Publication year
2011
Citation Title
Moving beyond youth voice.
Journal Name
Youth & Society
Journal Volume
43
Issue Number
1
Page Numbers
44-63
DOI
10.1177/0044118X09351280
Summary
Survey data were used to examine whether youth engagement in positive relationships with adult staff in youth programs contributed to the development of youth voice and influenced youth's perception of the benefits of program participation. Positive relationships with an adult staff increased youth's perception of voice in a program, which increased youth's perception of benefits from program participation.
Key Findings
Youth who reported more positive relationships with adult staff and a stronger voice in the program reported more benefits from their program participation.
Youth voice partially explained (i.e., mediated) the association between relationships with adults and benefits gained from program participation. Having positive relationships with adult staff predicted having a strong voice, which in turn predicted youth reporting more benefits from participation.
Native American youth were more likely to feel that relationships with adults in the program were less supportive and that their voice was not as strong compared to Latino/Latina, Black, White, and Asian-American youth.
Implications for Military Professionals
Collaborate with organizations connected with military parents to emphasize the importance of youth programs for all families
Examine ways to create positive relationships with children involved in youth programs
Implications for Program Leaders
Provide opportunities for youth to practice using their voice in the presence of supportive adults who view youth as partners and encourage youth empowerment and skill development
Provide education to military youth regarding how to develop positive adult relationships and use their voice
Implications for Policy Makers
Encourage professional training for staff who work with military children regarding how to form supportive adult-youth relationships that encourage youth voice
Continue to support youth programs for military children
Methods
This study used a convenience sample of youth (N = 748) who participated in the Engaging Youth Serving Communities initiative from 29 states.
Only civilian youth were included in the current study.
Participants completed web-based or paper-and-pencil surveys.
Participants
Seven hundred forty-eight youth (68% females) participated.
The majority of participants were White (76%).
The age of participants was 15 years.
Limitations
Without longitudinal data, there is no clear evidence that supportive relationships cause program benefits in general or youth voice development in particular.
Other aspects of the outcome may be missed if only one informant was used (e.g., youth may have been trying to respond in the best way).
Participants included only civilian youth; therefore, results may not be generalizable to military youth.
Avenues for Future Research
Replicate the directional and causal effects suggested in this study using a longitudinal design
Incorporate additional objective measures or multiple informants to measures youth perceptions
Examine whether youths perceived quality relationships with adults contribute to strengthening of youth voice with a sample of military children
Focus
Civilian
Target Population
Population Focus
Abstract
This study combines research documenting the benefits of positive relationships between youth and caring adults on a young person's positive development with studies on youth voice to examine the mechanisms through which participation in youth programs contributes to positive developmental outcomes. Specifically, the study explores whether youth's perceived quality relationships with adults contribute to strengthening of youth voice and in turn how the two combine to affect youth's perception of the benefits of program participation. The findings derived from survey data regarding 748 youth who participated in youth:adult partnership programs in 29 states suggest that young people who develop positive relationships with adults perceive they have more voice in the program and in turn perceive more benefits to program participation. Implications for research and practice are presented.
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