Youth development approaches have grown in popularity, yet the appropriateness of these strategies for adolescents with serious behavior problems has rarely been addressed. Life-course research examining the onset and developmental course of problem behaviors suggests that youth with different patterns of behavior problems may not equally benefit…

This article (1) defines "experiential learning" and some of its properties, purposes, and forms; (2) proposes a framework for thinking about evaluating educational programs; and (3) offers recommendations for future research to explore the value of experiential learning, guide program development, and increase knowledge about youth socialization…

Unpaid community activities have been widely recommended as learning experiences for adolescents. An evaluation was conducted of two community action learning programs, one which placed adolescents one-to-one in adult-dominated settings and the other which gave adolescents a group project to plan and carry out with adult assistance. Both programs…

Challenges identified by T. Bailey (1993) as obstacles to youth apprenticeship programs are accurate but do not justify the turn to alternative approaches he recommends. U.S.-style program can be built to overcome these difficulties if employer-worker collaboration can be fostered and institutional bases can be constructed. (SLD)

Suggestions for evaluating experiential learning programs, especially the effects of various forms of experiential learning on different types of learners, are discussed. Evaluation designs currently in use involve a four-tier hierarchy: (1) participant responses; (2) use of measurement instruments; (3) attribution of measurable effects to a…

Discusses a study undertaken to evaluate the influence of two community learning programs on the adolescent participants. Topics discussed include differences in staff roles in the programs, program characteristics, learning outcomes, and participant attitudes. Findings indicated that, in general, youth liked the community programs and learned a…

This paper examines the effects of youth work experience on subsequent employability. The paper begins with a speculative consideration of the ways in which work experience might affect later employability. Three types of research literature are then reviewed: (1) economic studies of the relation between youth work and subsequent employment and…

Reviews research on the relationship between youth employment experience and later employment opportunities. Discusses the effectiveness of subsidized work experience programs and emphasizes the need for evaluation research on such programs in order to determine whether they truly prepare disadvantaged youth for the exigencies of the labor market.…