Taking Congress Home Iracking effects of state events on overall 4-H experience Reporting on NC 4-H 2006 State Congress Ben Silliman, Ph.D. NC 4-H Youth Development Specialist

Template copyright www.brainybetty.com 2005 12/1/2018 Event Context Week-long, campus-based teen event One-day state presentation contest Focused on citizenship, leadership, service Approx. 85 county delegations (1-25 youth) 80+ year history; 2004 mission clarification 12/1/2018 Template copyright www.brainybetty.com 2005 Copyright 2005 Brainy Betty, Inc.

Template copyright www.brainybetty.com 2005 12/1/2018 Specific Events State presentations and performances Subject-matter and Ambassador workshops Service learning experiences Issues forum State officer elections Achievement recognition; Honor Club tap-in Social events 12/1/2018 Template copyright www.brainybetty.com 2005 Copyright 2005 Brainy Betty, Inc.

Youth Development Context 12/1/2018 Youth Development Context Adolescence as incubator for learning on Citizenship, Leadership, Service (Brockman, & Tepper, & MacNeil, 2002; Roebuck, Brockman, & Tepper, 2002) Youth thrive when provided opportunities and supports that reduce risk, build assets (Gambone, Connell, & Klem, 2002) 12/1/2018 Template copyright www.brainybetty.com 2005 Copyright 2005 Brainy Betty, Inc.

Youth Development Context 12/1/2018 Youth Development Context Week-long, same-age, residential experiences can be transformative (Garst, et al., 2006) Relatively few events are evaluated 12/1/2018 Template copyright www.brainybetty.com 2005 Copyright 2005 Brainy Betty, Inc.

Template copyright www.brainybetty.com 2005 12/1/2018 Evaluation Questions Program Content: Is NC 4-H Congress successful in achieving key objectives? (e.g., preparing youth for citizenship, leadership, and service) Program Context: Does NC 4-H Congress provide a climate that promotes positive youth development? (e.g., through program traits related to positive outcomes) 12/1/2018 Template copyright www.brainybetty.com 2005 Copyright 2005 Brainy Betty, Inc.

Evaluation Model: Empowerment 12/1/2018 Evaluation Model: Empowerment Phase I: Mission Clarification Phase 2: Content and Context Evaluation Phase 3: In-depth Evaluations 12/1/2018 Template copyright www.brainybetty.com 2005 Copyright 2005 Brainy Betty, Inc.

Evaluation Models: Targeting Outcomes Reasoned Behavior 12/1/2018 Evaluation Models: Targeting Outcomes Reasoned Behavior Short-term Outcomes: knowledge, aspirations Mid-term Outcomes: follow-up behaviors  Aspirations predict behavior 12/1/2018 Template copyright www.brainybetty.com 2005 Copyright 2005 Brainy Betty, Inc.

Template copyright www.brainybetty.com 2005 12/1/2018 Evaluation Questions Program Content: Is NC 4-H Congress successful in achieving key objectives? (e.g., preparing youth for citizenship, leadership, and service) Program Context: Does NC 4-H Congress provide a climate that promotes positive youth development? (e.g., through program traits related to positive outcomes) 12/1/2018 Template copyright www.brainybetty.com 2005 Copyright 2005 Brainy Betty, Inc.

Template copyright www.brainybetty.com 2005 12/1/2018 Evaluation Measures Retrospective: Behaviors related to citizenship, leadership, service completed in home communities, inspired by participation in previous years’ 4-H Congress) Cronbach alpha reliability = .79 12/1/2018 Template copyright www.brainybetty.com 2005 Copyright 2005 Brainy Betty, Inc.

Template copyright www.brainybetty.com 2005 12/1/2018 Evaluation Measures Prospective: Aspirations (13 items on plans to learn/do more in citizenship, leadership, service) (alpha = .88) Prospective: Views of Program Climate (24 items related to traits of PYD programs) (alpha = .86) Prospective: Views of Events (17 items on perceived benefits of each event at Congress) (alpha = .88) 12/1/2018 Template copyright www.brainybetty.com 2005 Copyright 2005 Brainy Betty, Inc.

Template copyright www.brainybetty.com 2005 Participants 339 full-time delegates, ages 13-19 (220 female, 119 male) 88% of those with parent consent 62% of all full-time delegates 55% first-time attenders 12/1/2018 Template copyright www.brainybetty.com 2005

Template copyright www.brainybetty.com 2005 Results: Content As a result of participating in 4-H Congress… Retro Pro- …gained/plan to gain greater knowledge of current issues…………………………… 76% 80% of civic responsibilities…………………….. 85% 80% …expanded and strengthened friendships 93% 95% …learned many new ideas in subject-matter workshops……………… 69% 80% 12/1/2018 Template copyright www.brainybetty.com 2005

Template copyright www.brainybetty.com 2005 Results: Content As a result of participating in 4-H Congress… Retro Pro- …became/plan to become more involved in leadership in my community………….. 82% 85% …participated/plan to participate in more citizenship activities……………… 79% 83% …became/plan to become more involved in community service…… 82% 84% more involved in cultural activities……… 58% 69% 12/1/2018 Template copyright www.brainybetty.com 2005

Template copyright www.brainybetty.com 2005 Results: Content As a result of participating in 4-H Congress… Retro Pro- …to expand 4-H involvement (number or variety of 4-H- related activities)…………. 82% 89% ...completed/plan to complete an application for recognition of 4-H work (cum. records, scholarships, national trip, Honor Club) 59% 73% …completed/plan to complete a presen- tation, project, or judging event………… 84% 83% …recruited/plan to recruit others to attend 4-H Congress………………………………… 73% 88% (Retrospective N = 187; Prospective: N = 339; Missing data 3%) 12/1/2018 Template copyright www.brainybetty.com 2005

Template copyright www.brainybetty.com 2005 Open-ended Comments Community-based service represented a wide range of activities “Hands-to-Service” most valuable as service learning and friendship network 12/1/2018 Template copyright www.brainybetty.com 2005

Template copyright www.brainybetty.com 2005 Results: Context Percent who rated climate as Always/Often… Safe and Healthy 84-95% Supportive and Caring 83-89% Structured and Challenging 70-89% Self-Efficacy Promoted 83-89% Social Norms Positive 85-94% Supported Belonging 92-95% Structure Appropriate 84-92% Synergy with Community 88-90% 12/1/2018 Template copyright www.brainybetty.com 2005

Template copyright www.brainybetty.com 2005 Discussion Content and Context viewed positively Content outcomes increased knowledge and interest in learning among participants at the 2006 4-H Congress Increased citizenship, leadership, and service behavior in home communities during prior year attributed to 2005 4-H Congress 12/1/2018 Template copyright www.brainybetty.com 2005

Template copyright www.brainybetty.com 2005 Discussion Content and Context viewed positively Context viewed as a climate of safety, support, and challenge, typical of PYD Evidence for balanced approach Evidence for credibility of content outcomes 12/1/2018 Template copyright www.brainybetty.com 2005

Template copyright www.brainybetty.com 2005 Discussion Positive Congress  Community Cycle: Congress = novel supports and opportunities, positive norms about citizenship, leadership, & service, positive beliefs about making a difference… Community = year-round self-determined opportunities reinforcing beliefs about leadership, service, and self-efficacy 12/1/2018 Template copyright www.brainybetty.com 2005

Implications for Practice Continue residential experiences, with emphasis on knowledge, inspiration, hands-on learning Friendship and positive social climate, as well as support at home support outcomes 12/1/2018 Template copyright www.brainybetty.com 2005

Implications for Marketing and Accountability Evidence for impact and quality Provides a basis for advertising benefits to prospective youth and families Provides a tentative foundation for funders and scholarship providers 12/1/2018 Template copyright www.brainybetty.com 2005

Implications for Training Quality content and context provides a sound foundation for Training new staff Improving the residential program and community-based extensions 12/1/2018 Template copyright www.brainybetty.com 2005

Implications for Evaluation and Research Youth views of events provide valuable feedback and insight for programming More and detailed research needed to track effects of activities and patterns of effects at community level still unknown 12/1/2018 Template copyright www.brainybetty.com 2005