Guidance Channel - The Definitive Online Source for Guidance Professionals Grades K-12

Reaching Out To Teens Through Afterschool Programs

By National Institute on Out-of-School Time for Wellesley Centers for Women at Wellesley College

Editor's Note:This article is an excerpt from "It's About Time: A Look At Out Of School Time for Urban Teens" written by Georgia Hall, Laura Israel, and Joyce Shortt from the National Institute on Out-of-School Time at Wellesley Centers for Women at Wellesley College. To read this report in its entirety, click here.

Being in the midst of such dramatic personal and social change, it is not surprising that high school age youth are in great need of support and at the same time challenging to engage and organize. Afterschool providers and youth development professionals have confirmed the difficulty of creating out-of-school time programs that can support positive developmental outcomes and sustain the interest of high school age youth.

There are many youth involved regularly in activities and programs offered through their high schools during the out-of-school time hours or employed for as many as 20 hours a week. However, recent research (Sipe, Ma, and Gambone, 1998) indicates that in a three-city study, only half of the 16- to 17-year-olds and one third of the 18- to 19-year–olds reported being engaged constructively after school. Program participation drops off in middle school, ostensibly because older youth are not interested in formal afterschool programs (Forum for Youth Investment, 2003). But in fact, many youth would actually prefer to participate in structured activities should they be available. Nationally, more than half of teens wish there were more community or neighborhood-based programs available after school, and two thirds of those surveyed said they would participate in such programs if they were available. (Penn, Schoen & Berland Associates, 2001).

There are several contributing factors as to why older youth are underserved in out-of-school time. Funding sources have tended to adhere to a philosophy that investments are most worthwhile when made at the earliest possible intervention level. Therefore funding for out-of-school time programs is skewed much more towards younger school age and middle school youth with the expectation that impacts are more likely and visible. Afterschool has also been framed in the public eye as a support to working parents (Forum for Youth Investment, 2003). The apparent need for parent support diminishes as youth age and are considered capable of caring for themselves. The high school itself has historically been seen as a source of multiple and diverse afterschool opportunities including sports teams, music groups, arts, etc. However, budget shortfalls have decimated high school extracurricular activities or in many cases attached participation fees that eliminate participation for many lower income youth.

Despite the fact that many youth development professionals and afterschool providers have become very savvy when it comes to creating engaging programs, the high school age population is particularly challenging. Several conditions that make the high school afterschool arena different from elementary/middle are:

• It is more difficult to attract high school student to programs
• High school students are less likely to want to stay in the school building
• High school students have busier schedules, i.e. work, family, sibling, or home responsibilities
• High school students are less likely to attend a program several days a week
• High school students often need to work to earn money and contribute to family income
• High school students are more independent and mobile

(Fight Crime, Invest in Kids, 2003)

These conditions create a thorny quagmire for afterschool providers and youth development professionals. In many cases, as Granger explains, "We know better how to describe the trajectory of youth development than how to intentionally help youth succeed." High school age youth are in need of supports, and apparently desire them, but do not come to the table easily. Plausible interventions have to consider the will and capacity (Granger, 2002) of the youth in addition to the resources, staffing, physical environment, and the time available of program providers.

There is solid consensus among researchers, program providers, and families that participation in constructive activities during out-of-school time hours can contribute to a high school age youth's healthy and positive development. Research shows that teenagers consistently experience higher levels of motivation and cognitive engagement in youth activities than in other contexts of their lives (Hansen, Larson, & Dworkin, 2003). Many characteristics of high quality afterschool programs such as youth leadership, communication, and problem-solving activities correlate with the componenents of the 21st Century learning and literacy skills as outlined by the 1991 SCANS (Secretary's Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills) report and the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. Research has demonstrated that afterschool programs can reduce crime and violence and other risky behaviors by providing alternative environments and activities from 3pm to 6pm, the prime time for violent juvenile crime (Fight Crime: Invest In Kids, 2000). The challenge to city leaders and program providers is creating and sustaining programs and collaborations that engage the interest and participation of high school age youth, and at the same time promoting positive developmental outcomes and addressing the educational needs of the 21st century.

Characteristics Of Effective Programs

There is a strong consensus from afterschool leaders regarding components of effective high school age youth programs. Teen programs cannot be the same as middle school programs; there are certain fundamental differences between what both populations need and want. The characteristics and capabilities of the youth-worker are paramount to program success, and programs for high school youth are most successful when youthworkers are creative, well-trained, skilled at building relationships, and can make long-term commitments to programs.

Finding and retaining the right staff is critical to helping youth participants develop and sustain an interest in program participation. Many programs strive to engage young people initially on a social level through interactions with staff. Once engaged, the programs then offer teens high yield learning opportunities such as computer and music technology.

Program recruitment strategies vary. Teens are often reluctant to reply to flyers, make inquiry phone calls, or pursue website investigation. What seems most effective for high school age youth is direct recruitment within school settings through contact with trusted adults.

In general, programs appear to be most successful in reaching high school age youth and sustaining their interest when:

• Older youth feel a sense of independence as part of participation in the program, particularly financial independence through earning wages or a stipend
• Youth voices are listened to and incorporated in decision-making
• Programs offer employable skills, such as office work skills, and include preparation for, or direct connection t,o job training and employment
• Youth have opportunity to interact with community and business leaders
• Schools and principals are active partners
• Participation includes receiving assistance in navigating the post high school experience
• Youth are introduced to the world outside their local neighborhood

In Conclusion...

There is truly hard work ahead to develop and bring together a sufficient quantity of high quality out-of-school time opportunities for teens. Recognizing the alternative, however, should serve as a critical motivator and guidepost to continuously pushing forward towards a coordinated, inclusive, and informed strategy for serving high school age youth.

Millions Of Kids Stay Home Alone, But Are They Ready?

By Robin Wilcox for Safe Kids Worldwide

The Census Bureau estimates that nearly 7 million school-age children routinely stay home alone. Yes, home can be a hazardous place -- every year, nearly 3.4 million kids visit the emergency room with accidental injuries suffered at home; nearly 2 million of these children are ages 4 and under; and more than 2,000 children die.

The leading accidental causes of child fatalities in the home are fire and burns (27 percent), suffocation (22 percent), drowning (15 percent), and choking (7 percent). Another 8 percent involve poison, falls or firearms.

All of these accidental injuries are preventable, but the most important component of injury prevention in the home is active supervision -- the undivided attention of an adult caregiver who keeps the child in sight and in reach. A babysitter or older sibling who is talking on the phone, watching TV, reading or eating cannot be considered active supervision for the purposes of preventing accidental injury. In addition to active supervision, it is critical that the primary caregiver makes sure the home is as “childproof” as possible and the child is thoroughly trained in emergency procedures. This is especially true for children who are home alone.

First, know the law. In many jurisdictions, it is illegal to leave a child under age 12 or 13 home alone; call the non-emergency number of the local police department or child welfare agency to find out any age requirements. Preferably, children should be supervised until they are at least 12 years old and they have learned and practiced good safety rules and demonstrated their ability and judgment to follow them. Every child is different. The parent or primary caregiver knows best when a particular child is mature enough to stay home alone -- and for how long.

The first time a child stays home alone, it should be for a short time and a parent or caregiver should be nearby. The child should always know where the parents are and what time they will be home. The parents should also be reachable by cell phone.

Safe Kids Worldwide also recommends that parents:

• Post emergency numbers (police, fire,

  EMS

  , doctor and the poison control hotline, 800.222.1222) and a friend’s or neighbor’s number by every phone in the home. If your phone has a speed-dial feature, program these numbers. Have the child practice calling 911 (without actually dialing the number) and calmly stating the address and the situation -- for example, “This is
  1301 Pennsylvania Avenue
  and the smoke alarm is going off” or “I’m at 401 E Street by myself. I fell down the stairs and I can’t move my leg.”
• Make sure potentially poisonous or hazardous household items are locked up out of reach -- especially medications, matches, lighters, firearms and cleaning products. Teach children to read warning labels on household products and to follow first aid instructions for accidental exposure.
• Review the family’s emergency escape plan and make sure the children know what to do if the smoke alarm or carbon monoxide detector goes off. Practice two escape routes from each room -- crawling to stay below the smoke and feeling doors for heat before opening them. Emphasize that everyone should get out of the house immediately, call the fire department from a cell phone or cordless phone outside, and stay outside until the fire department says it’s safe to go back in.
• Show the child where to find the household first aid kit and how to use basic first aid supplies. Ideally, the child should take a first aid and safety course for babysitters before staying home alone.
• Prepare a snack or meal in advance -- preferably one that does not need to be heated. Children should be taught to never leave an oven or stove unattended while cooking and to turn it off when they are finished. Cooking is the leading cause of residential fires and related injuries! Even a microwave can heat food or liquids enough to cause scald burns from steam or spills.

Many of these general preparedness skills can be taught or reinforced in school, and relevant curriculum materials are available from Safe Kids Worldwide and related nonprofits, such as the National Fire Protection Association, the American Association of Poison Control Centers and the American Safety and Health Institute. Local fire departments, hospitals and chapters of the American Red Cross and American Heart Association might also provide helpful resources and expertise.

Schools can also help keep children’s “latchkey” hours to a minimum by providing afterschool activities and extending the hours of adult supervision. Certain amenities at home, such as a pool or backyard play equipment, need to be off limits in the absence of active supervision, while schools are well situated to provide supervised recreation on site.

As with any other benchmark of cognitive and affective learning, a child’s readiness to stay home alone emerges gradually, not as a threshold event. Advise parents to start with short errands close to home and to debrief with the child in order to assess coping skills. As extensions of greater independence are validated with good behavior, the child can progress to longer periods of self-reliance and eventually, if necessary, stay home on a regular basis.

Even then, have several backup plans ready. Adolescents who can look after themselves under normal circumstances might need a caregiver present when they’re sick, when severe weather is predicted, when the daily routine is disrupted and the parent or primary caregiver is out longer than usual, or when they wish to have guests.

Simply put, no bright line or magic number can substitute for parental judgment and observation of the individual child’s actual abilities. A statutory minimum age for “latchkey” kids should be understood as a minimum based on averages, not as a signal that any given child is suddenly ready for this level of responsibility. Parents, in this matter, should trust their knowledge of their child and their own common sense.