Using a statewide sample of participants in 4-H programs, we tested associations among youth sparks, program quality, program dosage, and four types of involvement (breadth of participation in out-of-school-time beyond 4-H, scope of learning strategies, degree of specialization, and cumulative program immersion). Participants were 180 Texas 4-H…

Within our rapidly changing and growing global society, adolescent development into adulthood remains a pervasive issue that youth serving institutions and youth engagement practitioners across the world must address. While literature shows that there are numerous factors that contribute to the physical, mental, and social-emotional development of…

The purpose of this?qualitative study?was to identify how advisors describe the norms and culture of teams who qualified for competition in team-based?Leadership Development Events?(LDEs)?at the 2020 Idaho State?Virtual?LDEs.?We extrapolated differences in team norms?and culture?from the Agricultural Issues Forum, Parliamentary Procedure, and…

The purpose of this project was to evaluate the Virginia Cooperative Extension internship program from the perspective of student participants and their supervisors. Three focus groups were conducted with internship supervisors from the summer of 2019. Student survey data was used to identify concerns from the student perspective to inform the…

Volunteers are noteworthy youth development professionals in the 4-H program whose training translates into practices that promote positive outcomes among young people they serve. This study explored how contextual and programmatic factors were associated with volunteers' practices of the essential elements with youth. Programmatic influences…

Pre-apprenticeship programs help youth and adults enter a Registered Apprenticeship program, further training, or the workforce. One of the challenges with starting and sustaining a pre apprenticeship program is bridging the gap between the business and educational leaders' understanding of the program. The bridge between the two sectors is a…

Background: From a sports perspective, pedagogical researchers have suggested questioning is an effective instructional tool and pedagogical strategy for developing critical thinking, problem-solving and decision-making skills. Questions enable coaches to contextualise athlete learning by encouraging and guiding them to identify and explore…

Positive youth development (PYD), while embraced in many sectors of youth work, has faced criticism for its primary emphasis on positive personal change and adaptation, without a strong emphasis on social justice and culture, especially relevant for African Americans. Additional models of PYD addressing these conceptual gaps have emerged, however…

In recent years, investment in youth services has been contingent on the measurement of predefined outcomes as 'proof' of effectiveness. However, this approach to impact measurement has been criticised for distorting practice and reinforcing inequalities. As youth work emerges from a decade of spending cuts, there is an urgent need for new…

This article examines the limitations of developing youth programs through solely a human capital framework. While there is undoubtedly a strong connection between skills development and potential economic opportunity, our findings reveal that the story of youth who manage to navigate difficult economic environments is complex and nuanced. The…

Although federal funding has been provided to add mentoring to youth development programs for decades, we still lack knowledge about the impacts of mentoring on youth outcomes. This research seeks to fill a gap by documenting youth outcomes from an enhanced mentoring approach for urban Boys and Girls Clubs (BGC) in the Southeastern United States…

Competitive judging teams are valued forms of extracurricular learning tools for many youth students. Unfortunately, unless individuals have direct involvement in these programs the benefits often go unnoticed and undocumented. A survey was designed to assess self-perceived life skill development from current and past horse judging participants,…

Narrative case studies have shown that, when people are involved in an evaluation of a program they are part of, it can change how they experience the program. This study used a quasi-experiment to test this proposition empirically in the context a participatory action research curriculum called Youth as Researchers. Half of all Youth as…

This article briefly highlights each overarching theme and provides insight for ways coaches can apply these standards while working with athletes in various sport environments. Coaches play a very important role in an athlete's life. In many cases, this role continues far beyond one sport season. Therefore, it is imperative for all coaches to be…

The 4-H Youth Development program prohibits all forms of discrimination which includes disability. 4- H Extension professionals provide the essential interface between Extension and the local community to create an inclusive environment for all youth, including those with disabilities, that is welcoming and accessible. Attitudes and self-efficacy…