1. LIFE IN PROGRESS Developing Better Strategies to Work with Adolescents

2. Adolescence to Adulthood Developing Identity Developing Self-Efficacy

3. Characteristics of Adults Accepts responsibility for him/herself Makes independent decisions Becomes financially independent (Arnett) 3

4. Adolescents & Emerging Adults (13-18 & 18-25) Develop intimate relationships (adolescents: testing the water, short-term relationships; emerging adults: asking themselves who they may want to spend their life with) Develop relationship with world of work (adolescents: learn good work habits, earn spending money; emerging adults: what kind of work am I good at, what work would I find satisfying in the long-run, what are my chances of finding work in a field that suits me?) (Arnett) 4

5. Exploration, Risk-Taking, Resilience Developing strategies to address risky situations, including peer pressure Adolescents: importance of family Emerging adults: obtaining a broad range of life experiences Emerging adults: making decisions on their own, facing failure, lonely, optimistic about the future (Arnett) 5

6. Self-Efficacy Cultivating interests Enabling beliefs Developing competencies: Intentionality (intentions with plans, strategies) Projection into the future (visualizing the future) Self-regulation (personal standards, monitoring & regulating one's actions) Self-examination (reflecting on personal efficacy & making adjustments) (Bandura) 6

7. Efficacy Beliefs Determine how one views opportunities and challenges: Low efficacy belief leads to pessimism, giving up easily High efficacy belief allows one to stay the course, handle adversity (Bandura) 7

8. Paths to Efficacy Personal Agency (personal influence on oneself & circumstances) Proxy Agency (ability to call on assistance from people with influence) Collective Agency (pooling resources & skills to work together to effect change - the power of teamwork: raises possibilities, commitment, enhances group achievement, strengthens resiliency) (Bandura) 8

9. Developmental Skills Needed by Adolescents & Emerging Adults Personal commitment to something worth doing Vision of desired future Self-regulated learning (selection of appropriate strategies, testing one's competence & correcting one's deficiencies) Self-regulated emotional skills (discerning emotions, effect of expression of emotions, management of emotional state - especially under duress) Information management (access, process, evaluate) (Bandura) 9

10. Gender Stereotyping In exploring the world of work, adolescents & emerging adults fall into gender stereotypes. To counter these stereotypes: Use assessment results to explore youth's confidence in gender- typed occupations Ask: "Is there any career that you would find fun among boys/girls careers?" Present adults in non-traditional jobs UNISEX ACT Interest Inventory Work with parents (adolescents) so they better understand types of careers available to their children & develop confidence in their child's ability to master tasks (Turner) 10

11. Characteristics of Effective Developmental Approaches Attract & hold youth's interests Effective means for achieving developmental goals Works for a variety of youths (Gabone) 11

12. Factors for Effective Developmental Approaches Sense of safety Challenging & interesting activities Sense of belonging Social support from adults Input & decision-making Leadership (formal & informal) (Gabone) 12

13. Developmental Approaches' Effect on Self-Efficacy Increase youth's ability to successfully navigate adolescence and emerging adulthood Do not stigmatize low-income participants (Gabone) 13

14. A Regional Workforce Board's Experience Determining critical needs 14

15. A Regional Workforce Board's Experience Researching best practices 15

16. A Regional Workforce Board's Experience Evaluating results 16

17. A Regional Workforce Board's Experience Critical elements: Engagement Outstanding youth provider Program outcomes 17

18. A Regional Workforce Board's Experience Entrepreneurial Training 18

19. A Youth Provider's Experience Committed staff that develops relationships with youth (Facebook friends, one on one intake, cheerleader role) 19

20. A Youth Provider's Experience Regular and varied activities Youth input into activities 20

21. A Youth Provider's Experience Youth feel taken care of (incentives, food) 21

22. A Youth Provider's Experience Outside partners (FSU School of Business, UF Extension Division, business sponsors) 22

23. A Youth Provider's Experience Exit strategy for program outcomes 23

24. A Youth Provider's Experience Dynamic Workshops 24

25. CONTACTS Isabelle Potts (850) 921-3148 Isabelle.Potts@deo.myflorida.com Dorcas Washington (850) 464-3985 Dorcas.Washington@wfplus.org Danica Mamby (954) 202-3830 DMamby@wflbroward.com Patina Fuller (850) 617-4515 Patina.Fuller@wfplus.org 25

26. BIBLIOGRAPHY Arnett, Jeffrey Jansen, "A Theory of Development from the Late Teens through the Twenties" American Psychologist, May 2000. Bandura, Albert, "Adolescent Development from an Agentic Perspective" Self-Efficacy Beliefs of Adolescents, 2005 (Information Age Publishing) Gambone, Michelle Alberti & Amy J.A. Arbreton, Safe Havens--The Contributions of Youth Organizations to Healthy Adolescent Development, 1997 (Public/Private Ventures). Turner, Sherri & Richard T. Lapan, "Career Self-Efficacy and Perceptions of Parent Support in Adolescent Career Development" The Career Development Quarterly, 2002. 26