Youth Development Insight Center for Youth Development faculty & educators blog on issues in our field
Keeping program assessment "local" reaps benefits
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Want to keep a youth workers in your organization? Try involving them in observational assessment! The recent release of the national YPQI study on improving youth program quality found one unexpected benefit to the process of observational assessment and planning process -- it increases staff retention. While it may seem hard to connect these dots, the finding does not surprise staff and consultants here at the Youth Work Institute who are working with youth organizations and staff throughout Minnesota to improve program quality....
Learning from Caine's Arcade: Programming free play
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Last month, I presented an online webinar titled, "Natural Spaces: A Place for Positive Youth Development." In it, I talked about four research-based design principles that I believe can improve the ways that our programs connect youth with nature: 1. Situate programs in youths' favorite outdoor spaces 2. Integrate more free play 3. Plan developmentally appropriate environmental learning activities, and 4. Use nature design principles...
Featured research, publications & events
Working in Youth-Serving Organizations: The Sphere of Professional Education
May 3, 2012-
Natural Spaces: A place for positive youth development webinar
April 18, 2012
The Positive Development of Youth (868 K PDF)
National 4-H Council
A report of the findings from the first eight years of the 4-H Study of Positive Youth Development, sometimes referred to as "The Tufts Study." 2012
Exploring the Supply and Demand for Community Learning Opportunities in Minnesota
Ann Lochner, Gina Allen, Dale Blyth
Also known as the "Gap Study," this report documents the gap between supply and demand for youth development programs in the state. 2009
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