Results of Evaluation
I found that the program is effective at changing and improving the youth’s behavior. There are many activities and other services that bring the youth together and get them involved in the community. Every week the youth are engaged in an outing or activity. I conducted my evaluation in October and the supervisor allowed me to view the schedule for the month. The participants engage in activities such as going to the farm, steel drum classes, sneaker decorating, gym workouts, and volunteer work.
Findings from observations and interviews
The observation was conducted first. I did my observation in the morning, so most of the participants were doing schoolwork. The youth are limited to only one room. The room has a classroom area and a lounge area. The participants sit and do work while the staff members monitor them. The staff members make sure the participants stay focused on their schoolwork. The room also has a fish tank for the participants. They are responsible for feeding the fish and changing the water.
During my observation, I was able to meet the staff members and other stakeholders involved with the program. The supervisor and I discussed information about the type of training the staff receives, the rules the program follow, and how the participants enter the program. The participants are usually referred to the program by school counselors, court orders, probation officers, social workers, and Newport News Public Schools. Participants cannot be referred by parents or family members. The program follows the criteria of the Virginia Rules Handbook. The book includes topics such as drug and alcohol use, property crimes, student responsibilities, driving responsibilities, child labor laws, family relationships, bullying, gangs, etc. The staff receives yearly training that includes adolescent brain development training, mental health training juvenile justice (MHT-JJ), child trauma training, and training in de-escalation techniques.
While I was observing, I noticed one of the staff members brought up a topic for the participants to think about. He brought up the topic of friend groups. The staff member was letting the participants know that the people they hang around affects their life. He was also motivating them to make the right decisions and choose better people to be around.
Conducting my interviews with the stakeholders happened a week after I did my observation. I made sure the interview questions were open-ended, so I could get detailed answers. I interviewed the supervisor, four program participants, and two staff members. The staff members answered 7 questions and the participants answered 8 questions. The participants gave vague answers, but from the answers, I gathered that the program has helped the participants take accountability, improve their behavior, be less confrontational, and be more respectful to their parents and other adults. The participants noticed that the services such as anger management and small groups have helped them learn better-coping skills and handle negative situations better. I asked a question about what the hardest part is about being in this program. One participant said that fitting in is the hardest part. Other participants said the small environment was the hardest part of being in the program. These factors can also make it challenging to improve the participant’s behavior when they don’t feel like they belong or are confined in a small space.
The participants enjoy all the activities that are included in the program. When I asked them about the activities they enjoyed, they all started to smile. The participants mentioned that they enjoy coming to the program every day.
The interview with the two staff members and the supervisor helped me obtain other perspectives about the program. They all stated how they enjoy working with the youth. They mentioned that sometimes they must take disciplinary measures, but for the most part, they see the program working. I asked them how the program could be improved, and they gave different answers. The supervisor said the program could be improved if an educator was hired to help the children with schoolwork in the morning. The first staff member stated that she wished she had more time to do activities with participants. The second staff member stated that he wanted the participants to engage more with the community. All three staff members agree that services, mentorship, and life skills teaching have been effective in improving the participant’s behavior.
Conclusions
I have concluded that the Youth Empowerment Program is an effective program for the youth in the 757 area. The participants enjoy the activities provided by the program and the services that are provided have aided in the improvement of the participants. The staff members are thoroughly trained to handle situations that the participants present. The staff members have degrees in criminology, psychology, counseling, and human services. The staff members find satisfaction in working with the youth and have built relationships with all the participants.
Implications of findings
The findings of the program suggest that the program has positively reached the youth. The participants notice how the program is changing their behavior. Participants realize that without this program they probably would been in more trouble or even back in the juvenile detention center. The findings also imply that the staff members are well-versed and trained to make this program effective. They know how to mentor and encourage the youth to stay on the right path. They are coming up with creative ways to challenge their minds and keep them in an environment that will help them stay out of trouble.
The impact of the findings
The interviews that I conducted with the staff members and supervisor can help the director make some improvements to the program. The interview with the participants can reassure the director and supervisor that the program is effective and that the goals and objectives are being implemented. The participants didn’t state anything negative about the program.
The participants are satisfied with how they are being served. They enjoy attending the program every day. The participants have stated that services such as anger management groups have helped them learn to control their emotions and anger toward others. They have also become more respectful. With my findings, the director, the staff members, and the supervisor should know that the program is helping the participants.
I think my evaluation made a positive impact on the program. The director of Juvenile Services was open about discussing the Youth Empowerment and how successful it has been. The director also shared a success story about one of the participants. The supervisor was excited to show me the room and discuss the different activities and services they provide for the participants. The evaluation was also a positive experience for the staff members and participants.
Recommendations
The first recommendation I suggest for the program is to expand the space. One of the participants said that they wished the environment was larger. The participants are confined to one room. The only time they are allowed to go to another room is when the program does their Strong African American Families meeting. The participants who come in the afternoon want to feel free to move around to other rooms. The next recommendation would be to hire an educator who can help the participants with their schoolwork. The educator would need to be well-rounded and know the 6th-12th grade curriculum.
I would also recommend that the program focus on the participant’s mental health. Severe mental health issues are very prevalent in this generation. So many of our youth have mental health needs. The staff members are trained in juvenile mental health, but I would suggest hiring a counselor to come and talk to the children twice a month about mental health. This may help them want to discuss their mental health positively and be more open to communicating the issues they deal with.
Goals, Objectives, and Conclusions
A broad goal for the program would be to ensure that the participants feel safe in an environment where their needs can be met, and they learn to better themselves. To meet this goal, the supervisor and staff would need to set the tone. They need to make all participants feel welcomed, seen, and heard. To meet the second part of the goal, staff members need to hold the participants accountable continue to mentor them and help get them on the right path.
Supporting Articles
One of my recommendations for the program is the focus more on the participant’s mental health. I recommended this because is it an issue within today’s youth. The first research article that I chose discussed a study conducted on youth ages 12-17. The study focused on the implementation of a mental health program that would reduce juvenile arrests over two years. They found the program to be successful. The researchers found that Fit2Lead implementation showed a significant reduction in youth arrests per 10, 000 youths aged 12 to 17 years per year compared with zip codes without program implementation (D’Agostino et al., 2019). Implementing mental health programs may be beneficial to the Youth Empowerment Program in reducing juvenile arrests in the area.
During my evaluation, I was able to examine the schedule for the month. The participants engage in several activities during the week. Another article that I read, states how the implementation of sport in juvenile justice systems will support positive health outcomes for incarcerated youth (McDonough et al., 2023). I found that the participants enjoy the activities that they do each week. This also contributes to their positive behavioral improvement. The goals that I have for the program are to ensure that the participants feel safe in an environment where their needs can be met, and they learn to better themselves. Through the activities and outings, they are bettering themselves. The participants are learning new things and creating relationships with people while being a help to the community.
References
D’Agostino, E. M., Frazier, S. L., Hansen, E., Patel, H. H., Ahmed, Z., Okeke, D., Nardi, M. I., & Messiah, S. E. (2019). Two-Year Changes in Neighborhood Juvenile Arrests After Implementation of a Park-Based Afterschool Mental Health Promotion Program in Miami–Dade County, Florida, 2015–2017. American Journal of Public Health, 109, S214–S220. https://doi-org.proxy.lib.odu.edu/10.2105/AJPH.2019.305050
McDonough, K., & Knight, E. K. (2023). Inequitable access to sport in juvenile justice across the USA: findings from a national survey. Health Promotion International, 38(2), 1–11. https://doi-org.proxy.lib.odu.edu/10.1093/heapro/daac170