Journal of Youth Development https://jyd.pitt.edu/ojs/jyd <p><a href="http://tigerprints.clemson.edu/jyd" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://jyd.pitt.edu/ojs/public/site/images/kcwalker/JYDBanner21.jpg" alt="" /></a></p> <p><strong>JYD has moved to a new platform. Submissions are now closed at this website. Please go to <a href="http://tigerprints.clemson.edu/jyd" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tigerprints.clemson.edu/jyd</a> for new submissions. </strong></p> <p>Welcome to the Journal of Youth Development, an open-source, peer-reviewed, quarterly online publication dedicated to advancing youth development practice and research. JYD serves applied researchers and evaluators as well as practitioners who work in youth-serving organizations or the intermediaries that support them.</p> <p>JYD is the official journal of two of the largest professional associations for those working with and on behalf of young people, the <a href="https://nae4ha.com/">National Association of Extension 4-H Youth Development Professionals</a> (NAE4-HYDP) and the <a href="https://naaweb.org/">National Afterschool Association</a> (NAA). </p> <p><strong><em>Our vision</em></strong><em> is a world in which all youth and communities are authentically represented in youth development scholarship and practice, and in which youth development scholarship contributes to repairing historical and current inequities. </em></p> <p><strong><em>Our mission</em></strong><em> is to bridge research and practice by cultivating and publishing youth development scholarship with and for youth, practitioners, and researchers in pursuit of an equitable and just society in which all young people can thrive.</em></p> <p>As a reader, reviewer or author, please consider JYD your home for finding and sharing scholarship that bridges research and practice. For all the latest news and updates, follow us on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/JournalYouthDev/">Facebook</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/journalyouthdev">Twitter</a> (@JournalYouthDev). </p> en-US <p>Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:</p><ol><li>The Author retains copyright in the Work, where the term “Work” shall include all digital objects that may result in subsequent electronic publication or distribution.</li><li>Upon acceptance of the Work, the author shall grant to the Publisher the right of first publication of the Work.</li><li>The Author shall grant to the Publisher and its agents the nonexclusive perpetual right and license to publish, archive, and make accessible the Work in whole or in part in all forms of media now or hereafter known under a <a title="CC-BY" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License</a> or its equivalent, which, for the avoidance of doubt, allows others to copy, distribute, and transmit the Work under the following conditions:<ol type="a"><li>Attribution—other users must attribute the Work in the manner specified by the author as indicated on the journal Web site;</li></ol>with the understanding that the above condition can be waived with permission from the Author and that where the Work or any of its elements is in the public domain under applicable law, that status is in no way affected by the license.</li><li>The Author is able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the nonexclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the Work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), as long as there is provided in the document an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.</li><li>Authors are permitted and encouraged to post online a prepublication manuscript (but not the Publisher’s final formatted PDF version of the Work) in institutional repositories or on their Websites prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work. Any such posting made before acceptance and publication of the Work shall be updated upon publication to include a reference to the Publisher-assigned DOI (Digital Object Identifier) and a link to the online abstract for the final published Work in the Journal.</li><li>Upon Publisher’s request, the Author agrees to furnish promptly to Publisher, at the Author’s own expense, written evidence of the permissions, licenses, and consents for use of third-party material included within the Work, except as determined by Publisher to be covered by the principles of Fair Use.</li><li>The Author represents and warrants that:<ol type="a"><li>the Work is the Author’s original work;</li><li>the Author has not transferred, and will not transfer, exclusive rights in the Work to any third party;</li><li>the Work is not pending review or under consideration by another publisher;</li><li>the Work has not previously been published;</li><li>the Work contains no misrepresentation or infringement of the Work or property of other authors or third parties; and</li><li>the Work contains no libel, invasion of privacy, or other unlawful matter.</li></ol></li><li>The Author agrees to indemnify and hold Publisher harmless from Author’s breach of the representations and warranties contained in Paragraph 6 above, as well as any claim or proceeding relating to Publisher’s use and publication of any content contained in the Work, including third-party content.</li></ol><p><span style="font-size: 75%;">Revised 7/16/2018. Revision Description: Removed outdated link. </span></p> bgarst@clemson.edu (Barry Garst) e-journals@mail.pitt.edu (OJS Technical Support) Thu, 15 Dec 2022 14:22:43 -0500 OJS 3.3.0.13 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss 60 After-School Connectedness, Racial–Ethnic Identity, Affirmation, and Problem Behaviors https://jyd.pitt.edu/ojs/jyd/article/view/22-17-4-RES-1 <p class="AbstractParagraphs">After-school programs are potential contexts that may promote positive youth development (PYD) and reduce problem behaviors among African American children. One way after-school programs may be associated with reduced problem behaviors is by fostering an affirming sense of identity. Prior research on racial–ethnic identity among African American children and adolescents has shown that a positive and affirming sense of identity is related to less maladaptive coping, yet little is known about how after-school programs may foster an affirming sense of identity and lead to reduced problem behaviors. The current study adds to this discourse by investigating how children’s connection to staff and peers in after-school settings is associated with racial–ethnic identity (as measured by racial–ethnic affirmation) and reduced problem behaviors. Participants were 186 African American children ages 7–11 (<em>M </em>= 8.44; <em>SD</em> = 1.10) who completed surveys in the LEGACY Together Afterschool research project. Data were collected at 55 community-based after-school programs. Results indicated that positive racial–ethnic affirmation mediated the association between after-school connectedness and problem behaviors, such that child-report of connectedness—that is feeling safe and happy in the after-school programs—was directly related to positive racial–ethnic identity and indirectly to reduced problem behaviors. These findings underscore the importance of supportive after-school programs that encourage meaningful interactions among staff and children that are nurturing and affirming to children’s identities.</p> Danielle A. Augustine, Emilie P. Smith, Dawn P. Witherspoon Copyright (c) 2022 Danielle A. Augustine, Emilie P. Smith, Dawn P. Witherspoon https://jyd.pitt.edu/ojs/jyd/article/view/22-17-4-RES-1 Thu, 15 Dec 2022 00:00:00 -0500 Youth Social and Emotional Learning in Quality-Enhanced, Out-of-School Time Programs https://jyd.pitt.edu/ojs/jyd/article/view/22-17-4-RES-2 <p class="AbstractParagraphs">Researchers examined social and emotional learning (SEL) ratings for two samples of 559 and 406 predominantly elementary-age youth of color, who were enrolled in out-of-school time (OST) programs serving communities mostly of high socioeconomic need in Palm Beach County, Florida. Covering the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 school years in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, the study predicted that programs’ participation in an SEL quality enhancement project would positively impact youth SEL. This quality enhancement was expected to emerge alongside the positive effects of foundational program quality achieved through participation in the Palm Beach County Quality Improvement System, which includes an array of supports provided by Prime Time Palm Beach County, a nonprofit OST intermediary organization. Amid the challenges of the pandemic, evidence emerged to support the positive impact of foundational quality on youth in OST, as well as the positive impact of an enhanced focus on SEL.</p> Annick Eudes Jean-Baptiste, Stephanie Giannella, Celine Provini Copyright (c) 2022 Annick Eudes Jean-Baptiste, Stephanie Giannella, Celine Provini https://jyd.pitt.edu/ojs/jyd/article/view/22-17-4-RES-2 Thu, 15 Dec 2022 00:00:00 -0500 Book Review: (Re)Defining the Goal: The True Path to Career Readiness in the 21st Century https://jyd.pitt.edu/ojs/jyd/article/view/22-17-4-RR-1 <p class="AbstractParagraphs"><span>In <em>(Re)Defining the Goal: The True Path to Career Readiness in the 21<sup>st</sup> Century</em></span>, author Kevin Fleming presents his an extensively researched approach for deconstructing the prevalent “one-size-fits-all” education paradigm. The book provides a new perspective with replicable strategies and outlines 6 proven steps to help young people thrive in the evolving workforce. Youth development practitioners will find the topics discussed relevant and practical as they guide their clientele toward personality-aligned careers and not just toward college.</p> Margo N. Long Copyright (c) 2022 Margo N. Long https://jyd.pitt.edu/ojs/jyd/article/view/22-17-4-RR-1 Thu, 15 Dec 2022 00:00:00 -0500 Considering the Importance of Attachment in Outcomes: The Case of Summer Camp https://jyd.pitt.edu/ojs/jyd/article/view/22-17-4-FA-1 <p class="AbstractParagraphs">Youth programs are consistently described as settings that offer youth developmental experiences. Summer camps are one example of youth programs with empirical evidence suggesting positive outcomes of participation; however, researchers seldom address how youth’s social development, such as attachment, may shape outcomes. By not accounting for differences in attachment, researchers may be missing reasons why youth programs, like summer camps, function as developmental settings that foster outcomes for some youth, but not for others. Using summer camp as an example youth program, the purpose of this paper is to consider the role of attachment in youth outcomes. This article reviews and integrates positive youth development, summer camp, and attachment literature to arrive at a conceptual argument for the importance of including attachment when studying summer camps. Suggestions for how researchers can enhance their efforts by accounting for how attachment may shape youth outcomes are also offered.</p> Robert P. Warner Copyright (c) 2022 Robert P. Warner https://jyd.pitt.edu/ojs/jyd/article/view/22-17-4-FA-1 Thu, 15 Dec 2022 00:00:00 -0500 Can We Efficiently Help Adults Strengthen their Relational Practice? https://jyd.pitt.edu/ojs/jyd/article/view/22-17-4-FA-2 <p class="AbstractParagraphs">Human interactions across settings shape young people’s learning and development, and building adult expertise in facilitating productive interactions takes deliberate practice and reflective experience. However, relational practices are not consistently part of adult learning for those who work with youth. We describe a 2-year design study to develop the Simple Interactions Leadership Program, a professional learning workshop focused on relational practices. We refined the program across 3 iterations with library and after-school staff (with a total of 41 participants). Iterative changes included adding participant-driven “try-it-out” projects, adding external accountability features, and combining staff from the library and after-school sectors. Using artifacts and memos from workshops and participants’ reflections, we found that these features incrementally improved participants’ engagement, depth of learning, and sense of professional community—which we suggest are three central goals for related professional development efforts. As a collective youth-serving field, we need effective and scalable ways to help adults recognize and strengthen their relational practices with young people. The Simple Interactions Leadership Program offers a flexible structure for professional learning focused on building expertise in relational practice while sustaining change and improvement through continuous reflection within communities of practice.</p> Thomas Akiva, Annie M. White, Sharon Colvin, Junlei Li, Peter S. Wardrip Copyright (c) 2022 Thomas Akiva, Annie M. White, Sharon Colvin, Junlei Li, Peter S. Wardrip https://jyd.pitt.edu/ojs/jyd/article/view/22-17-4-FA-2 Thu, 15 Dec 2022 00:00:00 -0500 Pupil Voice Groups: The Impact on Schools and Students https://jyd.pitt.edu/ojs/jyd/article/view/22-17-4-FA-3 <p class="AbstractParagraphs">Over 30 years ago, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child passed legislation allowing children under the age of 18 to express their concerns in circumstances and decisions that affect them. Because one impact on children under the age of 18 is the educational system, Scotland education has integrated opportunities for students to be involved in the educational process. Pupil voice groups are one of the techniques that have been implemented in Scotland and throughout Europe. These groups allow students to have a voice in their education that may impact development. Researchers sought to identify the impacts of pupil voice groups on student development, the surrounding community, and the school. Researchers identified primary school students from years P-3 to P-6 (7 to 12 years of age) involved in pupil voice groups. Data were collected through focus group interviews, in which themes surrounding benefits, drawbacks, and impacts on the school and community emerged. Results indicated that these groups improve the school and community, and students believe these opportunities allow them to share their opinions on their education. The researchers recommend that further research should examine the perceptions of previously interviewed students towards involvement in pupil voice groups, and the use of pupil voice groups outside of the United Kingdom.</p> Eric D. Rubenstein, James D. Scott, Jason B. Peake Copyright (c) 2022 Eric D. Rubenstein, James D. Scott, Jason B. Peake https://jyd.pitt.edu/ojs/jyd/article/view/22-17-4-FA-3 Thu, 15 Dec 2022 00:00:00 -0500 Ambiguous, Affective, and Arduous: Volunteers’ Invisible Work With Young Adults https://jyd.pitt.edu/ojs/jyd/article/view/22-17-4-FA-4 <p class="AbstractParagraphs">Mentoring has been regarded as a promising way to reach at-risk youth and to strengthen the protective factors. This article focuses on emotions, reflections, and challenges that adult volunteers face in trying to establish and maintain a friend relationship with young adults in a multicomponent mentor setting in Finland. Based on our participatory observations in volunteering, a focus group discussion with volunteers and facilitators of volunteering, and interviews with young adults we analyze the nature of volunteers’ actions as invisible work as characterized by Devault (1999). We argue that invisible work should be recognized as a significant part of volunteering in a multi-component mentoring setting. The main findings in this particular case are the following: (a) There are limitations in short-term and project-based work in establishing meaningful relationships between young people and the volunteers/staff. (b) The volunteers are not always equipped to address the material and mental health support needs of the young people. (c) The organizational focus aiming to improve the volunteers’ experience does not solve all the problems related to volunteers’ interaction with young adults, such as fragmented and short-term youth services created by neoliberal policies that the young adults struggle with. </p> Jenni Mölkänen, Päivi Honkatukia Copyright (c) 2022 Jenni Mölkänen, Päivi Honkatukia https://jyd.pitt.edu/ojs/jyd/article/view/22-17-4-FA-4 Thu, 15 Dec 2022 00:00:00 -0500 Utilization of Positive Youth Development Framework by Youth-Facing Organizations in Baltimore City https://jyd.pitt.edu/ojs/jyd/article/view/22-17-4-PA-1 <p class="AbstractParagraphs"><span>Positive youth development (PYD) is a strengths-based approach to youth programming which has been tested with success in largely higher income settings with mostly White youth. This study aims to identify the extent to which organizations who work in an urban context serving predominately African American youth incorporate PYD principles into their work. Organizations located in Baltimore, Maryland working with youth ages 14–24 were recruited for participation. In-depth interviews were conducted with organization leaders in this qualitative study. Thematic analysis using a deductive approach identified common themes and activities across organizations that aligned with PYD elements. All 17 youth-facing organizations interviewed described organic use of PYD principles through program activities regardless of prior knowledge of the PYD framework. Organizations prioritized activities to create an empowering environment for youth, build on youth assets and agency. The PYD principle of contribution was less explicitly incorporated into program activities, however organization leaders reported behavioral observations of youth exemplifying contribution. This real-world study demonstrates widespread utilization of PYD principles across a range of youth engagement activities in Baltimore. The results of this study provide insight on how organizations working with youth of color may naturally infuse elements of PYD into their programs. Formal training and evaluation support for these organizations may help achieve positive youth outcomes through application of PYD frameworks.</span></p> Selvi Rajagopal, Kaitlyn Harper, Katherine Holzhauer, Tina Kumra Copyright (c) 2022 Selvi Rajagopal, Kaitlyn Harper, Katherine Holzhauer, Tina Kumra https://jyd.pitt.edu/ojs/jyd/article/view/22-17-4-PA-1 Thu, 15 Dec 2022 00:00:00 -0500 Camp is for Everyone: Intentional Inclusion of Gender-Expansive Teens at Camp https://jyd.pitt.edu/ojs/jyd/article/view/22-17-4-PA-2 <p class="AbstractParagraphs">Camp remains a powerful experience for youth of any age, but special care must be taken to ensure camps are supportive of diverse audiences. This article describes the process by which 4-H camp organizers created a welcoming and affirming camp for teen dependents of active duty, retired, or veteran military personnel, especially those campers who identified as non-binary or LGBTQ+. This included careful consideration of language used in recruitment documents, evaluation documents, volunteer and staff training, as well as communication with campers and families. Through careful planning and implementation, the 4-H adventure camps engaged over 90 teens, and survey results showed statistically significant improvements in camper perceptions of self-worth and satisfaction after their camp experience.</p> Ashley M. Hall, Kimberly H. Zemel Copyright (c) 2022 Ashley M. Hall, Kimberly H. Zemel https://jyd.pitt.edu/ojs/jyd/article/view/22-17-4-PA-2 Thu, 15 Dec 2022 00:00:00 -0500 A Pilot Study Exploring the Potential of Improv in Strengthening Youth—Adult Partnerships https://jyd.pitt.edu/ojs/jyd/article/view/22-17-4-PA-3 <p class="AbstractParagraphs">This study qualitatively explored the potential of improv for strengthening youth–adult partnerships. Seven members of a youth-adult research collaborative participated in a 2-hour professionally facilitated improv workshop. Participants provided insights about their experiences through a follow-up qualitative interview questionnaire. Participants indicated that improv assisted in dismantling power differentials that often exist in youth–adult partnership contexts, also noting that improv helped them to express their true selves more readily, along with helping them to see new and more “human” sides to their team members. Participants were enthusiastic about accessing further improv opportunities, noting that improv should be embedded into other youth–adult partnership efforts, as such approaches were deemed particularly helpful in building relationships and trust. The further inclusion of improv activities in youth-serving intervention and prevention efforts would benefit from additional exploration as ways by which youth–adult collaborations might be innovated and strengthened.</p> Stephanie Begun, Brigette Mayorga, Cam Bautista, Krysta Cooke, Travonne Edwards, Bryn King, Hamzat Olaosebikan, Rae-Ann Whyte Copyright (c) 2022 Stephanie Begun, Brigette Mayorga, Cam Bautista, Krysta Cooke, Travonne Edwards, Bryn King, Hamzat Olaosebikan, Rae-Ann Whyte https://jyd.pitt.edu/ojs/jyd/article/view/22-17-4-PA-3 Thu, 15 Dec 2022 00:00:00 -0500 Implementing Sexual Violence Primary Prevention Programs: A Case Study of Implementer Perspectives https://jyd.pitt.edu/ojs/jyd/article/view/22-17-4-PA-4 <p class="AbstractParagraphs"><span>Sexual violence prevention programs are important for addressing sexual violence and are often implemented in local community and university settings. However, program implementer perspectives are often missing from academic research literature, limiting access to practical knowledge that can provide insights to improving programs and prevention. This study illustrates the landscape of sexual violence primary prevention work in a Midwestern metropolitan area. Seven interviews with community and university implementers took place in 2020, providing information about local prevention programs and expert insights to community prevention culture. Geographic data about implementation locations was also collected to visually assess coverage of preventive services and confirm that the major sub-areas of the metropolitan area were represented by this research. Interviews provided descriptions of local programs implemented with adolescents and young adults which usually took place in school or university settings and focused on healthy relationships. Capacity was most often cited as a challenge faced internally, whereas broader outer contexts may inhibit or support prevention externally. Findings capture the perspectives of sexual violence prevention program implementers, including discussion of tensions related to adaptation versus fidelity and how implementation contexts specific to this programming may influence implementation.</span></p> Rachel Jackson-Gordon, Jacinda K. Dariotis, Bonnie S. Fisher, Victoria Dickman-Burnett Copyright (c) 2022 Rachel Jackson-Gordon, Jacinda K. Dariotis, Bonnie S. Fisher, Victoria Dickman-Burnett https://jyd.pitt.edu/ojs/jyd/article/view/22-17-4-PA-4 Thu, 15 Dec 2022 00:00:00 -0500 Supporting Teens’ Professional Identities and Engagement in Mindfulness Practices Through Teens-as-Teachers Programming https://jyd.pitt.edu/ojs/jyd/article/view/22-17-4-PA-5 <p class="AbstractParagraphs">This study was situated in the context of the University of California 4-H Positive Youth Development Program. A convenience sample of teen teachers (<em>N</em> = 11) represents variation in age (11–17), gender, ethnicity, and geographic location. All teens delivered the 4-H Mindful Me curriculum from the University of California 4-H Program. Qualitative analysis provides evidence of positive developmental outcomes that support teen teachers’ personal professional identity and engagement in mindfulness. Teens described how involvement in the teens-as-teachers program provided the context in which they could explore their personal professional identity, build on self-efficacy as an instructor, and develop an improved understanding of mindfulness-based practices and mindful-based skills. Results inform the delivery of teens-as-teachers programming, specifically, an integrated approach to teen mindfulness programming.</p> Anne Marie Iaccopucci Copyright (c) 2022 Anne Marie Iaccopucci https://jyd.pitt.edu/ojs/jyd/article/view/22-17-4-PA-5 Thu, 15 Dec 2022 00:00:00 -0500 Family Diabetes Camp Amidst COVID-19: A Community of Practice Model https://jyd.pitt.edu/ojs/jyd/article/view/22-17-4-PA-6 <p class="AbstractParagraphs">Studies have found that youth are experiencing higher anxiety levels than prior to COVID-19, and youth with type 1 diabetes are at higher risk. Medical specialty camps are a type of camp that provide opportunities for youth with chronic illnesses to share common goals, increase socialization, improve camper well-being, and increase knowledge of diabetes management. The program evaluation sought to determine the impact of a campers’ outcomes of independence and perceived competence and familial impact during COVID-19. Over half the participants were at their first diabetes camp and 71% of the campers felt their perceived competence “increased a little bit” because of camp. Over 95% of parents felt that their participation in camp had increased their diabetes knowledge. Qualitative data from parents revealed 2 themes, camp as a meeting place and learning from others. The findings from this study demonstrate that medical specialty camps influence campers’ perceptions of independence and competence and that families play an important role in creating a community of practice.</p> Eddie Hill, Rowan Williams, Justin A. Haegele, Ron Ramsing, Bethany Arrington, Laura Hill Copyright (c) 2022 Eddie Hill, Rowan Williams, Justin A. Haegele, Ron Ramsing, Bethany Arrington, Laura Hill https://jyd.pitt.edu/ojs/jyd/article/view/22-17-4-PA-6 Thu, 15 Dec 2022 00:00:00 -0500 The Key to Engaging Every Student: Building Greater Linkages Between National, State, and Local System Leaders https://jyd.pitt.edu/ojs/jyd/article/view/22-17-4-TLC-1 <p class="AbstractParagraphs">The COVID-19 pandemic illuminated how essential summer and after-school programs are for youth and their families. Policymakers took note of the needs and the evidence base, and prioritized stimulus funding to expand access and accelerate learning. American Rescue Plan (ARP) and Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds were quickly released to schools through different mechanisms, initially prioritizing speed over infrastructure design. The funds were intended to fuel robust school–community partnerships to provide students who suffered from pandemic-related learning and developmental setbacks with comprehensive, high-quality programming; yet the timeline for planning and implementation often hindered progress toward that vision. This article discusses the challenges to scaling critical services, the strategies that states and partners are putting into place, and opportunities to strengthen relationships and infrastructure at the national, state, and regional or local level.</p> Hillary Hardt Oravec, Brenda McLaughlin Copyright (c) 2022 Hillary Hardt Oravec, Brenda McLaughlin https://jyd.pitt.edu/ojs/jyd/article/view/22-17-4-TLC-1 Thu, 15 Dec 2022 00:00:00 -0500