Preparing Capable Youth Workers: The Project Youth Extension Service Approach

The Project Youth Extension Service (YES!) college student internship integrates pre-service training on youth worker competencies with a year or more of practice experience in leading positive youth development programs for military youth impacted by the military deployment process. For nearly a decade, interns have reported significant improvement in 37 behavioral competencies, with 24 indicators improving .50 or more on a 5-point scale. Areas of greatest growth include practices critical to youth worker effectiveness and program quality: self-regulation, interaction, and adaptation in high-intensity settings. Qualitative comments indicate growth in personal maturity (e.g., composure, flexibility, openness to feedback) as well as professional growth (e.g., listening, organization, presentation, teamwork), and empathy for youth and families under stress. Intern growth was also observed by trainers and mentors. Program feedback from youth and event coordinators was consistently positive. Interns also benefited from working with a career mentor. Blended online and on-site training, episodic scheduling, and scaffolded leadership offer effective and efficient methods for programming and professional development. Findings point to the value of intensive and extended training focused on experiential learning, critical reflection, and mentoring, together with background knowledge on military culture, military family life, and youth development. The program model, full results, conclusions, recommendations for practice, and opportunities for improvement are discussed.

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FORMATION OF YOUTH WORKER PROFESSIONALISM: PROBLEMS IN ESTONIA

Problems of Education in the 21st Century ◽

10.33225/pec/15.68.84 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 68 (1) ◽

pp. 84-96

Author(s):

Maarika Veigel

Keyword(s):

Professional Development ◽

Professional Growth ◽

Formal Education ◽

National Curriculum ◽

High Mobility ◽

Professional Staff ◽

Development Model ◽

Youth Work ◽

Youth Workers ◽

Youth Worker

Youth field has been in constant evolution during the restoration period of Estonian independence, since 1991. The theoretical overview is about youth worker professionalism, associated with the developments in the European and Estonian youth field and in the context of the Berliner competency levels development model. It explains the expectations set for youth workers, to teaching and youth field institutions. Youth work is expected, like formal education, with more clearly defined educational goals, and it is emphasized that it is a non-formal education. An important aspect is enjoying of the activities and its educational elements. The National Curriculum for Basic Schools and Gymnasium (2011) sets the expectations that the non-formal education will give more support to students to complete the curriculum of formal education. Youth work in Estonia is an essential component of the educational system. Therefore, the professionalism of youth workers and their coping with new challenges is very important. Over the last ten years, major changes in the Estonian youth worker professionalism and in the aspects of professional development haven’t been mentioned. The answers are briefly: in Estonia youth worker profession has been associated with the development of youth field, but the staff preparation is very different and characterised by low working experience. Berliner presented development model of competency levels, treats the professional development as long-term, complex process, distinguishing between the five stages of development of the professional staff, which are also regarded in the context of the professional development of the youth worker. Youth work quality is dependent on the availability of professional youth workers and in order to gain it, the high mobility inside the sector should be reduced, a better situation and more support should be created for the formation of youth worker professionalism at the various levels of the professional growth. Key words: competency, professional level, professionalism, youth work, youth worker.

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ORGANIZATIONAL FACTOR AS BASIC ELEMENTS OF THE ESTONIAN YOUTH WORKERS´ PROFESSIONAL GROWTH

SOCIETY INTEGRATION EDUCATION Proceedings of the International Scientific Conference ◽

10.17770/sie2020vol5.5030 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 5 ◽

pp. 302

Author(s):

Maarika Veigel

Keyword(s):

Professional Growth ◽

Professional Training ◽

Formal Education ◽

Personal Characteristics ◽

Organizational Factors ◽

Youth Work ◽

Youth Workers ◽

Youth Worker ◽

High Satisfaction

The issue of the Estonian youth workers´ professionality has been relevant for many years. Organizational factors are important in the youth worker´s professional growth. Youth worker is a promoter of non-formal education. Research explained the issues related to the youth workers professional growth, including organizational factors. The theoretical framework of the research created Ruohotie, Tamm concepts of professional growth and Hackman, Oldham job satisfaction characteristics. The purpose of this research was brought to the light youth work specialists´ opinions about the organizational factors of the professional growth. For qualitative data collection semi-structed interviews were conducted with 35 Estonian youth work specialists in 2016-2018. The results showed that in eight key-topics important opinions were received. Most attention should be given further to the beginner youth workers´ support for efficient and faster adaptation with work. Mostly were explained interviewees high satisfaction with team and colleagues. Interviews revealed a different commitment to work, which depends of the employee´s professional awareness and involvement in initiatives, that could have resulted from different education, professional training or personal characteristics. The quality of the feedback is important for the employee's professional growth. Individualisation of the work may create a threat to versatility. For further clarification: youth workers´ professional identity.

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Positive youth development: Assessing the interaction between intentional self-regulation and motivation

PsycEXTRA Dataset ◽

10.1037/e642622013-013 ◽

2013 ◽

Author(s):

G. John Geldhof ◽

Michelle B. Weiner ◽

Jennifer P. Agans ◽

Megan Kiely Mueller ◽

Richard M. Lerner

Keyword(s):

Youth Development ◽

Positive Youth Development ◽

Self Regulation ◽

Intentional Self Regulation

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Professional Growth Opportunities and Its Influence on Job Performance of Deputy Principals of Public Secondary Schools in Lugari Sub-County, Kenya

East African Journal of Education Studies ◽

10.37284/eajes.4.1.515 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 4 (1) ◽

pp. 119-128

Author(s):

Nancy Maino ◽

Stephen Tomno Cheboi

Keyword(s):

Secondary Schools ◽

Job Performance ◽

Professional Growth ◽

Quantitative Data ◽

Qualitative Data ◽

Sampling Technique ◽

Simple Random Sampling ◽

Growth Opportunities ◽

Interview Guide ◽

Service Training

This study sought to explore the influence of professional growth opportunities on the job performance of deputy principals of public secondary schools in Lugari Sub-County, Kenya. Adopting the descriptive research design, the study utilised mixed methods approach engaging both questionnaires and interview guide. The focus population for the study included 28 principals, 28 deputy principals and 420 teachers of public secondary schools within Lugari Sub- County. All the 28 principals and 28 deputy principals were purposively sampled for study whereas, 200 teachers were identified for study by simple random sampling technique. A pilot test-retest study was conducted in three public secondary schools from nearby Uasin Gishu County and a reliable Cronbach’s Alpha coefficient of 0.79 and 0.81 was obtained for the deputy principal response questionnaire and teacher response questionnaire, respectively. Supervisors and researchers from Mount Kenya University School of education were engaged to ascertain the validity of the research instruments and necessary adjustments effected on the tools before use. The questionnaires gathered quantitative data from teachers and deputy principals whilst the interview guide assembled qualitative data from the principals. The statistical Package for Social Sciences version 23.0 was used for the analysis of quantitative data yielding frequencies, percentages, means, and standard deviation. Qualitative data were analysed thematically based on the objectives and presented along with the quantitative data. The findings established that schools in Lugari Sub County hardly support deputy principals for in-service training, the majority of deputy principals perceived unfairness in promotion procedures and that the position of deputy principal did not adequately prepare deputy principals for principal-ship. The study recommends that deputy principals need to be supported by the school management to collaborate and improve their requisite skills to discharge their duties effectively.

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The Power of Electricity Workbook

EDIS ◽

10.32473/edis-4h127-2002 ◽

1969 ◽

Vol 2002 (8) ◽

Author(s):

Sandra Fry ◽

Lucinda Harris

Keyword(s):

Youth Development ◽

Cooperative Extension ◽

Development Program ◽

Cooperative Extension Service ◽

Extension Service ◽

University Of Florida ◽

Youth Development Program ◽

Agricultural Sciences

This document is 4HEGM30 of the Florida 4-H Youth Development Program, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. Reviewed June 2002. https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/4h127

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Applied Model of E-Learning in the Framework of Education for Sustainable Development

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su12166420 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (16) ◽

pp. 6420 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Tong Zhang ◽

Zaffar A. Shaikh ◽

Alexei V. Yumashev ◽

Monika Chłąd

Keyword(s):

Sustainable Development ◽

Distance Education ◽

Personal Development ◽

Professional Growth ◽

Self Regulation ◽

Education For Sustainable Development ◽

Educational Process ◽

Individual Growth ◽

Applied Model ◽

E Learning

Education for sustainable development is an evolving concept aimed at providing an understanding of the relationship between sustainable development issues and the development of knowledge, skills, perspectives and values, which will enable people of all ages to commit themselves to creating a sustainable future. The aim of the study is the development of a widely applicable model of e-learning, which consists of seven consecutive levels of professional and personal development and is conceptually associated with a self-regulation strategy. The methodological core of such model creation is the theory of niche construction. Its application to the understanding of the systemic educational process allowed the assumption that, under the evolutionary pressure of the educational environment, a person is engaged in self-learning and self-development processes. Thus, needing to adapt to the educational niche’s interaction, the individual affects its development through active inclusion in the training process, showing a personal evolutionary impulse. The system, in turn, affects one’s individual growth through the socialization of his/her personal and professional qualities. The scientific novelty of this article lies in the proposed widely applicable, presumably universal model of distance education, which consists of seven levels of professional development. The results show progress in students’ mastery of skills, which are an integral part of education for sustainable development (ESD), namely, foresight, critical thinking and reflection, systemic thinking, building partnerships, and participating in decision-making. This article also demonstrates the existing functionality of platforms that technologically support the educational process, indicates their strengths and defines areas for further improvement and development within the framework regarding the concept of education for sustainable development. The study outcomes confirm the effectiveness of a universal distance education model for the stable professional growth of tourism and hospitality staff. Thus, it is advisable to implement the model’s conceptual structure into educational programs of modern e-learning systems. Supposed universality of the model opens up the possibility of its use in almost all fields for training personnel.

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Latent structure of gestures in orchestra conducting students under self-observation conditions

Research Studies in Music Education ◽

10.1177/1321103x19843204 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 41 (2) ◽

pp. 236-258

Author(s):

Margarita Lorenzo de Reizábal ◽

Manuel Benito Gómez

Keyword(s):

Professional Growth ◽

Growth And Development ◽

Self Regulation ◽

The Body ◽

Latent Structure ◽

Use Of Self ◽

Before And After ◽

Conducting Students ◽

Experimental Group ◽

Exploratory Factorial Analysis

Self-observation has proven to be a powerful medium for personal and professional growth and development. This research makes use of self-observation through video to determine the latent structure that underlies the gestures to be learned and mastered by orchestra conducting students. Exploratory Factorial Analysis (EFA) techniques have been applied to the assessments of the performances of the orchestra conducting students who participated in the experimental group of this study ( N = 13, males: 38.5%, females: 61.5%) before and after a self-observation experience. The results show a better integration of the gestures performed, and an improvement in the awareness of gestural details that go unnoticed if they are not visualized from outside; an improvement in gestural learning and in the self-regulation of learning; gestural maturation and a more selective focus on the gestures that must be corrected, as well as propitiating a vision of the body as a whole.

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The challenges of delivering good practice for volunteer youth workers in youth development organisations

Queensland Review ◽

10.1017/qre.2017.4 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 24 (1) ◽

pp. 23-27

Author(s):

Rod Adam

Keyword(s):

Youth Development ◽

Local Level ◽

Good Practice ◽

Community Support ◽

State Level ◽

Limiting Factor ◽

Youth Workers ◽

Skill Levels ◽

Volunteer Leaders ◽

Considerable Benefit

AbstractRecent research has shown that programs provided by youth development organisations are of considerable benefit to those young people who engage with the aims and activities of such programs. These programs (e.g. Scouts, Guides, Boys’ and Girls’ Brigades, Surf Lifesaving) are generally provided and run by adult volunteers. This article seeks to explore the main issues for volunteers with regard to implementing these programs, including the reasons why people volunteer in the first place, what community support and resourcing are available and the difficulties of running a program with too few volunteers. The main limiting factor in the success of these programs is the available volunteers, their individual skill levels, the time they have to give and whether they feel the return for their efforts is worthwhile. Community and parental recognition is also a significant factor in their satisfaction and longevity. Volunteers generally gain satisfaction and motivation through a mix of self-worth gained through community service and being able to pass on the program and ethos of their particular organisation. How long a volunteer serves as a leader is closely connected with their satisfaction level. The author's many years of experience at local and state level provides insight into the recruitment and retention of volunteer leaders and their important role in continuing to provide youth programs at the local level.

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Tracing Changes in Teacher Environmental Education Understanding

Australian Journal of Environmental Education ◽

10.1017/s0814062600002615 ◽

1999 ◽

Vol 15 ◽

pp. 57-64 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Josephine R. Lang

Keyword(s):

Environmental Education ◽

Professional Growth ◽

Naturalistic Inquiry ◽

Case Study Approach ◽

Teacher Implementation ◽

Teacher Understanding ◽

Study Approach ◽

Service Training ◽

Growth Development

AbstractAfter more than twenty years of contemporary environmental education, there is still an inferior representation of it in schools. By 1990, UNESCO recognised that to improve the effectiveness of teacher implementation of environmental education in schools, teachers needed training. To date, there is insufficient research into teacher training in environmental education that could provide insights into teacher understanding and how to positively change teacher understandings about environmental education. The aim of this research was to document and examine the changes in teacher understandings of environmental education during an in-service training program in environmental education.To examine teacher change in detail, this research used a qualitative and naturalistic inquiry methodology while using a case study approach. The case study showed that teacher understanding was complex and affected by many factors that contribute to personal and professional growth, development and learning.

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