An evaluation of the training program Advancing Youth Development: A Curriculum for Youth Workers

Much research has been done describing the social problems which have arisen as the result of youth having a great deal of unstructured discretionary time. Further research has demonstrated that participation in structured youth activities and programs is very valuable in the amelioration of those social problems. Still further research has indicated that effective staff/volunteer training increases the likelihood that those youth programs will have the desired impact on the youth for whom they are designed. This study evaluates the effectiveness of one such training program for youth workers. The study found that youth workers who were trained using Advancing Youth Development - A Curriculum for Youth Workers experienced an increase in their content scores (which measured knowledge, beliefs and attitudes about youth work). The study also categorized the participants into two levels of motivation (low and high) and examined whether or not the level of motivation had an impact on the amount of growth in the content area. This was found not to be the case.