Publication year
2001
Citation Title
Assessing after-school programs as contexts for youth development.
Journal Name
Youth and Society
Journal Volume
32
Issue Number
4
Page Numbers
421-446
DOI
10.1177/0044118X01032004002
Summary
After-school programs are often promoted as providing youth with opportunities and resources for development; however, the merit of these programs is not always assessed. This study compared school-based and community-based after-school programs and school opportunities. Results suggest some after-school programs provide more opportunities and resources for youth development than students receive during the school day, particularly for male youth.
Key Findings
Students reported preferring the affective context of after-school programs to the affective context experienced during the school day.
Students reported experiencing more resources for development in after-school programs than during the school day.
Participants who attended school-based after-school programs rated the affective context of their school-day settings higher than those who attended community-based after-school programs.
Males rated the affective context of the school day and the support for youth development and opportunities for responsibility of both the school day and after-school programs lower than females.
Implications for Military Professionals
Collaborate with after-school programs to gather feedback from military youth regarding their experiences of and preferences for these programs
Help develop after-school programs for military youth tailored to their particular needs (e.g., support during parent deployment or adjustment to a new location)
Implications for Program Leaders
Educate military youth and families about available evidence-based after-school programs
Expand the range of youth development programs or activities offered for military youth after school
Implications for Policy Makers
Continue supporting both community-based and school-based after-school programs for military youth
Collaborate with public schools to develop after-school programs that are relevant to and well-accepted by military youth
Methods
Youth in 6th-10th grades were recruited from a Chicago school, as well as from three after-school programs.
Youth completed surveys about opportunities, affective context, and resources available both in school classrooms and during after-school programs.
Opportunities and resources available for youth development were compared between after-school programs and school day activities.
Participants
The school sample included 125 students who were 55% male in 6th (19%), 8th (42%), 9th (21%), and 10th (15%) grade.
The after-school program sample included 13 boys in an entrepreneurship and responsiblity program, 25 youth in an arts program, and 18 youth in a community service program.
Although several participant demographics were not collected, the neighborhood composition was primarily Black (96%) and many families lived below the poverty line (48%).
Limitations
There was incomplete demographic data about the sample.
The measures used for assessment were not validated, and the specific items and administration were not described.
The sample consisted almost entirely of Black Chicago students; it is unknown how these findings may generalize to other youth samples.
Avenues for Future Research
Attempt to replicate this research study with a more heterogeneous sample of youth
Assess what factors contributed to the differences in student ratings between school and after-school contexts
Investigate the relationhip between youth ratings of after-school programs and later youth development outcomes (e.g., responsibility, engagement, relationships)
Focus
Civilian
Target Population
Population Focus
Abstract
Educators, policy makers, and funders increasingly argue that structured afterschool activities can provide youth with valuable supports for development. Studies assessing the impact of particular programs and strategies, however, are rare. This study presents a method of assessment that enables evaluation of varied youth programs in accordance with a youth development agenda. The data include a sample of 6th-through 10th-grade African American students (N = 125) as well as samples of students who participated in three other after-school programs. The analysis of survey data indicates that only some after-school programs provide more opportunities and supports for youth development than students receive during the school day but that almost all provide significantly more attractive affective contexts than students experience during the school day. This difference is particularly great for African American male youth. The study also compares community- and school-based afterschool programs and identifies possible directions for future research.
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