspirations (Kamsler, 1992). Given this negative impact of gender bias, it is important to address gender related discrimination early in adolescents’ lives to mitigate the harmful ramifications of living in a sexist society. Gender-responsive youth programs are extracurricular, community-based organizations that incorporate the specific concerns of girls and gender non-conforming youth into organizational policies, practices, and activities. Girls Rock is a music-based, gender-responsive youth program that teaches young people empowerment through music. The resulting grounded theory model of the Girls Rock Camp Alliance positions authentic relationships as the active ingredient that makes Girls Rock camps effective worldwide. This model can be used to understand the components of a successful Girls Rock camp and can be adapted to gender-responsive youth programs of any discipline.

Thesis advisor: Jacqueline V. Lerner / Positive youth development (PYD) emerged from the relational developmental systems metatheory which focuses on the coactions between individuals and their contexts as the fundamental process of development. Within this theory, individuals and contexts (e.g., families, communities) thrive when their coactions are mutually beneficial (Overton, 2015). Within youth programs, researchers and practitioners have focused on how contextual and programmatic resources might work together with attributes of youth in mutually beneficial ways to promote thriving. When such youth attributes align with the resources of the context, PYD, and, in turn, positive contributions to self and society have been found to occur (Lerner, Lerner, et al., 2015). While still in its early stages, research on spirituality and religiosity among adolescents has grown alongside research on PYD over the past 20 years (e.g., Hardy et al., 2019). In the mid-to-late 20th century, religion and spirituality came to be distinct constructs, each contributing unique variance to individual development. That is, whereas some people were found to experience religion and spirituality as isomorphic, others identified with each to different degrees, and still others rejected one while embracing the other (e.g., “spiritual but not religious”). This dissertation seeks to contribute to the growing body of knowledge around spirituality within the context of adolescent development. Paper One presents an argument for spirituality to be recognized as a developmental asset for youth globally. Paper Two focuses on youth perceptions of safety within a faith-based youth development program in El Salvador finding that while safe spaces are integral for effective delivery of any PYD program, they are not well understood and the youth perspective is overlooked. In addition, youth in this program described a spiritual component of safety, such that their connection to God supported a sense of safety despite the unsafe community context. Paper Three, using the same data as Paper two, explores semi-structured interviews to understand how youth relate with God and how this youth <=> God relationship functions within the broader developmental context. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2023. / Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education. / Discipline: Counseling, Developmental and Educational Psychology.

Millions of students continue to struggle academically throughout K-12, which can harm student access and retention in higher education. Also, with arts continually being removed throughout the K-12 education curricula, students have a lack of support toward enhancing their hidden talents and skillsets. This study describes the impact that the Meet & Teach program had on youth through experiential learning in relation to developing and enhancing their skillset in media arts. The two research questions that guide this study are: (a) How does the Meet & Teach program support skill development for higher education through experiential learning? (b) In what ways does experiential learning aid in increasing student’s interest in pursuing higher education? Data was collected from participants using pre and post-surveys, semi-structured interviews, focus groups, as well as filmed and photographed observations. Data indicate that the Meet & Teach program supports skill development for higher education by developing participants’ various skillsets. Data also indicated that experiential learning aids in increasing students’ interest in pursuing higher education by providing access to hands-on experiences in the media arts. Further research is needed to identify other aspects that could strengthen the effectiveness of future media arts programming.

Ce mémoire consiste en une analyse des stratégies de l’offre et de la demande de l’industrie québécoise de la production télévisuelle francophone pour la jeunesse et plus précisément, pour l’auditoire des 12-17 ans. Cette industrie tendrait à investir davantage dans l’importation que dans la production d’émissions pour cet auditoire, dû à la faible écoute de ses productions par leur auditoire cible. Afin de mieux saisir les enjeux politiques, économiques et sociaux qui entourent l’industrie de la production télévisuelle pour la jeunesse, nous proposons d’explorer et de comparer l’offre télévisuelle destinée aux 12-17 ans et leur consommation télévisuelle. Cette analyse quantitative et statistique de l’offre et de la consommation se fait en trois étapes : (i) l’analyse de la structure de réception (émissions à succès, écoute des filles et des garçons, temps passé à l’écoute), (ii) l’analyse de la structure de programmation (mode de diffusion, genres télévisuels, origine des émissions, thématiques des émissions), et (iii) l’analyse de la structure thématique (thématiques associées aux épisodes et des personnages). De ces analyses, divers constats apparaissent. Tout d’abord, les jeunes consomment ce que les télédiffuseurs diffusent à leur intention, malgré l’accès limité à cette offre. De plus, plusieurs tactiques semblent être mises en œuvre afin de rentabiliser la diffusion de ces émissions, principalement la rediffusion. Finalement, ces émissions destinées aux adolescents se distinguent de celles offertes au grand public, non seulement par le public qu’elles tentent de rejoindre, mais aussi par les thématiques qu’elles abordent et la manière dont elles les abordent. / This research is an analysis of the supply and demand for Québec's French-language television production for youth and more specifically the 12 to17 years old demographic. As a result of low audience figures, the industry has a tendency to invest heavily in imported programs rather than the production of local programs. To better understand the political, economic and social issues surrounding the industry of television production for Youth, we propose to explore and compare the television supply aimed at 12 to 17 year-old and their television consumption. The quantitative and statistical analysis of supply and consumption is achieved in three ways: (i) the analysis of the receiving structure (programs with top ratings, differences between boys and girls and time spent), (ii) the analysis of the structure of programming (schedules, genres, country/province of production, main themes of programs) and (iii) the analysis of thematic structure (themes associated with episodes and characters). From this analysis, several findings emerge: Young people view what producers broadcast for them, despite the limited access to this supply. In addition, several tactics seem to be implemented to sustain the economics of the distribution of these programs, mainly multiple screening. Finally, these programs, aimed at adolescents, are fundamentally different from those for older audiences, not only by the audience they are trying to reach, but also by the themes they address and how they approach them.

Ce mémoire consiste en une analyse des stratégies de l’offre et de la demande de l’industrie québécoise de la production télévisuelle francophone pour la jeunesse et plus précisément, pour l’auditoire des 12-17 ans. Cette industrie tendrait à investir davantage dans l’importation que dans la production d’émissions pour cet auditoire, dû à la faible écoute de ses productions par leur auditoire cible. Afin de mieux saisir les enjeux politiques, économiques et sociaux qui entourent l’industrie de la production télévisuelle pour la jeunesse, nous proposons d’explorer et de comparer l’offre télévisuelle destinée aux 12-17 ans et leur consommation télévisuelle. Cette analyse quantitative et statistique de l’offre et de la consommation se fait en trois étapes : (i) l’analyse de la structure de réception (émissions à succès, écoute des filles et des garçons, temps passé à l’écoute), (ii) l’analyse de la structure de programmation (mode de diffusion, genres télévisuels, origine des émissions, thématiques des émissions), et (iii) l’analyse de la structure thématique (thématiques associées aux épisodes et des personnages). De ces analyses, divers constats apparaissent. Tout d’abord, les jeunes consomment ce que les télédiffuseurs diffusent à leur intention, malgré l’accès limité à cette offre. De plus, plusieurs tactiques semblent être mises en œuvre afin de rentabiliser la diffusion de ces émissions, principalement la rediffusion. Finalement, ces émissions destinées aux adolescents se distinguent de celles offertes au grand public, non seulement par le public qu’elles tentent de rejoindre, mais aussi par les thématiques qu’elles abordent et la manière dont elles les abordent. / This research is an analysis of the supply and demand for Québec's French-language television production for youth and more specifically the 12 to17 years old demographic. As a result of low audience figures, the industry has a tendency to invest heavily in imported programs rather than the production of local programs. To better understand the political, economic and social issues surrounding the industry of television production for Youth, we propose to explore and compare the television supply aimed at 12 to 17 year-old and their television consumption. The quantitative and statistical analysis of supply and consumption is achieved in three ways: (i) the analysis of the receiving structure (programs with top ratings, differences between boys and girls and time spent), (ii) the analysis of the structure of programming (schedules, genres, country/province of production, main themes of programs) and (iii) the analysis of thematic structure (themes associated with episodes and characters). From this analysis, several findings emerge: Young people view what producers broadcast for them, despite the limited access to this supply. In addition, several tactics seem to be implemented to sustain the economics of the distribution of these programs, mainly multiple screening. Finally, these programs, aimed at adolescents, are fundamentally different from those for older audiences, not only by the audience they are trying to reach, but also by the themes they address and how they approach them.