This study examined the elements that affect the transfer of training and skills by Texas State 4-H Council members. It described the patterns of motivation and learning styles of former State 4-H Council members, as well as the demonstration of leadership life skills. This study also described the leadership experiences of former State 4-H Council members after their council year concludes. The researcher used a purposive sampling technique to identify former members of the Texas State 4-H Council who were willing to discuss their experiences. A snowball sampling technique was used in which the members of the first group identified the remainder of the sample. There were fifteen individuals interviewed. Traditional qualitative research methodologies were used to collect and triangulate data. These methods included interviews, participant observation, and document analysis. The researcher used documented methods of dependability (dependability audit and reflexive journaling), transferability (thick description, purposive sample, and reflexive journaling), confirmability (confirmability audit and the reflexive journal), and credibility (persistent observation, triangulation, peer debriefing, member checking, and reflexive journaling) to establish trustworthiness. The major findings of the study were as follows: 1) State 4-H Council members tend to be extrinsically motivated individuals that follow self-determining pattern of motivational needs including the needs for a sense of competence, inter-relatedness, and autonomy; 2) Eight of the State 4-H Council members demonstrated a mix of social learning theory and experiential learning theory during the years of preparation prior to attaining their State 4-H Council positions; 3) State 4-H Council members demonstrated a command of the seven leadership life skill categories; and 4) The transfer of skills and knowledge by State 4-H Council members is affected both positively and negatively by the elements of training transfer. Recommendations include implementation of a needs assessment to determine training content and greater experiential training opportunities. The addition of personality types, gender and sensitivity training, and positive conflict resolution should be added to training agendas. State 4-H Council members should be afforded greater decision-making power, beyond that of deciding themes for state events.

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

Thesis (MPhil)--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / Bibliography. Also available via the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 2008. / Title from first page of PDF file. Includes vita. Includes bibliographical references (p. 83-89).

Youth unemployment is a global problem, but more-so in Southern globally positioned countries such as South Africa. The government of South Africa has implemented different interventions that attempt to alleviate national youth unemployment. Some of these programmes, such as the National Rural Youth Service Corps (NARYSEC), specifically target youth in rural and peri-urban areas. NARYSEC aims to develop skills of the youth in rural and peri-urban areas as well as assist in rural development. Despite the introduction of NARYSEC, unemployment among the youth continues to be a problem. Against this background, this study sought to examine rural youth and development interventions implemented by NARYSEC in peri-urban Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality. Furthermore, the study assessed the extent to which NARYSEC interventions are contributing to rural youth and development in peri-urban Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality. Lastly, the study examined the limitations of NARYSEC interventions in peri-urban youth development. To achieve the above objectives, the study used a qualitative research approach. The sampling procedure was purposive as the research required specific participants who have gone through NARYSEC training. A total of 24 respondents were eventually selected. In-depth, semi-structured interviews and key informant interviews were the primary data collection tools. Some of the main findings are that NARYSEC provides various skills training programmes which prepare young people for the labour market. NARYSEC interventions are also helping communities to reduce crime through providing youth employment opportunities. Furthermore, some youth actively participate in rural development projects such as rehabilitation of local clinics and construction projects. However, the study also found that there are a number of limitations and challenges that are experienced in the implementation of the NARYSEC programme. These challenges include lack of strategic planning in the programme, irregular stipend payments, strained professional relationships between NARYSEC programme facilitators and youth participants, limited passion and commitment to the programme by both youth participants and facilitators.

Magister Artium (Development Studies) - MA(DVS) / From the international literature, as well as from South African initiatives, it is clear that the use of sport and development programmes have a tremendous potential to impact on development. Past efforts in South Africa also shows that sport and development initiatives can make a huge impact on youth development and serve as a vehicle for improved social and economic well-being. This was acknowledged by a recent Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport (DCAS) and Interdisciplinary Centre for Sport and Development (ICESSD) publication called, “The Case for Sport: Socio-economic benefits of Sport and Recreation in the Western Cape”. This was the first such research done at the Provincial Government and a particular research finding showed that inadequate monitoring of youth programmes, including the Mass Participation, Opportunity Access, Development and Growth (MOD) Centres were being done. Against the background of the South African Government’s increased efforts to support sport and development a need has also arisen for the improved performance management of these initiatives. In particular, a need exists for an improved understanding of available indicators for the improved monitoring and evaluation of sport youth development programmes. This research investigation conducted both an assessment of available indicators from a theoretical and comparative point of view as well as undertook a case study approach to investigating the type of indicators needed in future in the case of the MOD Centres in the Western Cape. The research methodology consisted of a qualitative study using a case study approach and by collecting information through a literature review, desktop study of primary and secondary sources, semi-structured interviews as well as focus groups. The study included a psycho-social behavioural survey to develop and test some of the anticipated outcomes and indicators for youth programmes. The research findings show that the MOD Centres have been using a good basic set of mostly output indicators but that international and local experiences show that a generic compendium of outcomes-based indicators can be developed that will provide a basis for the monitoring of sport and development programmes for the youth. These provide for exciting options, including the application of the Olympic values and the possibility of including human capital indicators to assess the impact of sport and development initiatives on the youth. This study provides a systematic overview of the existing indicators in use as well as alternative indicators that have been identified through this study. The research findings include a set of proposed anticipated outcomes and indicators for use in sport and development programmes. Specific recommendations have been made to Government, civil society and the research community in this respect.

Many countries have seen an increase in the last 20 years in the number of children cared for by their Grandparents (Edwards & Sweeney, 2007; Edwards & Taub, 2009; Worrall, 2009). In the UK, Looked After Children (LAC) are increasingly being placed with kinship carers, formally known as ‘Family and Friends Care’ following guidance from The Children’s Act (2004). Support for this growing group of carers appears sporadic, and there has been some delay both in practice and procedures in responding to this increase in placement type. Children who are looked after by any carer other than their birth parents are more likely to experience difficulties within the educational context (Dent & Cameron, 2003). The increasing number of these children has implications for child and educational psychologists and other professionals within Children’s Services, as research suggests that children’s success in school depends upon contextual variables associated with the child, their home and school environments. This study explores the characteristics of kinship carers, how they perceive their role and the support currently available to them and also examines the reported educational progress made by children in their care. In addition, this exploratory study considers whether a model developed from Positive Youth Development (PYD) is a useful conceptual framework for professionals supporting KCs. This research uses a case study design; qualitative data has been obtained using semi-structured interviews and analysed using thematic analysis. Difficulties and support requirements varied across kinship carers, the majority of whom were pleased with the support they received, particularly from their families. There were some criticisms of Children’s Services support. Recommendations are made for both Children’s Services staff generally and child and educational psychologists specifically.

The dissertation reports on two studies. The purpose of Study I was to develop and evaluate a measure of cognitive competence (the Critical Problem Solving Skills Scale – Qualitative Extension) using Relational Data Analysis (RDA) with a multi-ethnic, adolescent sample. My study builds on previous work that has been conducted to provide evidence for the reliability and validity of the RDA framework in evaluating youth development programs (Kurtines et al., 2008). Inter-coder percent agreement among the TOC and TCC coders for each of the category levels was moderate to high, with a range of .76 to .94. The Fleiss’ kappa across all category levels was from substantial agreement to almost perfect agreement, with a range of .72 to .91. The correlation between the TOC and the TCC demonstrated medium to high correlation, with a range of r(40)=.68, p Study II reports an investigation of a positive youth development program using an Outcome Mediation Cascade (OMC) evaluation model, an integrated model for evaluating the empirical intersection between intervention and developmental processes. The Changing Lives Program (CLP) is a community supported positive youth development intervention implemented in a practice setting as a selective/indicated program for multi-ethnic, multi-problem at risk youth in urban alternative high schools in the Miami Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS). The 259 participants for this study were drawn from the CLP’s archival data file. The study used a structural equation modeling approach to construct and evaluate the hypothesized model. Findings indicated that the hypothesized model fit the data (χ2 (7) = 5.651, p = .83; RMSEA = .00; CFI = 1.00; WRMR = .319). My study built on previous research using the OMC evaluation model (Eichas, 2010), and the findings are consistent with the hypothesis that in addition to having effects on targeted positive outcomes, PYD interventions are likely to have progressive cascading effects on untargeted problem outcomes that operate through effects on positive outcomes.

The Changing Lives Program (CLP) is a Positive Youth Development (PYD) program that seeks to empower adolescents attending voluntary alternative high schools to take control and responsibility over their lives so they may change their negative life pathways into positive ones. The current study seeks to evaluate the CLP’s Personal Control and Responsibility Measure, an eight item scale devised to assess individuals control and responsibility over life change goals (CRLCG) and life in general (CRG). Using a weighted least squares mean and variance adjusted (WLSMV) estimator available in Mplus for categorical variable modeling, the current study ran confirmatory factory analysis on two theoretically possible models, a single factor and a two factor structure. After items regarding control over consequences dropped, results confirmed the hypothesized two factor model (CRLCG and CRG). Furthermore, analysis of measurement invariance found the factor structure form, factor loadings, and intercepts to be invariant across condition, gender, ethnicity, and time (time 1 and 2). Limitations of the current study and implications for future evaluations of the Changing Lives Program (CLP) are discussed.

Using a basic qualitative approach, interviews were conducted with five agents in North Dakota with a range of experiences and lengths of service to evaluate the effectiveness and implementation of Common Measures, a set of survey instruments designed to assess the impact of the 4-H program. The study addresses the culture of North Dakota Extension’s views on evaluation and the implementation of Common Measures. The use of a state-wide reporting tool to assess the 4-H program in North Dakota was perceived as necessary, however, many agents felt Common Measures, missed the mark and did not meet the North Dakota reporting. The ability to tell the story of the 4-H program and the long-term impact it has on youth is necessary to the success of any state-wide reporting venture. Additional training on how alternative forms of data collection can be used to tell the story of their program is needed.