After-School Centers and Youth Development: Case Studies of Success and Failure

Contents......Page 6
Figure and Tables......Page 8
Preface......Page 10
INTRODUCTION......Page 12
1 The Quality of After-School Centers......Page 14
A Theoretical Framework......Page 20
Youth Outcomes......Page 22
The Three Circles......Page 24
Youth-Staff Relationships......Page 25
An Integrative Perspective......Page 26
Center Organizational Characteristics......Page 28
Understanding Quality......Page 29
Getting to Know the Youth and After-School Centers......Page 30
Boys & Girls Clubs and Other After-School Organizations......Page 37
Outline of the Book......Page 41
MIDWEST CENTER......Page 42
2 Pockets of Eexcellence......Page 44
Goals......Page 45
Program Development and Implementation......Page 47
Human Resource Development......Page 48
Program Development and Implementation......Page 49
Game Room......Page 50
Youth-Staff Relationships......Page 51
Chess Club......Page 55
Keystone and Torch Clubs......Page 57
Formal Educational Programs......Page 59
Programs That Were Not Supported by Midwest Leadership......Page 60
Programs Run by Volunteers or Other Organizations......Page 62
Staff Hiring......Page 63
Training and Supervision......Page 64
Learning Organization......Page 67
Conclusion......Page 70
In the Beginning......Page 74
Closest Staff Relationship......Page 77
Activities and Program Participation......Page 85
Developmental Gains Over the Year......Page 88
Pocahontas in the Midwest After-School Center: Strengths, Shortcomings, and Synergies......Page 91
Strengths......Page 92
Shortcomings......Page 95
Synergies......Page 96
Conclusion......Page 100
An Introduction to Bill......Page 103
Check-Mate: Bill Becomes King of the Club......Page 107
Keeping Bill in School......Page 113
Keeping Bill from Gangbanging......Page 115
Developmental Gains Over the Year......Page 118
Strengths......Page 120
Shortcomings......Page 123
Positive, Realized Synergies......Page 124
Unrealized Potential Synergies......Page 126
Negative Synergies......Page 128
Bill’s Story: A Conclusion......Page 129
5 Putting It All Together: Midwest Center......Page 132
Youth Agency......Page 135
A Familial Environment and Identity Development......Page 136
NORTH RIVER CENTER......Page 138
6 A Study of Oorganizational Dysfunction......Page 140
Goals......Page 141
Program Development and Implementation......Page 142
Gym......Page 144
Game Room......Page 145
Keystone and Torch Club......Page 146
Formal Educational Programs......Page 148
Cheerleading and Basketball......Page 150
Junior Staff......Page 152
Programs Run by Volunteers......Page 153
Staff-Youth Relationships......Page 154
Training and Supervision......Page 159
Learning Organization......Page 161
Conclusion......Page 163
7 Undercutting Tweetie: The Trials and Tribulations of a Youth Leader......Page 166
In the Beginning......Page 167
Closest Staff Relationship......Page 169
Activities and Program Participation......Page 174
Developmental Gains Over the Year......Page 180
Strengths......Page 181
Shortcomings......Page 184
Positive Synergies......Page 187
Negative Synergies......Page 189
Conclusion......Page 191
8 Beyonce: A Good Friend Is Hard to Find (and Keep)......Page 194
In the Beginning......Page 195
Peer Relationships......Page 198
Relationships with Staff......Page 200
Developmental Gains over the Year......Page 208
Beyonce in the North River After-School Center: Strengths, Shortcomings, and Synergies......Page 210
Strengths......Page 211
Shortcomings......Page 212
Synergies......Page 214
Conclusions......Page 215
9 Putting It All Together: North River and Midwest Centers......Page 219
WEST RIVER CENTER......Page 226
11 Midnight: A Teen Father Stays the Course......Page 245
In the Beginning......Page 246
Relationships with Staff......Page 248
Programs and Activities......Page 255
Developmental Gains Over the Year......Page 259
Strengths......Page 261
Shortcomings......Page 263
Synergies......Page 265
Conclusions......Page 267
In the Beginning......Page 270
Tommiana’s Year at the After-School Center......Page 274
Closest Staff Relationship......Page 276
Dance......Page 278
Smart Girls......Page 281
Developmental Gains Over the Year......Page 282
Strengths......Page 283
Shortcomings......Page 286
Synergies......Page 287
Conclusion......Page 289
13 Putting It All Together: What Have We Learned?......Page 293
Putting Youth Development First......Page 294
Positive Niches for Youth......Page 296
The Whole Is Greater Than the Sum of the Parts......Page 298
Finding and Developing Strong Staff......Page 300
Learning and Growing as an Organization......Page 303
10 The Jewel in the Crown......Page 228
Game Room and Gym......Page 229
Dance......Page 231
Smart Girls......Page 233
Torch Club and Keystone......Page 234
Dental Health......Page 237
Youth-Staff Relationships......Page 238
Staff Hiring......Page 239
Training and Supervision......Page 240
Learning Organization......Page 241
Conclusion......Page 243
CONCLUSIONS......Page 306
14 Recommendations for Iimproving Practice......Page 308
Have a Strong, Explicit Focus on Promoting Positive Youth Development......Page 309
Conduct Regular Reviews of Youth Progress, Including Intensive Case Conferences......Page 311
Encourage Collective Mentoring......Page 312
Use Training Sessions as a Means of Promoting Reflective Dialogue Among Staff......Page 313
Have Staff Observe Other Good After-School Programs to Learn More about Best Practices......Page 314
Schedule Regular External Reviews and Site Visits......Page 315
Require Leadership to Engage in Regular Supervision and Coaching......Page 316
Conclusion......Page 317
Data Sources......Page 318
References......Page 342
Index......Page 362