INVESTIGATING THE ROLE OF PROCESS CONSULTANTS IN FACILITATING
COMMUNITY-BASED YOUTH DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMING:
DISSEMINATING AN EDUCATIONAL AND YOUTH DEVELOPMENT CURRICULUM INNOVATION
Dr. Thaddeus France III & Dr. Albert Petitpas
Purpose
The purpose of this proposed project is to examine the efficacy of a process consultant approach to
community-based curricular planning and implementation that includes schools, afterschool programs
and youth development agencies.
Goals
The following are the goals for the proposed project:
1. Examine the key implementation variables involved in building significant community
partnerships to promote positive youth development in and across school, after school, and
summer contexts using a community-based curriculum model.
2. Assist youth development professionals and teachers in their review of current practices
and in developing new approaches to promote positive youth development across contexts.
3. Design training content that will foster greater integration and consistency of curricula
delivery among teachers, youth development workers, and community partners.
4. Assist in developing evaluation plans for local and national review.
Project Description
The proposed project would be designed to create and investigate the intentional design of a crosstraining for teachers, coaches and youth development professionals in a community-based curriculum
model. Literature in education and youth development supports the notion that canned programs have
little success impacting long-term change in youth. One reason for this lack of impact is that those
champions of change often focused on the content of the program while paying less attention to the
implementation plan, existing resources, and the need to build strong relationships among vested
community partners.
Researchers have examined learning in three distinct contexts; school, afterschool and summer,
however few have undertaken community-wide initiatives to more fully integrate learning across
contexts. Dr. Albert Petitpas has created and implemented a national model for youth development
through sport call Play It Smart. For more than 10 years Play It Smart was the benchmark for youth
development through sport research and programming. Over the last 10 years Dr. Thaddeus France and
Dr. Petitpas have worked together to create a model for more fully integrating discrete community
efforts through Leaders in Academics, Community Engagement and Service (LACES). During this time,
LACES has been used as a demonstration program whereby the efficacy of the model has been tested
1
across ages with various disciplinary content and with a cadre of professional such as academic coaches,
youth leaders, physical education teachers and school personnel. Our efforts have led to a better
understanding of the training and delivery needs necessary to build partnerships that will sustain a
community initiative to better impact achievement and learning. Our current proposal builds on these
findings as we recognize the need to examine the process of acting as process consultants in “new”
communities as they undertake the work of building partnerships to sustain change and learning at a
community level.
Significance of the Project
Over the last 10 years researchers and leaders in education and youth development have systematically
examined youth engagement and learning in three distinct contexts; in-school, afterschool, and
summer. These research findings have led to improved student engagement, the recognition of
developing adult/youth relationships that positively impact youth achievement and the importance of
collecting evidence respective to the active involvement of youth as they engage content from diverse
subject areas. Often, however, professionals in these three contexts work “walled-off” from the work of
others, but strive for similar outcomes (Lawson, 2004). Research has also shown that pre-packaged
programs that operate in isolation of other community partners have less success in urban communities
(Murray, 1997, Petitpas, Van Raalte, Cornelius & Presbrey, 2004, France, Moosbrugger & Brockmeyer,
2011).
Even in light of improvements to discrete programs delivered within these contexts, in-school,
afterschool programs and summer learning experiences have been designed and delivered in isolation of
one another (Doolittle, Beale, & Demarzo, 2009; France, Moosbrugger & Brockmeyer, 2011; Lawson,
2004). Though there is a need for full integration of learning across in-school, afterschool and summer
learning, our professions have not responded with a meaningful model to assist in the development of
community –wide curriculum outcomes. Unfortunately, little has been done to facilitate transfer of
learning across contexts or in providing support for the efforts of teachers, coaches and leaders working
in isolation of each other. Youth development offers a lens through which schools (character education),
afterschool programs (youth development through sport and physical activity) and summer programs
(community-based leadership and problem-solving) can find common ground in creating more systemic
change and challenge youth as they learn life and leadership skills that are directly related to their
academic success and engagement in their communities.
The significance of this current project can be viewed on various levels. First, there is the potential for
significant impact for the communities that embrace the project goals. These communities could realize
the positive outcomes of intentionally engaging youth in a community-wide curriculum that recognizes
the expertise of professionals in various settings. This approach would utilize resources more efficiently
and build on the great work already established and effect change.
Second, there are significant outcomes for The First Tee. The First Tee is a leader in youth development
programming in schools, afterschool and summer contexts. The First Tee has established “delivery
channels” based on these contexts. Similarly, The First Tee has curricula and training programs
2
developed for professionals in these specific delivery channels. Building on this strong curriculum and
professional development history, The First Tee could pioneer the development of more fully integrating
these delivery channels by investigating and developing the cross-training and practices for process
consultants to engage vested partners at a community level.
Finally there is great significance for supporting and implementing this project for Springfield College.
Springfield College has historically been a leader in physical education, recreation and youth
development. Pioneers such as Luther Gulick and Charles Weckwerth have created and led initiatives
such as the Campfire Girls (Gulick) and the development of community based recreation (Weckwerth).
These leaders recognized that our professions were more linked in our communities than they were
different in content. This current project builds on the successful work of Dr. Petitpas and Dr. France and
the strong heritage of interdisciplinary leadership in service to others pioneered at Springfield College.
Simply, there are no other researchers or institutions of higher education that are currently investigating
the impacts of developing systems to design, deliver and evaluate curriculum at a community level.
3