Promoting Positive Youth Development in Places Where Life Happens: A Process and Outcome Evaluation of a German Community-Based Youth Program

Nelecom (New Learning Cultures in Communities) is a German universal community-based program for the promotion of characteristics associated with positive youth development (PYD; Lerner et al., 2005; e.g., socio-emotional competence, participation, and taking of responsibility). The program intends to stimulate a resource-oriented, supportive learning environment, and to promote the networking of educational institutions (e.g., schools) with economic, political, and cultural organizations within communities. The current study evaluated the effects of nelecom on adolescents’ perceptions of “developmental assets” which are a necessary precursor to PYD (Balsano et al., 2009). Since it is not easy to reach all adolescents with a community project, exposure to nelecom (measured by knowledge of the program) was analyzed as a moderator of program effectiveness.

The study was based on self-report questionnaires and used a quasi-experimental design (intervention/control) with four repeated measurements (pre-, post-test, two follow-ups) over two years. Study participants (German school students; N = 1318) were in grade 5 and grade 8 at pre-test. Levels of developmental assets (Benson et al., 2006) were assessed as proximal indicators of program effectiveness. Data on further variables associated with PYD (e.g., school bonding, life skills) and on problem behaviors (e.g., substance use) were also gathered. Local coordinators involved in the implementation of nelecom were trained by a team of educationalists, developmental psychologists, and neuroscientists. The program content (e.g., structured leisure activities) was negotiated and selected within each intervention community separately according to the needs of the youths. Ideally, selected activities offered adolescents options for participation, were long-term oriented, and included supervision by adult role models (Perkins & Borden, 2003). A process evaluation documented the activities and examined the implementation quality in each intervention community.

A multivariate ANCOVA with repeated measures revealed some beneficial program effects on developmental assets (e.g., on perceptions of the community as a resource). Positive program effects were pronounced for those adolescents who were indeed exposed to nelecom activities. Participating in nelecom also appeared to promote life skills and to reduce problem behaviors. Results of the process evaluation suggested ways on how to further improve the effectiveness of the program.

In the discussion, we will focus on the importance of long-enduring support and broad exposure to new learning experiences as ingredients of effective community-based PYD programs. Moreover, strategies to reach as much adolescents as possible with such programs will be discussed.