THE 4-H STUDY OF POSITIVE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT:

1. THE 4-H STUDY OF POSITIVE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT: Richard M. Lerner, Jacqueline V. Lerner, Erin Phelps, and Colleagues Institute for Applied Research in Youth Development Tufts University, Medford, MA

2. Items for discussion: • Site and participant recruitment • Training and support from Tufts • Financial support for participating counties • Timeline • Reporting • Needs? • <place where faculty and staff can access materials> 4-H Study of Positive Youth Development - Toolkit

3. Site and Participant Recruitment • Target age – 9-12th graders, focus on 12th graders • 4-H and non-4-H youth • Partner who will work with you to secure parent consent and administer the survey • Parent consent likely • On-line option is preferred • Can Tufts find them in a year? • YOUR IDEAS?? 4-H Study of Positive Youth Development - Toolkit

4. Tufts Support • Centra sessions for data collectors – <date> • Toolkit of materials including: sample IRB forms, correspondence, news releases and other resources • Phone and e-mail for questions • Costs of producing the data collection materials can be reimbursed 4-H Study of Positive Youth Development - Toolkit

5. Money $$$$ Pre-Study • <$ incentive from your state> • <location of form to fill out to receive money from state> Post-Study • Thank-you gift from Tufts • Only for face-to-face data collection • $30 gift credit with Amazon.com • Multi-year sites will be paid $50 by Tufts • Only for 2nd year or beyond • Only for face-to-face settings • For any number of surveys submitted 4-H Study of Positive Youth Development - Toolkit

6. Data Collection Expenses • Only available for face-to-face data collection: • Keep track of copies produced and request reimbursement for the following: • # Student Questionnaires <40> pages @$.05 per page • # Parent Consent Forms – 4 pages @ $.05 per page • # Youth Assent Forms – 1 page @$.05 per page • # Parent letters – 2 pages $.05 per page • # Additional printing – itemize @ $.05 per page • No postage expenses will be reimbursed by Tufts. • No other expenses will be reimbursed without prior approval from Tufts. 4-H Study of Positive Youth Development - Toolkit

7. Timeline • Immediately – site recruitment, eIRB • Templates are ready: <location where templates can be found>, or on the National 4-H Brand Network website • By <established date> – letter of permission, set dates for administration, request needed materials • By <established date> – complete administration and submit results • Fall 2010 – <state> results 4-H Study of Positive Youth Development - Toolkit

8. Reporting • Will set up statewide program with <coordinator> as Team Leader and data collectors as Team Members. • Use Scheduling function to show planned sites/dates? 4-H Study of Positive Youth Development - Toolkit

9. Design of the 4-H Study • This is a longitudinal study: Youth are followed across time • Beginning in 5th Grade, we are following some youth through 12th Grade (and we hope past high school) • To adjust for youth who drop out of the study and to maintain our ability to conduct powerful statistical analyses, we have added new students each year 4-H Study of Positive Youth Development - Toolkit

10. Design of the 4-H Study • We are longitudinally studying these new students as well • A minimum of three times of measurement are needed to judge developmental change. We are reporting for the first time the results from three times of testing • Overall, we have sampled more than 6,000 youth from 37 states and more than 2,000 parents! 4-H Study of Positive Youth Development - Toolkit

11. Design of the 4-H Study • For comparative purposes, our sample includes 4-H youth and non-4-H youth. These groups of youth differ in several ways • To judge the differences between 4-H youth and other youth we need to create a matched subsample • However, this limits our ability to apply the findings to all 4-H youth 4-H Study of Positive Youth Development - Toolkit

12. Key Principles of the PYD Perspective • Because of the potential to change, all youth have strengths. • All contexts have strengths as well. These strengths are resources that may be used to promote positive youth development. • These resources are termed “developmental assets”: They are the “social nutrients” needed for healthy development. 4-H Study of Positive Youth Development - Toolkit

13. Key Principles of the PYD Perspective • Strengths of youth are combined with ecological developmental assets. Then, these assets are found in families, schools, faith institutions, youth serving organizations, and the community more generally. • If the positive, healthy development may occur. • We may be optimistic that it is in our power to promote positive development among all youth. 4-H Study of Positive Youth Development - Toolkit

14. Three Key Hypotheses of the 4-H Study Hypothesis 1. PYD is constituted by “Five Cs:” • The Five Cs • Competence • Confidence • Character • Caring • Connection Contribution 4-H Study of Positive Youth Development - Toolkit

15. The Five Cs are Related to the “Four Essential Elements”* The Cs of PYDThe 4 Essential Elements Competence  MASTERY Confidence  INDEPENDENCE Connection  BELONGING Character &  GENEROSITY Caring *As presented by Dr. Cathann Kress 4-H Study of Positive Youth Development - Toolkit

16. Three Key Hypotheses of the 4-H Study Hypothesis 2. Across adolescence, positive youth development occurs (that is, youth “thrive”) when: The strengths of young people are aligned with the resources for healthy development (“developmental assets”) present in their communities. 4-H Study of Positive Youth Development - Toolkit

17. Three Key Hypotheses of the 4-H Study Hypothesis 3. Youth Development (YD) programs constitute key developmental assets promoting PYD. YD programs are marked by the presence of the “Big 3,” that is: Sustained, positive adult-youth relations; Skill building activities; and Youth participation and leadership. 4-H Study of Positive Youth Development - Toolkit