Roads Taken Since Youth Program Participation: Lessons Learned and Ways to Apply Them

Join researchers from the Roads Taken project for a quick road trip as they present action-oriented insights tailored to youth program leaders in afterschool and summer programs. This five-year research project focused on alums from six multi-year, intensive STEM programs, primarily serving youth historically underrepresented in STEM fields. The study reached out to alums 15 to 25 years after their participation to uncover long-term impacts.

Key takeaways for program leaders include:

1. A conceptual framework that helps explain and study program effectiveness

2. Program strategies that led to positive long-term outcomes, including success in STEM academics/careers, personal involvement, community involvement, social-emotional development, and identity formation.

3. A practical tool kit for staying connected with youth program alums, highlighting the benefits of alum engagement, such as their ongoing role in your program, creating supportive networks among alums as they move through life and careers, and gathering valuable data for potential funders.

4. Resources for more information on the research and recommendations for action

In addition to answering questions, presenters invite webinar participants to share their ideas on the long-term impact they aim to achieve, strategies for maintaining contact with alums, and the effects these strategies have on their programs.

Speakers:

• Priya Mohabir, Senior Vice President, Youth Development & Museum Culture, New York Hall of Science
• Carey E. Tisdal, Director, Tisdal Consulting

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