An evaluation of Oregon Youth Conservation Corps 1996 summer programs

• Main Author: Miller, Marc S.
• Other Authors: Pratt, Clara C.
• Language: en_US
• Published: 2012
• Subjects: Oregon Youth Conservation Corps > Evaluation; Youth > Employment > Oregon > Evaluation; Conservation of natural resources > Oregon > Evaluation
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/1957/33847

The Oregon Youth Conservation Corps (OYCC) is a youth work program created by the Oregon Legislature in 1987. The OYCC provides both summer and year-round employment programs primarily for disadvantaged and at-risk youth. The legislatively defined purpose of the OYCC is to protect, conserve, and improve the natural, historical, and cultural resources of the state, and to increase the education, training, and employment opportunities for participating youth. In addition, youth are given the opportunity to improve work skills and work-related social skills, develop the work ethic, and increase employability. The OYCC's impact on Oregon's resources, such as the improvements made to parks and the enhancement of public recreation areas, has been well documented. What has not been methodically studied are the outcomes of OYCC participation on youths' work skills, social skills, employability, and educational goals. This study examined participant outcomes for 400 of the over 600 youth enrolled in OYCC 1996 summer programs. Summer programs operate in nearly all of Oregon's 36 counties, and programs vary in length from 5 weeks to 10 weeks duration. Crew sizes vary from 4 to 10 participants, and are led by an adult crew leader. Pretest surveys were completed by participants and crew leaders at the beginning of each program. Participants and crew leaders completed posttest surveys again at the end of each program. Retrospective (post-then pre) pretests were also used. Measures were adopted from a Colorado State University evaluation of Youth Conservation Corps (Johnson, Driver, Ross, & Shikiar, 1982) These measures assessed changes in work skills, work-related social skills, educational goals, and potential for future employability. Data were analyzed to determine if outcomes of OYCC participation varied by program length, residential status, or participants' risk status. Investigator-designed measures were used to obtain demographic data. Both the traditional pretest-post test and the retrospective pretest methodologies revealed significant increases in participants' work competence and skills, work attitudes and behaviors, and comfort with diversity among co-workers. Increases were most significant among higher risk youth. Residential programs were particularly effective. Suggestions for future evaluation development and implementation are made. === Graduation date: 1998