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Youth
Program Self Assessment
Spider Web Analysis
for Youth Programs
1
Each of the following
elements has been identified as a best practice in youth programs
that incorporate a community youth development approach. Community
youth development programs are defined as purposeful environments
that provide beneficial, positive, and encouraging positive relationships
with adults and peers that are sustained over time, while at the
same time as providing an array of opportunities that enable youth
to build their skills, and enable them to become engaged as partners
in their own development and their communities’ development.
Simply put, programs that take a community youth development approach
create opportunities for young people to connect to others, develop
skills, and utilize those skills to contribute to their communities
that, in turn, increase their ability to succeed.
This assessment tool
identifies features of positive developmental settings that have
been linked to effective positive youth development programs according
to the National Research Council and the Institute of Medicine book
(2002) 2.
This tool allows individuals and groups to determine which of these
elements are strong and which may need to be strengthened or addressed.
After reading a brief description for each of the areas place an
X on the Number on the Spider Web Handout that best reflects your
opinion of how your youth program is functioning in each of the
elements using the following scale:
- Strongly Disagree
- Disagree
- Neither Agree
nor Disagree
- Agree
- Strongly Agree
Download
the Spiderweb Graph as a 152k PDF file
Go to the online Spiderweb Graph
Description
of the Areas:
- Physical and
Psychological Safety – The program provides a safe
haven both physically and emotionally.
- Appropriate
Structure – The program has clear rules, expectations,
and responsibilities. Youth are involved in creating the rules,
expectations, and responsibilities. Generally, those rules are
embraced by youth when they have direct input in their development.
- Supportive
relationships – The program has adults involved
in the program’s activities and events. Through these activities
and events, adults and youth are able to establish trusted connections.
- Opportunities
to belong - The program provides activities and events
that foster friendships and provide youth with a sense of a positive
group experience.
- Positive Social
Norms – The program’s culture (e.g., habits
and expectations) that governs behavior and daily interactions
involves conventionally positive social norms.
- Support for
Efficacy and Mattering – The program provides youth,
both individually and in groups, the opportunity to be useful
and to make a difference in their social worlds.
- Opportunities
for Skill Building – The program develops skills
and competencies through its activities and teambuilding experiences
the program provides youth the opportunity build their skills
(e.g., leadership skills, decision-making skills, cultural competence,
communication skills, problem solving skills, civic responsibility,
etc).
- Active Learning
3 –
The program provides learning opportunities that are interactive,
reflective, and engage multiple learning styles. For example,
programs employ experiential learning opportunities and encourage
young people to take positive risks. Youth are encouraged to try
new experiences. Whether they are successful or unsuccessful,
these attempts are viewed as part of the learning process. Indeed,
youth learn how to take risks and also learn how to fail courageously.
- Opportunities
for Recognition
4– Youth are sincerely acknowledged for their
contributions. The recognition conveys a positive view of youth.
- Integration
of Family, School, and Community Efforts
– The program coordinates its efforts and communicates regularly
with families and schools to ensure similar norms and expectations
across settings. The program offers a variety of activities and
events that involve parents (e.g., social events, parental workshops,
and volunteer opportunities).
Footnotes:
1
- Created by Daniel F. Perkins and Lynne M. Borden (April, 2003).
Contact Dr. Perkins at dfp102@psu.edu.
2
- Eccles, J. & Gottman, J. A. (2002). Community programs
to promote youth development. Committee on Community-Level
Programs for Youth. Board on Children, Youth, and Families, Division
of Behavioral and Social Sciences Education, National Research Council
and Institute of Medicine. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.
3
- According to the book by the National Research Council and the
Institute of Medicine (2002), this is a sub-feature of the Opportunities
for Skill Building feature. However, given its direct relevance
and importance to practice, it is included in this tool as a major
feature.
4
- According to an manuscript by Roth, J. L., & Brooks-Gunn,
J. (In press). What is a youth development program? Identification
of defining principals. In R. M. Lerner, F. Jacobs, & D. Wertlieb
(Eds), Promoting Positive Child, Adolescent, and Family Development:
A handbook of Program and Policy Innovations, Volume 2: Enhancing
the Life Chances of Youth and Families: Public Service Systems and
Public Policy Perspectives. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications,
Inc.
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