Posts

Building Bonds: The Evolution of Project DREAM’s Youth-Adult Afterschool Program

Reference: Hurd, N. M., & Billingsley, J. (2023). Project DREAM: Iterative development of an afterschool program with an emphasis on youth–adult relationships. American Journal of Community Psychology. Summarized by Ellen Parry Luff About the Study: Research has found that while supportive relationships are very important in supporting social and emotional well-being, as well as academic […]

AI is making networking and social skills more critical. Are your students prepared?

By Robert Markle, Reprinted from SmartBrief In an AI-driven future, social skills aren’t just a plus; they’re a prerequisite. Between 1980 and 2012, jobs requiring social skills surged by almost 12%, while their less social counterparts dwindled by 3.3%. By 2030, demand for social skills is projected to skyrocket 26% across all industries. But social […]

Large new study highlights inequality in access to important adults.

Hagler, M. A., & Poon, C. Y. S. (2023). Contextual antecedents and well-being indicators associated with children’s and adolescents’ access to supportive nonparent adults. Journal of Community Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1002/jcop.23016 Summarized by Ariel Ervin Notes of Interest: Evidence indicates that having supportive non-parent adults (SNPAs) correlates with a myriad of positive youth outcomes. Research shows that longer-lasting and […]

Fostering Positive Youth-Adult Relationships: My Experience in an Outdoor Education Environment

By Tiffany Ross, Reprinted from YouthREX YouthREX collaborated with students at Brock University reflecting on their placements involving child and youth work. In this reflection, a student shares her knowledge of how to build stronger relationships with youth in our communities, and discusses the unique challenges and lessons she learned while working with youth. Read […]

Developmental relationships and student academic motivation: Current research and future findings.

Scales, P.C., Pekel, K., & Houltberg, B.J. (2022). Developmental relationships and student academic motivation: Current research and future findings. In A.L. Reschly & S.L. Christenson (Ed.), Handbook of Research on Student Engagement (pp. 257-283). Springer Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-07853-8_13 Summarized by Ariel Ervin Notes of Interest:  Evidence shows that student-teacher relationships in school settings are essential for motivation. […]

Nurturing Inclusive Relationships in Schools and Out‑of‑School Time Programs

Reprinted from Search Institute Humans share a fundamental need to belong and feel included. Yet, too often, young people do not feel seen and welcome in their schools and programs. This is what we call a relationship gap—the distance between what young people need and what they experience. Creating a relational climate that is intentional, inclusive, […]

[Distinguished Lecture Series] Using Visual Methods to Research Adolescents’ Trust Within: Supportive Youth-Adult Relationships

Date: August 12, 2021 12:00PM EDT Trust is key to supportive youth-adult relationships yet also dynamic and abstract. Visual methods can be used during data collection to enhance the nature of interview data, helping participants better recall the past and think through abstract concepts (Copeland & Agosto, 2012), like trust. In this talk, I will […]