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Fostering Youth Engagement: a Model of Youth Voice

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Fostering Youth Engagement: a Model of Youth Voice View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by Texas A&M University FOSTERING YOUTH ENGAGEMENT: A MODEL OF YOUTH VOICE, EMPOWERMENT, AND PARTICIPATION A Thesis by KAREN KIMBERLY MAYNARD Submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies of Texas A&M University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE May 2008 Major Subject: Recreation, Park, and Tourism Sciences FOSTERING YOUTH ENGAGEMENT: A MODEL OF YOUTH VOICE, EMPOWERMENT, AND PARTICIPATION A Thesis by KAREN KIMBERLY MAYNARD Submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies of Texas A&M University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE Approved by: Chair of Committee, Peter A. Witt Committee Members, Corliss Outley Manda Rosser Head of Department, David Scott May 2008 Major Subject: Recreation, Park, and Tourism Sciences iii ABSTRACT Fostering Youth Engagement: A Model of Youth Voice, Empowerment, and Participation. (May 2008) Karen Kimberly Maynard, B.S., University of South Alabama Chair of Advisory Committee: Dr. Peter A. Witt Youth-adult partnerships are collaborations between adults and youth in the decision-making and planning processes. When adults enable youth to be a part of the decision-making and planning processes, youth voice, empowerment, and participation become important tools for facilitating engagement. Better understanding these processes can be beneficial for practitioners and programmers. Incorporating these tools increases support and opportunity for youth developmental benefits and increases program retention rates. This thesis focuses on better understanding the relationship between youth voice, empowerment, and participation and critical factors in developing youth engagement and utilizing the power of adult-youth partnerships in youth development. A preliminary model of Systematic Degree of Engagement specifying the relationship between youth voice, empowerment, and participation has been developed and discussed. One of the key issues in developing the model has been that existing literature has rarely made distinctions between voice, empowerment, and participation. The terms have been used interchangeably and, when distinctions have been made, overlaps between the iv terms have not been fully explored. Therefore, this thesis built on existing literature by defining distinctions among these constructs. After distinctions between concepts were made a model was derived: Systematic Degree of Engagement. From this research, program designers are able to develop programs and assess existing programs that foster youth engagement. Researchers benefit from this thesis in understanding the distinctions in voice, empowerment, participation, and engagement. The findings of this thesis are the distinctions in terminology of voice, empowerment, participation, and engagement; as well as, a model illustrating these terms independence and inter-relatedness. v DEDICATION To God: my Father, Redeemer, Savior, Sustainer, and Provider. The One who created me and sustained me for such a time as this and has provided me with the opportunity of coming to Texas A&M, to earn my master degree and meet my future husband. Thank you for your continuous guidance and protection over my life. In gratitude, this thesis is dedicated to You, the One who receives all glory and honor for my work. Love your beloved daughter, Karen Maynard Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not unto thy own understandings, in all thy ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct thy path. Proverbs 3:5-6 vi ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS My deepest appreciation extends to my graduate advisor and mentor, Dr. Peter A. Witt, who has given me the opportunity to pursue a master’s degree and instilled in me the confidence needed to finish. Dr. Witt’s teachings and encouragement have provided me with the tools essential in entering the youth development field. I would also like to thank my committee members, Drs. Corliss W. Outley and Manda Rosser, for their guidance and support throughout the course of this research. Thanks also go to my friends, colleagues, and the department faculty for making my time at Texas A&M University a great experience. Special thanks go to my panel of youth development experts that were consulted for direction on numerous occasions: Rachel Aaron, Sam Roberson, Ann Gillard, Harrison Pinckney, Matt Duerden, Jamie Baldwin, Chris Harrist and Dr. Clifton Watts. I would also like to include Katy Lane, for all her support and hospitality she gave me throughout my time at Texas A&M. I also want to extend my gratitude to Becky and the United Way Youth Cabinet who were willing to participate in the study and allowed me to be a part of their lives over the past year. In addition, there is another group of people that I would like to include: these are the many men and women who helped raise me: the youth workers who have been a part of my life, whether they were the daycare worker, the after school worker, the Sunday school teacher, the summer day camp worker, or the advisors I met in college and graduate school. Although many names have been forgotten what they taught me has not. All have played a significant role in my life and my development. They have been an instrument in vii allowing me to make it this far in my life, in contrast to the many other individuals who may have experienced my same background. Thanks to these individuals, I have become passionate about youth development. Looking back at my childhood, many of the children and youth programs that I was involved in did not focus on voice, empowerment and participation but rather just having fun and learning. I can see from this personal evaluation how in my early development I missed out on many of the benefits of programs that incorporate these factors. This thesis is reminder to practitioners of the difference they make in the lives of youth. This difference can be even more positive when they promote youth engagement through incorporating the factors discussed in this thesis--voice, empowerment, and participation-- into a program. I want to thank youth workers for their passion, commitment to youth development, and patience with all. This thesis to me is my gift back to youth workers who desire to make a difference in the lives of youth. The principles discussed in this thesis will forever be a part of the way I work with youth. Finally, thanks to my sister, Katy S. Maynard; mother, Penelope A. Maynard; and father, George E. Maynard for their encouragement through it all. I did it! And to my future husband, my fiancé, Kyle B. Melton for the tremendous amount of support, patience, and love provided daily. viii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY .................................................. 1 Background to the Study ................................................................ 1 Positive Youth Development ......................................................... 2 Problem Formulation: The “Black Box” of Youth Programs ........ 8 Purpose of the Study ...................................................................... 9 Methods of Research ...................................................................... 10 Clarification of Terms .................................................................... 12 Chapter Division ............................................................................ 14 Summary of Chapter ...................................................................... 14 II UNDERSTANDING YOUTH ENGAGEMENT ................................ 16 Introduction to Youth Engagement ................................................ 16 Four Central Tenets of Youth-Adult Partnerships ......................... 22 Youth Voice ................................................................................... 23 Youth Empowerment ..................................................................... 27 Youth Participation ........................................................................ 30 Summary of Chapter ...................................................................... 35 III COMBINATIONS OF FACTORS LEADING TO ENGAGEMENT ......................................................................... 37 Introduction ................................................................................... 37 Initial Understandings ................................................................... 39 Description: Degrees of Engagement ............................................ 39 Conclusion ..................................................................................... 53 IV CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ............................... 55 Summary ........................................................................................ 55 Development of a Model ................................................................ 56 Implications for Practitioners ......................................................... 60 Implications for Researchers .......................................................... 63 Future Research .............................................................................. 64 REFERENCES .......................................................................................................... 66 VITA ......................................................................................................................... 75 ix LIST OF FIGURES Page Figure 1 Youth-Adult Partnerships: Continuum of Adult Control .................. 7 Figure 2 Ladder of Participation………………………………………………
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