Making Volunteers

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nina Eliasoph
Keyword(s):  
After School Programs ◽  
After School ◽  
At Risk Youth ◽  
Policy Reforms ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Mandatory Training ◽  
School Programs ◽  
Grassroots Support ◽  
Adult Volunteers

Volunteering improves inner character, builds community, cures poverty, and prevents crime. We have all heard this kind of empowerment talk from nonprofit and government-sponsored civic programs. But what do these programs really accomplish? This book offers an in-depth, humorous, wrenching, and at times uplifting look inside youth and adult civic programs. The book reveals an urgent need for policy reforms in order to improve these organizations and shows that while volunteers learn important lessons, they are not always the lessons that empowerment programs aim to teach. With short-term funding and a dizzy mix of mandates from multiple sponsors, community programs develop a complex web of intimacy, governance, and civic life. The book describes the at-risk youth served by such programs, the college-bound volunteers who hope to feel selfless inspiration and plump up their résumés, and what happens when the two groups are expected to bond instantly through short-term projects. The book looks at adult “plug-in” volunteers who, working in after-school programs and limited by time, hope to become like beloved aunties to youth. It indicates that adult volunteers can provide grassroots support but they can also undermine the family-like warmth created by paid organizers. Exploring contradictions between the democratic rhetoric of empowerment programs and the bureaucratic hurdles that volunteers learn to navigate, the book demonstrates that empowerment projects work best with less precarious funding, more careful planning, and mandatory training, reflection, and long-term commitments from volunteers. The book illustrates what these programs can and cannot achieve, and how to make them more effective.

Harmless and Destructive Plug-in Volunteers

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nina Eliasoph
Keyword(s):  
After School Programs ◽  
After School ◽  
Short Term ◽  
School Programs ◽  
Grassroots Support ◽  
Adult Volunteers

This chapter takes a look at the adult volunteers who come to help in the summer and after-school homework programs studied in this volume. Adult volunteers' presence symbolize, in the funders' eyes, that a program enjoys local grassroots support, so paid organizers cannot afford to shut out these volunteers. However, the chapter shows that when they come to the after-school programs for one or two hours a week for a few months or a year at most, their short-term, optional, sporadic efforts at creating intimate bonds with youth participants undermine the intimate atmosphere that a devoted paid organizer manages to create.

scholarly journals Projects in a Day Develop Life Skills in At-Risk After School Youth

2011 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 87-94 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katie J. Hoffman
Keyword(s):  
At Risk ◽  
Life Skills ◽  
After School Programs ◽  
After School ◽  
At Risk Youth ◽  
Safe Place ◽  
School Programs ◽  
Life Skill Development ◽  
After School Program ◽  
School Programming

As budgets tighten and school weeks are shortened more youth are being left unattended at home. Rural youth are particularly affected by these reductions and stranded away from programs and resources. At-risk youth are acutely impacted as they lose contact time with programs that provide life skill development and a safe place for youth to connect to community, other youth and adults. 4-H Projects-in-a-Day can provide curriculum in partnership with after school programs that develop life skills and build positive social skills. In a study conducted with an Idaho After School program during the 2007-2008 and the 2008-2009 school years, six of the 12 life skills evaluated showed a significant increase after participation. Youth also reported positive self esteem and made new friends during the events held on Fridays. 4-H Project-in-a-Day curriculum has shown to be a powerful, ready to use tool in after school programming.

scholarly journals Where’d You Hear That? Examining the Importance of Individuals and Institutions in Providing Knowledge to At-Risk Adolescents about Their Local Community

2016 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rosemary V. Barnett ◽  
Paige E. Combee ◽  
Caroline Payne-Purvis
Keyword(s):  
At Risk ◽  
Local Community ◽  
After School Programs ◽  
After School ◽  
At Risk Youth ◽  
Community Based ◽  
School Programs ◽  
Community Issues ◽  
Positive Correlations ◽  
At Risk Adolescents

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationships between individuals and institutions when providing information to at-risk youth. This research examined how community issues are translated to 302 at-risk youth participants in two community-based after school programs. It specifically sought to identify the individuals and institutions where adolescents self-reported that they receive information from about community issues and whether there were relationships between these two entities. At-risk youth self-reported learning about community issues from key individuals and institutional connections. Positive correlations were found between all of the individuals and institutions, which indicate youth receive information about their communities from multiple individuals and institution types. The results provide important implications for institutions and individuals to consider as they work with youth.

Archaeology Education for Children

2016 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 441-453 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeanne M. Moe
Keyword(s):  
Science Inquiry ◽  
Program Assessment ◽  
After School Programs ◽  
After School ◽  
Learning Centers ◽  
School Programs ◽  
Understanding Of Science ◽  
Inquiry Program ◽  
Informal Settings

AbstractIn the past 30 years, archaeologists have taught children and youth about the processes of archaeological inquiry and the results of archaeological research. Hundreds, if not thousands, of education programs have sprouted up over the last 30 years; some have endured, while others have faded away. Some efforts and programs are aimed at formal learning in school classrooms, while many others are based in informal settings, such as museums, outdoor learning centers, after-school programs, and many others. A few of these programs have been assessed for learning outcomes, but many others have not. For example, all Project Archaeology education materials are intensively assessed in classrooms and peer reviewed prior to release for their efficacy in teaching predetermined goals or enduring understandings. Additionally, the Project Archaeology curriculum was assessed for its efficacy in teaching conceptual understanding of science inquiry. Program assessment is critical for the long-term success and sustainability of archaeology education.

scholarly journals Effects of After-School Programs with At-Risk Youth on Attendance and Externalizing Behaviors: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

2014 ◽  
Vol 44 (3) ◽  
pp. 616-636 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristen P. Kremer ◽  
Brandy R. Maynard ◽  
Joshua R. Polanin ◽  
Michael G. Vaughn ◽  
Christine M. Sarteschi
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
At Risk ◽  
Externalizing Behaviors ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
After School Programs ◽  
After School ◽  
At Risk Youth ◽  
School Programs

scholarly journals Active Play in ASP –A matched-pair cluster-randomized trial investigating the effectiveness of an intervention in After-school programs for supporting children’s physical activity

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kirsti Riiser ◽  
Kåre Rønn Richardsen ◽  
Anders Lund Hage Haugen ◽  
Siv Lund ◽  
Knut Løndal
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Sedentary Behavior ◽  
First Graders ◽  
After School Programs ◽  
Matched Pair ◽  
After School ◽  
School Programs ◽  
Cluster Randomized ◽  
Sedentary Behavior Time

Abstract Background: Interventions directed at after school programs (ASPs) have the potential to support physical activity (PA) in young children. Research has indicated that interventions that emphasize competence building among the ASP staff can lead to increased PA among the children. The present study evaluates the effectiveness of the Active Play in ASP intervention—a program for ASP staff aimed at supporting physical activity physical activity among first graders in ASP. Methods: We used a matched-pair cluster randomized design and included 456 first graders from 14 schools in Norway. From these, 7 ASPs received the intervention (N = 229), while 7 acted as controls (N = 227). Measurements were taken at baseline, immediately post intervention (7 month follow-up) and after a year (19 month follow-up). The primary outcome was moderate and vigorous physical activity (MVPA), which was estimated with predefined cut points of counts per minute (CPM) and expressed as minutes/hour. Secondary outcomes were vigorous and light intensity physical activity (VPA and LPA) and sedentary behavior. The analyses of intervention effects were based on between-group differences in outcome changes between the 3 measurement points and were conducted using a mixed-effects model for repeated measures using categorical time. In separate models, we investigated gender, baseline body mass, and baseline CPM as potential effect modifiers. Results: The intervention yielded no significant short-term or long-term effects in mean MVPA 0.55 min/hour, (95% CI -0.29: 1.38), VPA, LPA, or sedentary behavior. However, subgroup analyses showed that the intervention group had a significant long-term reduction in sedentary behavior time -1.67 min/hour (95% CI -3.12: -0.21) among the 50% of children who were least active at baseline in comparison to the controls. Conclusions: Although the intervention did not significantly increase the mean MVPA among the children in the intervention ASPs compared to controls, it did seem to have an effect by reducing sedentary behavior time among the least active children. An even stronger emphasis on how to identify less active children and support their activity may be needed in order to increase their PA and further reduce sedentary behavior time.

scholarly journals At-Risk Youth in After-School Programs: How Does Their Use of Media for Learning About Community Issues Relate to Their Perceptions of Community Connectedness, Community Involvement, and Community Support?

2014 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 157-169
Author(s):  
Rosemary V. Barnett ◽  
Jeffrey C. Neely ◽  
Caroline Payne-Purvis ◽  
Gerald R. Culen
Keyword(s):  
At Risk ◽  
Community Involvement ◽  
Media Use ◽  
Community Support ◽  
After School Programs ◽  
After School ◽  
At Risk Youth ◽  
Community Connectedness ◽  
School Programs ◽  
Community Issues

This paper highlights a study examining the impact of various media formats on at-risk youth to identify forms of media technology that might impact their community connectedness, community involvement, and community support. Over a three-year period, a sample of 133 youth enrolled in after-school programs in two communities completed a questionnaire annually consisting of the following areas: community support, community involvement, community connectedness, and media use for learning. Linear regression analysis indicated media use for learning about community issues was a predictor of student’s perceptions of community support, community connectedness, and community involvement. The media format most identified for gaining knowledge about community issues by the youth was the Internet, while the use of print media increased over the course of the study. The most significant relationships were found between media use and perceptions of community overall with the most significant gains in media use during Y2, where youth knowledge of community issues increased.

scholarly journals Rural After-School Programs: Meeting the Needs of At-Risk Youth and Their Families

2007 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 56-73
Author(s):  
Bethany L. Letiecq ◽  
Sandra J. Bailey ◽  
Julie A. Keller
Keyword(s):  
Rural Communities ◽  
Skill Acquisition ◽  
Low Income ◽  
After School Programs ◽  
After School ◽  
Future Research ◽  
At Risk Youth ◽  
Out Of School Time ◽  
School Time ◽  
School Programs

Extant research has focused on out-of-school time among urban and suburban youth, yet there remains scant information on rural low-income youth and their families. This study examines the salience of after-school programs for rural youth. Using an ecological framework, we assess changes in youth behavior and skill acquisition based on reports from 47 youth attending after-school programs in two rural communities, along with their primary caregivers and teachers. Results indicate enhanced life skills and social behaviors among youth attendees. Implications for future research, programming, and policymaking are discussed.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document