Reconnecting Youth to Nature: A Camp on Campus Model

2022 ◽  
Vol 79 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Eddie Hill
Keyword(s):  
Service Learning ◽  
Youth Development ◽  
Private School ◽  
Outdoor Recreation ◽  
Youth Outcomes ◽  
Leave No Trace ◽  
Design Program ◽  
Hands On ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Retrospective Questionnaire

Day camps are a powerful context for youth development. The American Camp Association and Leave No Trace have been integral in supporting youth development by identifying outcomes associated with participation in outdoor recreation. Recreation majors in the programming class used the camp as a service-learning component of the class that offered them valuable hands-on experience in program design, program facilitation, working with youth, and program evaluation. Therefore, this study evaluated the impact of camp on identified youth outcomes. The outdoor recreation camp was a partnership from a private school and local university. The Youth Outcomes Battery provided measures that focus on common outcomes (e.g., affinity for nature). Thirty-one of the 32 campers completed the retrospective questionnaire. The sample was 61% female, with an average age of 9 years. On a scale of 1 to 10, campers scored a 9.32 on Level of Enjoyment. Findings show that over 50% of the campers learned “a little” or “a lot” about the desired outcomes (e.g., affinity for nature). This work provides an example of an evidence-based nature camp.

Using Partnerships to Create a Medical Specialty Camp for Youth with Diabetes

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Takeyra Collins Coats ◽  
Ron Ramsing ◽  
Eddie Hill ◽  
Kent Reifschneider ◽  
Chet Kramer
Keyword(s):  
Type 1 Diabetes ◽  
Chronic Illness ◽  
Youth Development ◽  
Health Care Cost ◽  
Medical Specialty ◽  
Youth Outcomes ◽  
Post Test ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Diabetes Camp

Complications associated with a complex chronic illness, specifically, type 1 diabetes, negatively impact youth as they struggle to maintain healthy lifestyles. Type 1 diabetes is the second most common chronic illness affecting youth as well as one of the most psychologically and behaviorally demanding illnesses. Fortunately, organized camps have been shown to positively influence long-term outcomes for youth. Family Diabetes Camp, the only family medical program in the state where this study occurred, was created in collaboration with a local university, a diabetes center at a hospital, and a chapter of the Lions Club. This collaborative camp program aimed to test the effect of active participation in a Family Diabetes Camp upon youth outcomes for campers with type 1 diabetes. Specifically, the purpose was to evaluate the impact of a collaborative medical camp on campers’ resilience and youth developmental outcomes (e.g., independence). Family Diabetes Camp was designed using Outcome-Focused Programming (OFP) to promote positive youth development. The Family Diabetes Camp included 50 campers for the pre-test and post-test (n= 19 males and n= 31 females). While there were no statistically significant differences from pretest (M=4.97, SD= .53) to post-test scores (M=5.01, SD= .46), with t(50) = -.56, p= .57) researchers found a slight increase in resilience from pre to post-test. Using a retrospective measure, campers showed gains in the seven critical youth development outcomes identified by the American Camp Association. Finally, campers learned new knowledge about site injection, carbohydrate counting, and the use of exercise to help manage their diabetes. The impact associated with adapting activities and an environment to encourage, analyze, and challenge resilient behaviors is essential in encouraging independence, shared experiences, and effective disease management for youth living with type 1 diabetes. The camp, solely staffed by volunteers, included physicians, diabetes educators, certified therapeutic recreation specialists, dietitians, nurses, pump specialists, recreation professionals and students, and Lions Club Members. The camp program is unique not only in how it fills a void for youth with type 1 diabetes but how three large organizations work in concert to meet the needs of entire families. These types of data can be instrumental in establishing more camps and other out of school time programming that positively impacts quality of life, health care cost, and mortality among youth with type 1 diabetes.

scholarly journals Serving Children and Adolescents in Need during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Evaluation of Service-Learning Subjects with and without Face-to-Face Interaction

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 2114
Author(s):  
Li Lin ◽  
Daniel T. L. Shek
Keyword(s):  
Service Learning ◽  
Children And Adolescents ◽  
Youth Development ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Outcome Evaluation ◽  
Human Interaction ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Service Leadership ◽  
The Impact

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak has posed a great challenge to teaching and learning activities in higher education, particularly for service-learning subjects that involve intensive human interaction. Although service-learning may be transformed to a virtual mode in response to the pandemic, little is known about the impact of this new mode on student learning and well-being. This paper reports a university credit-bearing service-learning subject that involves services toward needy children and adolescents in a non-face-to-face mode under COVID-19 pandemic. We examined the effectiveness of this subject by comparing it with the same subject delivered via a face-to-face mode. Objective outcome evaluation via a pretest-posttest comparison (N = 216) showed that the students who took service-learning subjects with and without face-to-face interaction showed similar positive changes in positive youth development competences, service leadership qualities, and life satisfaction. Subjective outcome evaluation (N = 345) also showed that most students were satisfied with the subject, instructors and benefits regardless of the service mode. The findings highlight the important role of non-face-to-face service learning in promoting college students’ positive growth and well-being.

scholarly journals Impacts of the state 4-H Council experience : a phenomenological study

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Bradd LeBow Anderson
Keyword(s):  
Youth Development ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Agricultural Science ◽  
The State ◽  
Land Grant ◽  
Land Grant University ◽  
Youth Outcomes ◽  
Leadership Experience ◽  
The Impact

Leadership has long been recognized as a subject central to the human experience. Prepared leaders can wield critical influence in the rise of cultures, the growth of human opportunity, and the lasting direction of world events. Studies of leadership inform the earliest writings of Aristotle, the history of warfare, the early success of the American space program, the impact of Nelson Mandela, and countless other examples of forces that have shaped our world today. It is logical to expect that the study of leadership will also inform the world of tomorrow, as young people mature to assume roles that guide the mechanisms of social change and cultural advancement. This study focuses on the impact of leadership experience, through engagement with a large-scale program designed to foster its effectiveness and success. The program is focused on the experience of adolescents and rooted at the University of Missouri, one of 69 Land Grant Universities, established by the Morrill Act of 1862 to expand access to higher education. Once established, the Smith-Lever Act of 1914 expanded the Land Grant University mission to include the Cooperative Extension Service, which will henceforth be referred to as Extension, an outreach component of Land Grant University programming which sent agents into rural areas to connect end users with the products of their university's agricultural science research. When they encountered target audiences who were unreceptive to their innovations, some of these agents found success in shifting their outreach focus from adults to youth, who were often more open to new approaches (www.4-h.org/about/4-h-history). ... The State 4-H Council model is an experiential youth development opportunity that is in line with the Missouri 4-H mission to engage youth as "valued, contributing members of their communities in partnership with caring adults" (4h.missouri.edu). It is intended to produce youth outcomes consistent with the Missouri 4-H vision to create an environment in which "youth and adults learn, grow and work together for positive change" (4h.missouri.edu). This study adds understanding to the impacts that can accrue from service on a state 4-H council and help inform the development of these councils in state 4-H programs beyond Missouri's borders. In doing so, this study will reveal elements of Missouri's State 4-H Council model that could be adapted by other avenues of leadership development, identifying factors that promote and detract from success and providing greater insight into the leadership experience.

scholarly journals Program Innovations and Character in Cub Scouts: Findings from Year 1 of a Mixed-Methods, Longitudinal Study

2014 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 4-30 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lacey J. Hilliard ◽  
Rachel M. Hershberg ◽  
Jun Wang ◽  
Edmond P. Bowers ◽  
Paul A. Chase ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Longitudinal Study ◽  
Youth Development ◽  
Character Development ◽  
Individual Growth ◽  
Positive Development ◽  
Youth Outcomes ◽  
Community Connectedness ◽  
Cub Scouts ◽  
The Impact

Youth development programs seek to promote positive development through mentoring and engaging youth in opportunities for individual growth and community connectedness. We present findings from the initial phase of a mixed-methods, longitudinal study aimed at assessing the impact of one such program, Cub Scouts, on character development. We assessed if Scouting, and a recent innovation in Scouting focused on program quality, are associated with the development of character and other positive youth outcomes. Participants were 1,083 Scouts and non-Scouts, aged 5-12 years. At the start of the study, there was no difference in indicators of character between Scouts and non-Scouts, once matched through propensity score analyses. Through content analyses of interviews and short- answer questionnaires administered to leaders, we found that leaders’ views of character and of their roles corresponded to those envisioned by Cub Scouts. Implications for character development, and for the role of program components in character development, are discussed.

scholarly journals Building Resilience in the Time of Super Typhoons: Evaluating the First Filipino Design-Build University Program

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Koosmann ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Service Learning ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Traditional Architecture ◽  
Architecture Education ◽  
Hands On ◽  
Design Build ◽  
Resilient Communities ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Foreign Universities ◽  
The U.S

This paper highlights the value of post-occupancy evaluations (POEs) in the context of adapting U.S. design-build pedagogy to a Filipino university. Since the 1990’s, hands-on design-build programs have become popularized for creating positive impact on students in the U.S. Today, they are being adapted globally, but there is insufficient research on design-build programs and their impact on communities, and even more so, on the emerging programs in foreign universities. Rather, published design-build projects typically focus on the design process, innovation, execution, and putting emphasis on design awards. It is less common to find post occupancy and beneficiary impact. This might be due to the lack of standardized methods and resources for carrying out POEs. Following-up and reporting the impact of design-build projects through POEs is worth expanding upon, and they are an essential instrument for building resilient communities, especially since many architecture programs today offer some form of hands-on, service-learning as an alternative to traditional architecture education.1

scholarly journals Breaking it Down: Defining the Framework & Evaluating the Impact of a Peer Education Program

2015 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 112-120 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathleen Burke Blackburn ◽  
Imaani Greene ◽  
Shintele Malloy ◽  
Rima Himelstein ◽  
Alexandra Hanlon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Service Learning ◽  
Youth Development ◽  
Peer Education ◽  
Development Program ◽  
Development Programs ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Youth Development Programs ◽  
Youth Development Program ◽  
Community Based Programs ◽  
The Impact

Evaluation in the field of youth development continues to evolve.  Youth development programs vary significantly in their focus, setting and outcomes.  Community-based programs seeking to create or strengthen their evaluation methods and tools may have difficulty identifying what to measure and how to capture anticipated outcomes.  This article focuses on a youth development program combining service learning and peer education, serving urban adolescents ages 14 to 19.  The purposes of this study are: 1) to illustrate a strategy used to clarify and align core activities, anticipated outcomes and evaluation tools, and 2) to provide an overview of the updated data collection instruments created by the program. 

scholarly journals The I DO project: using experiential service learning to increase the impact of PIS

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sherwin Husseinifard ◽  
Lennart Corleissen ◽  
Lucas Meijs
Keyword(s):  
Service Learning ◽  
International Development ◽  
Business Students ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Learning Objectives ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Service Project ◽  
Hands On ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The I DO project connects business students to the European branch of small private international development organizations (PIs), using experiential service learning, which combines skill-based and hands-on volunteering opportunities, to achieve learning objectives with students (learning) while helping PIs (service). This paper aims to summarize the experiences and learnings of the pilot project. Design/methodology/approach Students work in four-person teams, guided by a student-coach, an academic supervisor and professional support, on a service project for one PI. Students provide indirect service to the PI through skill-based activities (e.g. creating marketing strategies or improving organizational efficiency) or hands-on volunteering (e.g. fundraising). In this program, students do not provide direct service to beneficiaries (i.e. they do not travel abroad). “I DO” will be established as a scalable regular course within the RSM Bachelor’s program. A pilot involving 22 students and 6 PIs was started in September 2020. Findings The teaching brief describes lessons learned from the non-credit bearing 2021 pilot. As skill-based volunteers, students performed hands-on support tasks, conducted analyses, and formulated strategic recommendations. In the pilot, however, the students did not take on the active role of skill-based volunteer consultants, concentrating instead on the safer, easier role of hands-on support volunteers. Future improvements could thus be realized in the preparation phase, as well as by focusing the guidance of the coaches and academic supervisor on the stated learning objectives. The project and the students’ motivation were negatively affected by the lockdown. In the future, including after the pandemic, measures will be added to maintain motivation, including a focus on the personal development of students, social events between students and stronger involvement on the part of the coach. Originality/value The teaching brief presents a new approach to service learning in international development as the service is giving to Western “headquarters” in both hands-on as skill-based volunteering.

scholarly journals Confronting the impact of teen pregnancy in Mississippi: the need for after-school programs

2019 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Danielle R. Bogan ◽  
Rasaki Aranmolate ◽  
Anthony R. Mawson
Keyword(s):  
Service Learning ◽  
Youth Development ◽  
Sex Education ◽  
Teen Pregnancy ◽  
After School Programs ◽  
After School ◽  
Sexually Transmitted ◽  
School Programs ◽  
The Us ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Although rates have decreased 8% since 2014, teen pregnancy remains a substantial public health and social problem in Mississippi and elsewhere in the US. Evidence suggests that, among teenagers, the after-school hours from 3 to 6 pm are peak times of risky sexual activity. This paper reviews recent research and programs concerning sexual risk behavior among adolescents and proposes that after-school programs would increase the daily period of supervised activity and thereby reduce risks not only of pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases but would also serve to enhance scholastic attainment and hence career prospects for the future. After-school programs from 3 to 6 p.m. should incorporate a multifaceted model that includes academic enhancement and recreational activities as well as curriculum-based sex education, youth development, and service learning.

Students Involvement in Multilingual and Multicultural Community Services

2015 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 77-89 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ying-Chiao Tsao
Keyword(s):  
Service Learning ◽  
Cultural Competence ◽  
Linguistically Diverse ◽  
Community Services ◽  
Cultural Humility ◽  
Self Assessment ◽  
Multicultural Community ◽  
Raising Awareness ◽  
Hands On ◽  
Teaching Learning

Promoting cultural competence in serving diverse clients has become critically important across disciplines. Yet, progress has been limited in raising awareness and sensitivity. Tervalon and Murray-Garcia (1998) believed that cultural competence can only be truly achieved through critical self-assessment, recognition of limits, and ongoing acquisition of knowledge (known as “cultural humility”). Teaching cultural humility, and the value associated with it remains a challenging task for many educators. Challenges inherent in such instruction stem from lack of resources/known strategies as well as learner and instructor readiness. Kirk (2007) further indicates that providing feedback on one's integrity could be threatening. In current study, both traditional classroom-based teaching pedagogy and hands-on community engagement were reviewed. To bridge a gap between academic teaching/learning and real world situations, the author proposed service learning as a means to teach cultural humility and empower students with confidence in serving clients from culturally/linguistically diverse backgrounds. To provide a class of 51 students with multicultural and multilingual community service experience, the author partnered with the Tzu-Chi Foundation (an international nonprofit organization). In this article, the results, strengths, and limitations of this service learning project are discussed.

The Impact of TimeSlips on Undergraduate Students in Service Learning With Older Adults

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Sabine Heuer
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Service Learning ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Attitude Scale ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Attitudes Toward Older Adults ◽  
Students Attitudes ◽  
Attitude Shift ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Journal Entries

Purpose Future speech-language pathologists are often unprepared in their academic training to serve the communicative and cognitive needs of older adults with dementia. While negative attitudes toward older adults are prevalent among undergraduate students, service learning has been shown to positively affect students' attitudes toward older adults. TimeSlips is an evidence-based approach that has been shown to improve health care students' attitudes toward older adults. The purpose of this study is to explore the change in attitudes in speech-language pathology students toward older adults using TimeSlips in service learning. Method Fifty-one students participated in TimeSlips service learning with older adults and completed the Dementia Attitude Scale (DAS) before and after service learning. In addition, students completed a reflection journal. The DAS data were analyzed using nonparametric statistics, and journal entries were analyzed using a qualitative analysis approach. Results The service learners exhibited a significant increase in positive attitude as indexed on the DAS. The reflective journal entries supported the positive change in attitudes. Conclusions A noticeable attitude shift was indexed in reflective journals and on the DAS. TimeSlips is an evidence-based, patient-centered approach well suited to address challenges in the preparation of Communication Sciences and Disorders students to work with the growing population of older adults.

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