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Sustaining Effective Youth Programs by Building Organizational Capacity

Sustaining Effective Youth Programs by Building Organizational Capacity. Jutta Dotterweich ACT for Youth Center of Excellence NYS Advancing Youth Development Partnership jd81@cornell.edu. ACT for Youth.

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Sustaining Effective Youth Programs by Building Organizational Capacity

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  1. Sustaining Effective Youth Programs by Building Organizational Capacity Jutta Dotterweich ACT for Youth Center of Excellence NYS Advancing Youth Development Partnership jd81@cornell.edu

  2. ACT for Youth …mobilize communities to advance youth development strategies and promote the involvement of youth and families to improve healthy outcomes for young people in New York State.

  3. Jefferson County Monroe County Oswego County Washington and Warren Counties Madison County Dutchess County Orange County Nassau County Queens Staten Island ACT Communities & COE Partners University of Rochester Division of Adolescent Medicine Erie County Seneca County Cornell UniversityFamily Life Development Center New York State Center for School Safety Cornell University Cooperative Extension - New York City

  4. What is Positive Youth Development? A philosophy or approach that guides communities in the way they organize programs, supports and opportunities so that young people can develop to their full potential.

  5. Key Principles of Youth Development • Positive Outcomes • Youth Voice • Strategies Aim To Involve All Youth • Long Term Involvement • Community Involvement • Focus On Collaboration

  6. Adults Organizations Community PYD Focus Improving outcomes for youth by changing

  7. ACT- Moving to Outcomes Increased opportunities  and supports for young people Increased youth engagement and youth voice Community policy changes reflecting positive youth development principles Improved positive outcomes for youth Increased awareness and adoption of positive youth development principles and practices CCC Partnerships Reduced negative outcomes for youth Organizational changes reflecting positive youth development principles

  8. Youth Commission Leadership positions Shared Leadership Voting members on boards Committees (hiring, grant writing) Input and Consultation Youth Forum Advocacy AdvisoryGroup Consultants Focusgroups/Surveys Youthinmedia Projects Peer Education Mentoring YouthTheater Youth astrainers/facilitators Community Service Projects Engaging Youth in Meaningful Roles INCREASED INFLUENCE ON ORGANIZATION MORE OPPORTUNITIES; MORE YOUNG PEOPLE CAN GET INVOLVED

  9. Brief Activity

  10. Hypothesis: Sustainability For positive youth development to occur, organizations must intentionally create an environment that: - supports a positive outcome focus, strengths-based approach - encourages learning about positive youth development - offers opportunities and supports for youth to engage - explores linkages with other community systems

  11. A Few Basics of Organizational Behavior • Different organizational roles (administration to frontline) might have a different focus and interest • Every organization has its own culture – cultural values do not always align with organization’s expressed values and actions • Staff satisfaction is the primary driver for customer satisfaction • Staff satisfaction and performance is greatly impacted by an inclusive organizational culture

  12. Mid-Level Management Workforce Organizational Focus Executive Director

  13. Edgar Schein’s Concept of Culture Artifacts– Visible, tangible expressions (where people park, who gets what offices, doors open or closed, décor, dress code…) Espoused Values —What the organization tells the world (and itself) it believes in and stands for. Values in Use —What the organization follows and enacts in its actual practices and decision-making. Basic Assumptions —The taken-for-granted “way we do things around here” that are not normally brought to consciousness, let alone questioned, and which guide and shape the way the organization organizes itself.

  14. Core Basic Assumption Young people do not have the skills, expertise and experience to make meaningful contributions to the agency Adultism … the behaviors and attitudes which flow from negative stereotypes adults hold about youth.

  15. Implications • Basic assumptions will need to be addressed; if not, they will become obstacles • Different roles within the agency (different focus & interest) might lead to different interpretation of PYD ►staff participation will be important • Youth empowerment requires staff empowerment

  16. Individuals and Group Level Concept of “Unfreezing” Survival Anxiety Learning Anxiety Cognitive Dissonance

  17. Resistance and Compliance Fairness Issues Relationship and Trust Negatives RESIST CHANGE Substantive Issues Errors and Omissions Intercept Faster to TippingPoint Persuasion COMPLY Functional but Sub- Optimal Result Coercion

  18. Pilot: YD Organizational Development • Obtaining administrative buy-in • Participatory process to gain knowledge and involvement of staff (interpretation and diffusion effect) • Credibility of information • Insight into overall, dept/units, and groups of people • Follow with more in-depth analysis and intervention planning

  19. Understanding Youth Development & Youth Engagement Organization self-assessment Interpreting findings/ dialogue Priorities/ Commitment Action planning Changing organizational policies & practices Pilot - Process Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3

  20. Organizational Self-Assessment • Web based survey • 8 constructs (4 youth development, 4 organizational culture) • Demographics identify sub groups: Roles, departments, part vs full time, length of affiliation, gender, race, etc

  21. Integrating PYD in Organizational Components Focus on Positive Youth Outcomes/ Strength-based Approach Learning about PYD Approach Youth Engagement Community Linkages • Systems • Resource • Allocation • Information • Documentation • Planning • Community • Linkages • Physical • Plant • Support • Structures • (for Youth • Engagement) • Resources • Staff • Policy • Training • Recruitment • Plan • Personnel • Recruiting/ • Hiring • Orientation/ • Training • Performance • Review • Recognition • Leadership • Style • Focus • Communication

  22. Activity: Personnel Practices Recruitment and Hiring Orientation of New Staff Supervision/Performance Review Retaining Quality Staff Source: NYS AYD Partnership Curriculum: Strengthening Organizations through Youth Development www.nyayd.org

  23. Youth Development Strengths-based approach Community Connectedness YD philosophy Youth engagement Organizational Culture Openness Inclusion Fairness Leadership YD Organizational Constructs

  24. Sample Statements Construct: Strength-based approach • My organization encourages staff to pursue professional development based on their individual strengths and interests. Construct: Community Connectedness • Our public relations material reflects the cultural diversity of the community we serve.

  25. Construct: Youth Development Philosophy • Training and information on youth development is available to all staff and volunteers. Construct: Youth Engagement • Young people are involved (should be) involved in the hiring process for youth workers

  26. Construct: Openness • A non-threatening environment in which people reveal their “true” selves characterizes this organization. Construct: Inclusion • In my organization staff are empowered to make work-related decisions on their own.

  27. Construct: Fairness • My organization provides safe ways for staff to voice grievances. Construct: Leadership • I can count on my supervisor to support me even when I am in a tough situation at work.

  28. Supplementary Data • Youth survey • Volunteer survey • Board survey • Strategic Plan

  29. Spread of 1.5 Significant Differences by Role

  30. Youth Survey: 121

  31. Sub Group: Residential Care

  32. Findings • Results informed strategic planning process • Participatory process started a more open dialog in the agency (more buy-in) • Program staff learned that although they believed they did, in reality they found that they were not involving youth • Staff (and board members) did not expect the results to be different from what they imagined: but they were • Staff could create a “to do” list to correct areas of weakness (immediate actions)

  33. Next Steps • Additional pilots to validate and formalize assessment tool and process • Develop a shorter organizational development presentation including a checklist, worksheets and discussion guidelines to move motivated, smaller organizations forward • Tool bank for sample policies and practices

  34. Resources NYS Advancing Youth Development Partnership www.nyayd.org ACT for Youth Center of Excellence www.actforyouth.net www.nysyouth.net

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