Research Base for 4-H Youth Development Professionals Pamela Rose, PhD Oregon State University Marion County 4-H Youth Development Educator

Goals for this webinar Understand our Research Base Increase understanding of Positive Youth Development (PYD) Theory Historic/Current Research Base Frameworks Provide ideas for how to put this knowledge into everyday practice

What is our Research Base? 4-H Professional, Research, Knowledge, Competency (4-H PRKC) Youth Development Youth Program Development Organizational Systems Partnerships Volunteerism Equity, Access and Opportunity Stone, B . & Rennekamp, R. (2004) Since 1985, the 4-H youth development profession has relied upon a 4-H professional research and knowledge base to guide our efforts when working with and on behalf of young people. In 2004, the most current and comprehensive research and knowledge representing the field of 4-H youth development was compiled resulting in the 4-H PRKC model. Six integrated, yet distinct ares were identified as what matters most when working with young people. List them.

Youth Development Research Base Positive Youth Development A field which has only established its footing in the last 20-30 years Grew out of a look at adolescence through the lens of systems theories: Plasticity of adolescent development Multiple pathways children take through adolescence Plasticity: the potential that individuals have for systematic change throughout life. Meaning adolescents trajectories are not fixed and can be significantly influenced by factors in their homes, schools, and communities (Lerner, 2006)

Positive Youth Development “View young people as resources to be developed rather than as problems to be managed.” (Lerner, 2005; Damon, 2004)

Why is a Research Base important to our work? Serves as the cornerstone Provides credibility Creates positive outcomes for youth

A look back…Strategies of the Past Focus on reducing specific risk behaviors Categorical funding—Categorical problems Focus on stopping teens from…. Presumption of Guilt: Just Say “No” This is Your Brain on Drugs!

Ecological Model Ecological theory is based on an understanding that young people grow up in a set of nested contexts. (Brofenbrenner, 1979)

Positive Youth Development: A 21st Century Approach Young people grow up in communities, not programs. Efforts must strengthen communities. Youth are valued assets who can contribute positively to community change—now and as adults. Youth participation as partners is essential

Traditional Youth Services Positive Youth Development Focus on problems Focus on positive outcomes Reactive Pro-active Targeted youth All youth Youth as recipients Youth as active participants Programs Community response (systemic change) This presents a real shift in thinking of how we provide services for young people. Instead of concentrating on problems and problem prevention – we move to nurturing positive outcomes; we focus on what young people need to thrive. From reacting to problems and needs, we become pro-active. We move from targeting young people – either high risk or gifted – to planning and creating opportunities for all young people. Instead of looking at young people as recipients of services and programs, we look at young peopls as resources, as partners who can make valuable contributions in planning and implementing activies. It also means we move from programs to a more community wide network of learning opportunities, interactions and activities. This can mean enhancing and expanding existing programs as well as creating intergenerational activities outside of traditional youth programming. Ultimately this means that youth development is not just a task of professionals but all community members. Professional providers Community members

Positive Youth Development This approach does not replace the focus on preventing problems. Rather, it creates a larger framework that promotes positive outcomes for ALL young people. The focus is on asset-building. This framework includes a broad base of opportunities, such as: mentoring, school- based community service programs, arts activities, parenting skills and more. Community youth development purposely creates environments that provide constructive, affirmative, and encouraging relationships that are sustained over time with adults and peers, while also providing an array of opportunities that enable youth to build their competencies and become engaged as partners in their own development as well as in the development of their communities. Community youth development is a step beyond prevention. It is a process by which young people’s developmental needs are met, their engagement in problem behaviors is prevented, and (most importantly) they are empowered to build the competencies and skills necessary to become healthy, contributing citizens now and as adults.

Target: Opportunities for Youth Approaches to Youth Development Focus: Risks Target: Social Norms Goal: Fewer Problems Focus: Skills & Knowledge Focus: Developmental Needs Target: Individual Learners Target: Opportunities for Youth Goal: Competency in knowledge or skill Goal: Maturity Over the years, our 4-H Educators have used many approaches in their work with youth. Understanding these approaches and how they differ is critical in our effectiveness. Prevention Education Youth Development Source: Dr. Cathann Kress (2004).

Youth Development Youth development is the natural process of developing one's abilities and capacities. While it occurs through a youth's daily experiences with people, places, and possibilities, it is far too important to be left to chance.

Positive Youth Development Positive youth development occurs from an intentional process that promotes positive outcomes for young people by providing opportunities, relationships and the support to fully participate. Youth development takes place in families, peer groups, schools, neighborhoods and communities.

“Problem free is not fully prepared. Fully prepared is not fully engaged.” Karen Pittman Executive Director of the Forum for Youth Investment OVERHEAD [2] Research is important but you need a theory that puts it in perspective. Karen Pittman is the theoretician who pulled it all together. She is able to illustrate her thinking in catchy slogans. Most of you have heard: “Problem free is not fully prepared and fully prepared is not fully engaged”. This seems to capture the central message of positive youth development. http://www.forumfyi.org/files/PPE.pdf

Positive Youth Development A philosophy or approach that guides communities in the way they organize programs and supports so that young people can develop to their full potential! OVERHEAD [2] Finally – here is our definition of positive youth development: “Positive youth development is the philosophy that guides communities in the way they organize programs and supports so that young people can develop to their full potential.”

Proven Principles of PYD Youth do youth development. They grow up with or without our help. Our support makes a difference. An asset-based approach builds on the positive protective factors in a young person’s life. Caring adults provide essential support to youth. Problem-free is neither fully prepared nor fully engaged. Intentional opportunities promote desired outcomes. Young people are resources, not problems to be managed.

What is a Framework? A way to organize what is known in an area in order to make it easier for people to use that knowledge effectively. Many frameworks use the same research and label core elements differently. Understanding the core elements of a framework are critical to its effective use. Source: Dr. Cathann Kress (2007). CYFAR Speech

Purpose of the Framework Frameworks may be designed to: stimulate research (theories) communicate to a wide audience summarize a whole body of literature guide action Knowing the intended purpose of a framework helps to check alignment with your intended use. Frameworks arise not from data so much as purpose. Some are designed to communicate to a wide audience America's Promise Some are designed to summarize a whole body of literature Risk & Protective Factors Some are designed to guide action

A few frameworks… Essential Features Search Institute’s 40 Assets 4-H Life Skills America’s Promise Circle of Courage Essential Elements The 5 C’s

Essential Features of PYD Physical and Psychological Safety Appropriate Structure Supportive Relationships Opportunities for Belonging Positive Social Norms Support for Efficacy & Mattering Opportunities for Skills Building Integration of Family, School and Community Efforts National Research Council (2002)

Search Institute Assets External Assets Support Empowerment Boundaries and Expectations Constructive Use of Time Internal Assets Commitment to Learning Positive Values Social Competencies Positive Identity OVERHEAD [2] The building blocks or assets are experiences, values, skills and opportunities young people need to develop to their full potential. They are grouped as external, those traits communities, schools, and families need to provide, and internal, those traits the individual brings to the table. As you can see the findings from both research bodies, prevention and resiliency, have been incorporated. The Search Institute has used a survey for 6-12 graders to create an assessment/ a snap shot of how young people in a community are doing at a given time. On average, less than half of the young people in a community have 20 or more assets. The message is clear – we have to build more assets. www.search-institute.org

Thriving Indicators by Asset Level OVERHEAD [2] Similarly, the more assets a young person has, the more likely he or she is to succeed in school and make healthy behavior choices. The strength of the asset building model is that it makes sense and it is easily understandable. Communities can mobilize around the survey findings.

Relationship of Assets to Negative Outcomes Percent of Teens OVERHEAD [2] One of Search’s important contributions to the field has been to demonstrate a direct relationship between assets and outcomes. This slide shows the relationship between assets and negative outcomes; the fewer assets the more likely you will see negative behavior such as alcohol use and violence. These findings are based on a data set that by now includes over 200,000 high school students. Number of assets Copyright © 2001 by Search Institute

4-H Life Skills Model

Comparing Frameworks National Research Council 4-H Life Skills Model Search Institute Physical Development Health Internal Assets External Assets Intellectual Development Head Psychological and Emotional Development Heart Social Development Hands My point here is that the models aren’t exclusive – but can be complementary. And there are other models – America’s Promise has theirs, the 5 Cs (that I always forget or else they’d be on the chart), and other organizations. What the NAS report – and the growing research evidence tells us, is that these areas of development are being fostered in the context of community youth programs – that we call youth development. Some early studies of youth programs began to find unintended consequences. Programs that weren’t designed to prevent teen pregnancy, but to promote environmental awareness, for example, were found to have a strong difference on risk taking behavior – unrelated to program content. The growing body of research has begun to suggest that youth developmental programs are doing better than targeted prevention efforts at helping young people learn to make healthy choices – to avoid adolescent problems that we hear so much about – and develop physically, intellectually, emotionally, and socially.

P.E.P. Talk Putting into Everyday Practice

How to put knowledge into practice Basis for Research Administered Search Institute Surveys to all 8th-10th grade students in County Identified assets students were lacking Created program to address needs Measured impact of program

America’s Promise… Caring Adult Safe Places Effective Education Healthy Start Opportunities to Help Others

Circle of Courage First introduced in 1990 in the book “Reclaiming Youth at Risk”.

Essential Elements of 4-H PYD In 1999, a team of evaluators from the National 4-H Impact Design Implementation Team was given the charge of determining the “critical elements in a 4-H experience”.

Essential Elements of 4-H PYD Positive relationship with a caring adult A safe environment An inclusive environment Engagement in learning Opportunity for mastery Opportunity to see oneself as an active participant in their future Opportunity for self-determination Opportunity to value and practice service for others

Essential Elements of 4-H PYD distilled into 4-H concepts Belonging Positive Relationship with a caring adult A safe environment An inclusive environment Mastery Engagement in Learning Opportunity for Mastery Independence Opportunity to see oneself as an active participant in the future Opportunity for self-determination Generosity Opportunity to value and practice service for others

Comparing Frameworks 4-H Essential Elements Circle of Courage America’s Promise Belonging See themselves as belonging to a whole Caring Adult Safe Places Independence Take step forward as independent people Effective Education Mastery Draw on their inherent mastery of life Healthy Start Generosity Use generosity to contribute their wisdom to community Opportunities to Help Others My point here is that the models aren’t exclusive – but can be complementary. And there are other models – America’s Promise has theirs, the 5 Cs (that I always forget or else they’d be on the chart), and other organizations. What the NAS report – and the growing research evidence tells us, is that these areas of development are being fostered in the context of community youth programs – that we call youth development. Some early studies of youth programs began to find unintended consequences. Programs that weren’t designed to prevent teen pregnancy, but to promote environmental awareness, for example, were found to have a strong difference on risk taking behavior – unrelated to program content. The growing body of research has begun to suggest that youth developmental programs are doing better than targeted prevention efforts at helping young people learn to make healthy choices – to avoid adolescent problems that we hear so much about – and develop physically, intellectually, emotionally, and socially.

P.E.P. Talk Putting into Everyday Practice

How to put knowledge into practice Program Planning/Education needs Used Circle of Courage as the basis for training provided to Counselors in Training (CIT) Helped counselors understand needs of campers based on 4 elements Situation based activities

The Five C’s Categorizing desired outcomes for youth into 5 C’s ( Connell, Gambone & Smith, 2000; Lerner, Fisher & Weinberg 2000) Competence Confidence Connection Character Caring & Compassion

Definition of the Five C’s Competence – refers to the social, academic, cognitive and vocational capacities of youth Confidence – the internal sense of positive self-worth and efficacy Connection – positive bonds with people and institutions Character – respect for societal and cultural rules, a sense of right and wrong, integrity Caring & Compassion – a sense of sympathy and empathy for others (Source: Lerner (2004) and Roth & Brooks-Gunn (2003a)

Recent study The 4-H Study of Positive Youth Development Research Questions: How can PYD theory be translated into specific practices that will help young people thrive? Do YD programs do this successfully?

About the Study First-ever longitudinal study to measure positive youth development (PYD) Led by Richard Lerner, Ph.D., professor at Tufts University, in cooperation with land-grant universities and funded by the National 4-H Council Included more than 4,400 youth and 2,800 parents in 34 states Measured impact of personal and social factors on young person’s development

Result Highlights Proves that structured, out-of-school-time programs like 4-H are critical to youth success Youth who spend more time in 4-H reported significantly: higher levels of Contribution than youth who participated in other out-of-school time activities lower (63 %) levels on risk/problem behavior better grades likely to expect themselves to go to college

Five Outcomes of PYD The child or adolescent who develops each of the Five C’s is considered to be thriving: 1) competence 2) confidence 3) connection 4) character 5) and caring/compassion Thriving youth then develop a 6th C – contribution (to self, family, community and civil society) PYD leads to contribution in early adolescence and results in youth who are competent, caring, and confident individuals who have character and are connected to their communities. Once these five characteristics develop, a sixth characteristic emerges: contribution. This sixth characteristic occurs when young people contribute to their communities, their families, and themselves. This study shows that 4-H youth CONTRIBUTE!

Comparing Frameworks - 4-H Essential Elements Foundations for self-worth (S. Coopersmith,2000) Dimensions of psychological Empowerment (G. Spreitzer, 2005) The Five C’s Belonging Significance Meaning Connection Independence Power Self-determination Confidence Mastery Competence Generosity Virtue Impact Caring and Character My point here is that the models aren’t exclusive – but can be complementary. And there are other models – America’s Promise has theirs, the 5 Cs (that I always forget or else they’d be on the chart), and other organizations. What the NAS report – and the growing research evidence tells us, is that these areas of development are being fostered in the context of community youth programs – that we call youth development. Some early studies of youth programs began to find unintended consequences. Programs that weren’t designed to prevent teen pregnancy, but to promote environmental awareness, for example, were found to have a strong difference on risk taking behavior – unrelated to program content. The growing body of research has begun to suggest that youth developmental programs are doing better than targeted prevention efforts at helping young people learn to make healthy choices – to avoid adolescent problems that we hear so much about – and develop physically, intellectually, emotionally, and socially.

P.E.P. Talk Putting into Everyday Practice

How to put knowledge into practice Program Planning Incorporate Essential Elements in my 4-H New Leader Education Class Discussion Activity

Harm Future

Logic Model Situation Inputs Outputs Outcomes Short Medium Long Term What we invest Staff Volunteers Time Money Materials Equipment Technology Partners What we do (Program Activities) Workshops Meetings Facilitation Product Dev. Training Curriculum Who we reach (Participation) Participants Customers Citizens Short Medium Long Term Learning Awareness Knowledge Attitudes Skills Opinions Aspirations Motivations Action Behavior Practice Decisions Policies Conditions Social Economic Civil Environmental Situation Taken from “Logic Model Training for New 4-H Staff” by Mary Arnold, OSU Extension Specialist

New Leader Education Logic Model Inputs Outputs Outcomes What is done.. Who is reached... Short Medium Long Term Incorporate Essential Elements in new leader training 4-H Adult and Teen Leaders will learn the 8 essential elements and have the expertise to build them into their 4-H club setting Trainees will be effective in incorporating the essential elements in their role as a 4-H adult or teen leader 4-H members will experience at least one of the 5 C’s (caring, connection, competence, confidence or character) as a result of the expertise and effectiveness of the 4-H adult or teen leader. Staff 60 Adult and Teen Leaders are trained Materials Provide 3 Hours of New Leader Training 25 4-H clubs are exposed to Essential Elements

Logic Model for PYD S I T U A O N INPUTS OUTPUTS OUTCOMES Positive Youth Development Theory and Frameworks Positive Youth Development Best Practices Positive Youth Development Outcomes

P.E.P. Talk Putting into Everyday Practice

How to put knowledge into practice Teaching Use this power point to provide training to other youth development professionals: After School Coordinators Head Start Staff Master Gardeners Commission on Children and Families Programs Adolescent Sexuality Conference

How to put knowledge into practice Market – tell our story Include 5 C’s on your 4-H website, 4-H fan page, or promotional flyers Describe Tufts Study outcomes in a newsletter, display, or presentation

4 ways to put knowledge into practice 1. Basis for Research Incorporate into Logic Model planning for programs and outcomes 2. Program Planning Practice what you preach – our county and state 4-H programs should include the essential elements of 4-H PYD.

4 ways to put knowledge into practice 3. Teaching Share knowledge and theories with others 4. Marketing and Promotion Advocate with it when telling your story to partners, media, 4-H families, and elected officials.

PYD On-line Resources National 4-H Headquarters www.national4hheadquarters.gov/ 4-H PRKC Self-Assessment An awareness and learning tool, not a research instrument, designed to help youth development educators assess their skills in conducting 4-H youth development work. 4-H Youth Development Research A number of documents related to the Tufts Study and more. Innovation Center for Community Youth Development www.theinnovationcenter.org/ Contains research reports and useful toolkits on numerous topics. National Youth Development Information Center www.nydic.org/ Provides information about youth development to national and local youth serving agencies. Also contains youth development training modules. Forum for Youth Investment www.forumforyouthinvestment.org Provides innovative ideas, strategies and resources based on rigorous research. Search Institute. www2.search-institute.org/assets/ National Clearinghouse on Families and Youth: http://ncfy.acf.hhs.gov/publications/pdf/PosYthDevel.pdf

Sources Arnold, M. ( ). Logic Model Training for New 4-H Staff. YDE 431 Educational Design for Community Based Youth Development, Oct 31, 2008, Corvallis, OR. Damon, W. (2004). What is Positive Youth Development? The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 591, 13-24. Eccles, J. & Gootman, J.A. (eds). (2002). Community programs to promote youth development. Washington, DC: National Academies Press. Jelicic, H., Bobek, D., Phelps, E. Lerner, R., and Lerner, J. (2007). Using positive youth development to predict contribution and risk behaviors in early adolescence: Findings from the first two waves of the 4-H Study of Positive Youth Development. International Journal of Behavioral Development. 31 (3) 263-273. Kress , C. (2004) 4-H Essential Elements of 4-H Youth Development, National 4-H Headquarters. USDA, Washington D.C. Kress , C. (2007) Frames, Frameworks and Foundations in Youth Development Outreach, CYFAR Pre-conference, May 1, 2007, Chicago, IL. Lerner, R. (2004). Liberty: Thriving and Civic Engagement Among America’s Youth. Sage Publications, Thousand Oaks, CA.

Sources Lerner, R. Lerner, J., Phelps, E. et. al. (2009). Waves of the Future: The first five years of the 4-H study of positive youth development. Institute for Applied Research in Youth Development. Tufts University. Agrilife Communications, TX. Pittman, K. (1991). Promoting positive youth development: Strengthening the role of youth serving and community organizations. Washington, DC: Center for Youth Development and Policy Research. Roth, J., & Brooks-Gunn, J. (2003). What exactly is a youth development program? Answers from research and practice. Applied developmental Science, 7(2), 94-111. Search Institute, Accessed from website on April 1,2009 at http://www2.search-institute.org/assets/ Stone , B. & Rennekamp, R. (2004). New Foundations for the 4-H Youth Development Profession: 4-H Professional Research, Knowledge, and Competencies Study, 2004. Conducted in cooperation with the National 4-H Professional Development Task Force. National 4-H Headquarters, CSREES, USDA. The Circle of Courage, Accessed on the web April 1, 2009 at http://www.reclaiming.com/content/about-circle-of-courage