HOW DO YOU MEASURE QUALITY? MICHELLE VELASQUEZ CAMPFIRE CONFERENCE ASHEVILLE, NC January 12, 2016

LEARNING OBJECTIVES Define Quality Discuss why its important to provide high quality programs Define the PQA tool Share the research behind the tool Introduce tool Discuss how you can apply these learnings to a camp setting 2| Campfire 2016 | ©2016 YMCA of the USA

Youth Development is the social-emotional, cognitive, and physical process that all youth uniquely experience from birth to career; nourishing their need to be loved, spiritually grounded, educated, competent, and healthy. 3| Campfire 2016 | ©2016 YMCA of the USA

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT ROADMAP

WHAT IS QUALITY? 5| Campfire 2016| ©2016 YMCA of the USA Think about your favorite thing in the whole wide world and why its your favorite? Think about the quality of that product, place, or thing. Quality is defined in the dictionary as: of higher grade, excellence, superiority. Providing product or service of high quality So what makes your programs quality programs? Anyone can provide a summer program, youth sports league, workout equipment (and they do). How is the Y different? How are you different? We have a mission and are cause driven. Our cause is youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility. Our mission/cause forces us to move from transactional to transformational.

YOUTH PROGRAM QUALITY ASSESSMENT Tool Summary Best practices Empowers staff Understanding of optimal programming Building motivation of youth to practice and engagement What it provides Accountability High-quality learning environments Research based tool 6

THE TOOL AND THE RESEARCH Consist of four sections Dimensions of program quality critical for positive youth development Safe environment, supportive environment, interaction, engagement 4-year effort to develop and validate a tool to assess program quality in youth settings 59 organizations, 300 observations, 1635 youth 7

QUALITY CONSTRUCT: THE PYRAMID OF PROGRAM QUALITY

WHAT DO YOU NEED TO FEEL SAFE, AND SUPPORTED SO YOU CAN LEARN AND LEAD?

YOUTH PROGRAM QUALITY INTERVENTION (YPQI) David P. Weikart Center for Youth Program Quality · PQA BASICS CRASH COURSE

HOW CAN I APPLY THIS? Take a look at each section. What would best apply? Create your own quality tool to fit your program needs Learn more about the PQA. David P. Weikart Center for Youth Program Quality at Free webinar on January 27 th 3:00 p.m. ET contact Preparing Youth to Thrive: Promising Practices in Social and Emotional Learning 11

THANK YOU Michelle Velasquez YMCA OF THE USA Text me