“It brought it to life from the textbook”: Volunteering with Youth-at-risk to Enhance Career Readiness

Format

Individual Presentation

First Presenter's Institution

Texas Tech University

First Presenter’s Email Address

ahartwig@ttu.edu

First Presenter's Brief Biography

Alexandra Hartwig is a second-year PhD student in the Human Development and Family Sciences program at Texas Tech University. Alexandra completed her Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Master of Science in Sport and Exercise Psychology from Northwest Missouri State University. Prior to pursuing her PhD, Alexandra worked as a Research Associate at Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri, where she researched adolescent health, depression, and suicide. During her graduate studies, Alexandra continues to research adolescent health, focusing on utilizing community-based research to uncover and address adolescent health disparities.

Second Presenter's Institution

Texas Tech University

Second Presenter’s Email Address

amy.l.onofre@ttu.edu

Second Presenter's Brief Biography

Amy Onofre PhD, LPC, completed her undergraduate coursework at Texas Tech University in Psychology. She received a master's degree in Counselor Education and her doctorate in Counselor Education and Supervision. Her background includes work within the juvenile justice system and local school districts. Amy co-developed the Community Advocacy Project for Students (CAPS) and now serves as Director. This position allows her the opportunity to use her experience and education to pursue her passion of working with youth to develop the necessary skills for their wellness and success.

Third Presenter's Institution

Texas Tech University

Third Presenter’s Email Address

lygiang@ttu.edu

Third Presenter's Brief Biography

Lynn My Giang is a mental health professional pursuing a PhD in Counselor Education at Texas Tech University. With a master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, she works as a research assistant with Dr. Bradley Loretta. Her research focuses on mental health stigma, cultural diversity, depression, and interpersonal dynamics, as well as social justice and advocacy initiatives aimed at promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in the mental health field. She is currently the President for the Texas Association for Adult Development and Aging, Lynn is a valuable contributor to the mental health community, demonstrating her commitment to making a positive impact.

Fourth Presenter's Institution

Texas Tech University

Fourth Presenter’s Email Address

pauvelez@ttu.edu

Fourth Presenter's Brief Biography

Dr. Velez is an Assistant Professor in the College of Human Sciences at Texas Tech University. She serves as Adjunct Faculty for the Center for Adolescent Resiliency. Her research focuses on understanding the factors associated with healthy developmental trajectories in youth from different socio-cultural backgrounds. In addition, she is interested in translating this research into designing and evaluating programs and services that can help young people navigate adolescence in healthy ways.

Submitter

I am submitting this proposal as one of the presenter(s)

Strand #1

Home: Family & Community Engagement

Strand #2

Heart: Social & Emotional Skills

Relevance

Home: Developing and enhancing family and community support for all children and youth.

As suggested by Gibson and Barr (2015), “relationships and connections with others are what keep students in school when they are struggling in or out of school” (p. 24). The Community Advocacy Program for Students (CAPS) supports the development and enhancement of community connection for youth facing systemic disadvantages. This is accomplished through pairing students with trained adult figures from the community, which assists in building the relationships and connectedness imperative for student success. The student-advocate partnership enables the student to engage in a trusted adult relationship while gleaning skills they may utilize to support their current and future well-being. However, the students being served are not the only students in the relationship.

Advocates consist of a high number of college students. All student advocates are required to participate in trainings conducted by program staff. These trainings provide the opportunity to educate all advocates regarding their own positionalities and the contextual factors youth face which may differ from their own lived experiences. Many of these college students serving as advocates disclose that their experience as an advocate is their first exposure to working with youth-at-risk. Thus, the opportunity for increased self-awareness and a broader cultural awareness facilitates the space for individual growth and larger systemic impact. Our program seeks to encourage current and future generations of working professionals to invest back into the youth of their communities and utilize their knowledge in order to better serve and prioritize this disadvantaged population.

This collaborative approach also fosters a safe, encouraging setting for future practitioners to explore serving youth-at-risk. By investing in young adults (i.e., college students) as they prepare to enter the workforce, we are able to plant new knowledge and understanding of those who are underserved, allowing them to explore their own biases and address them before they are in a position of practice.

Heart: Social & Emotional Skills

Our program works with middle and high school students and their schools by utilizing community advocates from diverse backgrounds and experiences who also have the desire to support youth in making positive changes in their lives. Through their advocate roles, trained community volunteers guide students, individually and in group settings, through critical life skills lessons to assist them in more effectively navigating their school, home, and social environments. In turn, these life skills lessons foster improved decision-making, school engagement, and overall well-being. However, when college students serve as advocates, they are also gaining skills and education through the process.

The program’s primary focus is supporting middle and high school students experiencing mandatory alternative education placements. Students often struggle in transitioning from an alternative education setting back to their mainstream campus. By supporting these youth through challenges and transition, future practitioners are exposed to the challenges youth-at-risk and their families face daily. Challenges to a successful transition include falling behind academically, returning to negative influences from peer groups, and the inability to adjust to a less structured environment. These challenges often set the student on a course toward a revolving door between the alternative educational setting and their assigned campus. Both the student and school benefit from a smooth transition back into the traditional classroom setting.

Utilizing an original comprehensive wellness curriculum in weekly one-on-one meetings, the advocate scaffolds and enhances students’ social and emotional skills through experiential activities that explore student needs and goals. Topics include the impact of students’ interpersonal relationships on their well-being, the emotions which lie beneath behavioral struggles, and any additional barriers to success that are present within and/or outside of the school setting. Advocates guide their students through these lessons in engaging, interactive ways. These activities not only incorporate important life skills, but also have an element of fun which builds rapport and supports the absorption and application of the lesson takeaways.

As the advocate consistently shows up for the student, connection strengthens, trust builds, and a relationship forms. As a student begins to trust the advocate, they are more likely to engage with lesson content and internalize the intended messages, which can act as a critical agent for change and holistic student success. In our experience, the advocate experiences their own transformations through the bond of the student-advocate relationship. Advocates are exposed to different perspectives and grow in multicultural diversity and sensitivity as they truly get to know and better understand the trials the student faces and the resilience the student exhibits. The advocate relationship empowers students through their own internal growth and external support to uncover the power that exists within their voices when able to advocate for themselves.

Additionally, advocates have the opportunity to co-facilitate group sessions designed to address student needs. Group sessions are offered to provide students with a safe space to feel heard and to develop a sense of comradery and connectedness with fellow students facing shared struggles. The community volunteers and school personnel who collaborate to facilitate these groups also find support through their experience. Group topics include grief, emotional regulation, self-confidence, etc. Group sessions provide students with the comfort of knowing they are not on their own in their struggles and do not have to face them alone.

Brief Program Description

There is extensive research supporting the positive impact a caring adult relationship can have on youth. The impact is also reciprocal; one where the adult is impacted through the experience as well. This presentation will focus on how volunteering with a youth-at-risk advocacy program can supplement college students and early career practitioners’ educational experience, thus contributing to a more knowledgeable and engaged community.

Summary

This presentation will cover three themes that focus on how volunteering and being supported in a youth-at-risk advocacy program can supplement college students and early career practitioners’ educational experience, thus making them more engaged citizens. The presentation draws from learnings from in-depth interviews with college student community advocates.

Theme 1: This session will present how volunteering with youth-at-risk through an advocacy program is a mutually beneficial relationship in which each party benefits. While the primary focus of benefits is geared toward enhancing the lives of youth-at-risk, volunteers gain meaningful experience. Volunteers engage in being a supportive advocate, guiding students through life-skill development activities while helping overcome existing barriers to success. In doing so, volunteers gain and practice soft-skill development, such as empathy, perspective-taking, communication, and time management, thus preparing them to be a more engaged citizen.

Theme 2: Session activities will overview applicable strategies to provide a positive and supportive volunteer experience, specifically strategies for effective supervision and guided application. Supervisors influence the learning and engagement of their advocates. Through open communication, consistent availability, and constructive feedback and guidance, supervisors impact the ultimate outcome of both the volunteer’s and the youth-at-risk's experience throughout their involvement of the program.

Theme 3: This presentation will offer insight on how positive experiences through volunteering with youth-at-risk can instill a drive to become a more engaged citizen, thus greatly impacting the community. Early exposure to youth-at-risk brings attention to the need for more work within the community and the importance of understanding the population. Program volunteers become more willing to contribute elsewhere, in addition to gaining confidence in working with youth-at-risk in their future professional positions. Volunteers also acknowledged the influence their experience had on their professional goals. These experiences translate into community awareness, engagement, and ownership not only through our volunteers, but through our community stakeholders as well.

Through experiential activities and presentation of supporting evidence, conference participants will engage in rich discussion on the impact volunteering with youth-at-risk has on the overall community.

Evidence

College is not only a time for students to explore different career interests, but it is also a period in which students are able to gain hands-on experience and early career exposure that enables them to build the necessary skills and relationships needed to successfully enter the workforce. While most practitioners are able to gain practical experience through internships, practicum, and positive relationships with supervisors, many students and early career practitioners lack additional opportunities to develop and refine the soft-skills needed, such as positive communication, conflict resolution, and empathy, to be successful in their future careers (Hora et al., 2020).

Semi-structured interviews, lasting 45-60 minutes each, were conducted to capture the personal and academic impact of college students serving as advocates. A total of ten participants completed the interviews. Participants represented both undergraduate and graduate level students from varying degree programs (i.e., pre-med, nursing, counselor education, human development and family sciences). These interviews, along with existing literature (Anderson & DuBois, 2023;Campbell et al., 2012; Celio et al., 2011; Rahill et al., 2017) demonstrate how volunteering with youth-at-risk provides future practitioners opportunities to actively engage and develop soft-skills needed when entering the workforce. Evidence demonstrates how the relationships and experiences the advocates gain throughout the program can aid in not only positive career growth and development, but positive community outlook and support as well.

Within our advocacy program, college students volunteer to serve as an advocate to youth-at-risk at the middle and high school level. Thomas et al. (2017) define advocacy as, “speaking up for children and young people and ensuring their views and wishes are heard and acted upon by decision makers” (p. 365). For our advocates, this means working one-on-one with students by way of lessons and group work, engaging with various educators within the school district, and receiving additional support, training, and feedback through supervision. While the benefits of advocacy and volunteerism are often represented by the outcomes of the recipients, in this case youth-at-risk, the bidirectional and mutually beneficial relationship between that of the volunteers and youth are often overlooked (Lee & Won, 2011).

Volunteering within the advocacy program provides college students with a direct avenue to actively practice, implement, and further develop soft-skills, such as empathy, communication, rapport building, and adaptability (Khasanzyanova, 2017). While most college students indicate having learned these skills throughout their coursework, they have yet to have an opportunity in which they are able to apply these skills to a real-world scenario. One advocate stated, “I think CAPS was a good way to see that example in real life or solidify that learning. It brought it to life from the textbook, so to say.”

Furthermore, the advocacy program gives students full autonomy of their schedule, thus requiring students to effectively communicate with youth, supervisors, and educators, prioritize time for training and preparation, all while trying to carve out time to meet with students each week in order to have success as an advocate. One advocate stated:

I would just say it's taught me a lot about communication and taught me how to communicate effectively with individuals within the community, and within the program. And just, what is... I guess, just the appropriate language to use. And I think it's also just established listening skills and being able to prioritize time and help me with time management especially. Because we are scheduling these meetings with the students, and it's like on top of school, you're having to meet the students and then we do give reports and so... Then you add school on top of that and so time management and just learning how to prioritize that time with your students.

While the advocates can develop soft-skills through hands-on-experience, having a supportive supervisor allows them to have a direct line for additional assistance and guidance when challenges arise. A supportive supervisor can act as a catalyst for future and early career practitioners (Schmutz, 2021). This means providing students with the support necessary to build confidence in their skills, all while guiding students to self-reflect and engage in positive communication and decision making (Schmutz, 2021). Supervisors within our advocacy program are paired with students and act as a lifeline for additional resources and support. When advocates were asked how their supervisor influenced their time as an advocate, one student stated:

The one thing that's coming to mind is my supervisor being readily available to be contacted and to be reached. I don't know, that surprised me or caught me off guard, but it was a highlight for me and being able to communicate. I would call and she wouldn't always answer, and she has a practice, I understand that she's busy, but she would always call me back and in pretty good time too. So that was very important for me. That was very useful.

Additionally, when advocates were asked the importance of supervision, they stated:

It is very important to me to have support. I'm new to the game. Knowing that I have resources to guide me as I'm going through or as I'm progressing is very important to me. I would hate to do something wrong or make a decision without appropriate, supervision or input. I think that's one of my biggest fears is doing the wrong thing. So, it was very reassuring. It was very heartwarming that I had the help whenever I needed it.

Literature shows that individuals who volunteer within their community have a stronger sense of civic engagement and action, as well as a heightened commitment to remain engaged within their community (Weiler et al., 2013). Studies also indicate that volunteering can lead to individuals having higher self-esteem and confidence compared to those who do not actively engage in volunteer work (Weiler et al., 2013). By bringing awareness to work needed within a community, volunteers are more likely to want to continue to help that community. One advocate stated, “I feel like I'll continue to advocate for them outside of the CAPS program in a sense of, we need to be more aware of this population.”

By having college students volunteer with youth-at-risk in a supportive and mutually beneficial environment, advocates are able to better understand what youth in their communities are going through, thus allowing them to further advocate for them in the future. When programs provide supportive atmospheres for early career professionals to grow, they often excel and exceed all expectations. By continuously investing in the advocates, volunteers are able to give back to the community. One advocate stated:

I think just learning more about how to get involved in the community and the importance behind that. And we often times take for granted the wellbeing of a community and to be re-placed into a community outside our own. We realize not every community is the same and not all populations are the same. And so, then it's just helped open my eyes to that, and develop skills that will contribute to making the community a safe and engaging environment.

New practitioners are entering the workforce every year. Many of whom will be working with youth-at-risk and their families in various settings within their community. Youth-at-risk deserve people ready and equipped to better understand their needs in order to provide best practice. By fostering a supportive environment for pre-professionals to volunteer to serve and learn from youth-at-risk, we are enhancing our community’s competency, investment, and involvement to make a lasting impact.

References:

Anderson, A. J., & DuBois, D. L. (2023). Are adults influenced by the experience of mentoring youth? A scoping review. Journal of Community Psychology, 51(3), 1032–1059. https://doi.org/10.1002/jcop.22954

Campbell, C., Smith, M., Dugan, J., & Komives, S. (2012). Mentors and college student leadership outcomes: The importance of position and process. The Review of Higher Education, 35(4), 595–625. doi:10.1353/rhe.2012.0037

Celio, C. I., Durlak, J., & Dymnicki, A. (2011). A meta-analysis of the impact of service learning on students. Journal of Experiential Education, 34(2), 164–181. doi:10.1177/ 105382591103400205

Hora, M., Chen, Z., Parrott, E., & Her, P. (2020). Problematizing college internships: Exploring issues with access, program design and developmental outcomes. International Journal of Work-Integrated Learning, 21(3), 235–252.

Khasanzyanova, A. (2017). How volunteering helps students to develop soft skills. International Review of Education, 63(3), 363–379. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11159-017-9645-2

Lee, Y., & Won, D. (2011). Attributes influencing college students’ participation in volunteering: A conjoint analysis. International Review on Public and Nonprofit Marketing, 8(2), 149–162. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12208-011-0074-9

Rahill, S. A., Norman, K., & Tomaschek, A. (2017). Mutual benefits of university athletes mentoring elementary etudents: Evaluating a university-school district partnership. The School Community Journal, 27(1), 283.

Schmutz, BSc, M Phil, Anna, Meyer, BSc, M Phil, Ilse, & Archer, E. (2021). Supervision interactions and student learning: how supervision can influence learning. Physiotherapy Theory and Practice, 37(2), 315–322. https://doi.org/10.1080/09593985.2019.1628139

Thomas, N., Crowley, A., Moxon, D., Ridley, J., Street, C., & Joshi, P. (2017). Independent advocacy for children and young people: Developing an outcomes framework. Children & Society, 31(5), 365–377. https://doi.org/10.1111/chso.12207

Weiler, L., Haddock, S., Zimmerman, T. S., Krafchick, J., Henry, K., & Rudisill, S. (2013). Benefits derived by college students from mentoring at-risk youth in a service-learning course. American Journal of Community Psychology, 52(3–4), 236–248. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10464-013-9589-z

Learning Objective 1

Participants will be able to identify volunteering with youth-at-risk as an opportunity for soft-skill development among young/future practitioners.

Learning Objective 2

Participants will be able to recognize techniques and characteristics of a supportive supervisor to foster a supportive supervision relationship.

Learning Objective 3

Participants will be able to conceptualize collaborative measures that enhance community ownership through early practitioner competency development.

Keyword Descriptors

Youth-at-risk, advocacy, community engagement, practitioner development, soft-skills

Presentation Year

2025

Start Date

3-3-2025 2:45 PM

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Mar 3rd, 2:45 PM

“It brought it to life from the textbook”: Volunteering with Youth-at-risk to Enhance Career Readiness

There is extensive research supporting the positive impact a caring adult relationship can have on youth. The impact is also reciprocal; one where the adult is impacted through the experience as well. This presentation will focus on how volunteering with a youth-at-risk advocacy program can supplement college students and early career practitioners’ educational experience, thus contributing to a more knowledgeable and engaged community.