Mixed Methods Design using Sequential Explanatory Strategy

Secondary Data Analysis: meeting minutes & attendance records, grant proposals & process notes & evaluation materials to identify collaborating partners, key stakeholders, active participants, funding requirements and action team membership

Focus Groups: conducted with action teams to define PYD, identify awareness, perceptions, opinions and receptivity to PYD approach & SWOT analysis

Survey: Self-administered questionnaire, closed & open-ended; sample of youth & adults in participating organizations; identify org. type; activity types; perceptions of 12 possible elements of PYD; & perceptions of youth outcomes

Data Analysis: Focus groups will be transcribed verbatim, coded & analyzed for themes. Descriptive statistics (frequencies, means, median, rankings, cross tabulations) will summarize quantitative data.

Over 50 individuals representing Community & Faith-Based Organizations Schools City Government Office of Juvenile Delinquency Mental Health & Human Services Concerned Citizens

ASSESSING POSITIVE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT IN A COMMUNITY COLLABORATION FOR THE PREVENTION OF YOUTH VIOLENCE

Aimee CoxClemson University, Youth Development Leadership

What is the best way to address youth risk factors and problematic behaviors?Historically, youth have been considered in the context of problematic behaviors and risk factors to be eliminated.

Today, evidence supports considering youth in the context of their strengths and assets to be developed.

The Ecological Perspective suggests optimal environments for development include the multiple contexts that impact development.

Community Collaboration in support of positive youth development is an approach that integrates the efforts of each context towards effectively supporting youth in their path to adulthood.

Positive Youth Development (PYD)represents a policy perspective for guiding youths’ physical, cognitive and emotional development.

INTRODUCTION

PYD Strategies:Focus on recognizing youth as assets

Provide all youth with support & opportunities for skill development, exercising leadership & contributing to community

Are more effective in providing youth with the necessary skills to develop into healthy and productive adults

Community Collaboration outcomes match youth outcomes:Competence: increases knowledge and skills to function more effectively

Character: accountability & responsibility

Confidence: assuredness & self-efficacy

Connectedness: social relations built on trust among adults and youth

Contribution: participation in school, community, families and organizations

Environments should provide: Physical and psychological safety Appropriate structure, rules, expectations, boundaries Supportive relationships with peers and adults Opportunities to belong regardless of differences Positive social norms Meaningful challenges, autonomy, contributing to community Opportunities for skill building Integration of family school and community

There is not enough evidence of positive youth development principles being utilized in community collaborations

Cultural Attitudes and Ideologies

Community, Neighbors, Mass Media, Social Services, Local Politics

Interaction Between Social Networks

Family, Peers, School, Religious Institutions

Individual

To assess the level of positive youth development principles being implemented in a community collaboration of 39 organizations to prevent violence in New Hanover County, NC.

Youth Advisory Council

Leadership Team

Education Action Team

Community Engagement Action Team

Youth Violence Action Team

What are the collaborating partners’ knowledge, perceptions, opinions and receptivity of the concept of PYD?

What specific activities and processes being implemented by the collaboration constitute PYD?

What are the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities & threats in regards to collaboratively approaching the prevention of youth violence in accordance with PYD principles?

RESEARCH QUESTIONS

THE COLLABORATION

PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY

THE PROBLEMLITERATURE REVIEW METHODS

IMPLICATIONS

According to “America’s Children”, in 2008 21.7 per 1,000 births were to females between ages 15-17; 19% of children ages 0-17 were living in poverty; 12 per 1,000 youth ages 12 -17 were victims of serious violent crimes; 14 per 1,000 youth offenders ages 12 -17 were involved in serious violent crimes 10 per 1,000 reports of child maltreatment were substantiated

According to the Search Institute:In 2003, among 150,000 6th to 12th grade youth in 202 communities across the United States 22% reported perceiving that adults in the community value youth. 26% reported perceptions of young people being given useful roles in the community

Secondary Data Analysis Focus Groups Surveys

This study will contribute to the knowledge of types of activities and processes utilized by community collaborations that constitute PYD. This knowledge will further the promotion of a common language in support of professionalization of the field of youth development.