growing our own Former Participants as Staff in Afterschool Youth Development Programs by Susan Matloff-Nieves We are in the cafeteria of a middle school in Queens, While scenes like this are common in well-run afterschool and youth development programs, I am New York. I am making a routine site visit to an after- impressed. I have known Scott since he was a shy ten- year-old in the Forest Hills Community House school program that serves 100 sixth- through eighth- (FHCH) summer day camp. In those days, Scott grade students five days a week. The participants sit seemed to avoid conflict and often kept to himself while other kids engaged in horseplay. As a teen, he at long cafeteria tables in small groups. was an active participant in every youth development activity available, forming close relationships with Two of the older boys begin play-fighting, deliv- adult mentors. However, it was his role as an after- ering air kicks and waving their arms at each school program staff member, in which he applied other. Within seconds, Scott is moving toward the lessons learned in his earlier youth development them. Approaching from another direction is activities, that solidified his leadership skills. his colleague Luis. Both are college students, Observing Scott and other graduates of our teen age 20. programs as they integrated what they learned in FHCH programs into their work as staff members “Do you need help, Scott?” asks Luis. with younger children sparked my interest in the “No, thanks, I got it covered,” replies Scott. He calmly separates the two boys, stepping between SUSAN MATLOFF-NIEVES,LMSW, is the assistant executive director for youth services at the Forest Hills Community House in them and speaking to them in a low voice. They Queens, New York, where she has worked with youth for 15 respond quickly, dropping their flailing limbs years. Prior to joining FHCH, she spent 13 years as a community and returning quietly to their seats. (program organizer. She holds an MSW degree from Hunter School of observation, Spring 2003) Social Work. Her current research interests include professional development and youth development workforce issues. benefits of the practice of hiring participants as staff. for income-eligible teens, helps programs meet man- Another participant-turned-staff-member spoke to me dated staff-to-child ratios. The advent of the Beacon about the impact of his job as a youth worker on areas youth development model, which serves young people of his life that had been a source of past difficulty. These continuously from age 5 through 21 and even poten- two threads led me to explore what it means to youth tially into adulthood, created opportunities for youth participants to be hired as staff. who “aged out” of childcare programs to volunteer or Hiring former participants as staff provides a dual work in afterschool programs. Eighty Beacon centers in benefit, to the agency and to the youth. The program New York City, operated by community-based organi- gets a worker who is already well oriented to the pro- zations in public school buildings, offer comprehensive gram’s and agency’s mission, policies and procedures, youth and community development activities after and philosophy of youth development. The young peo- school as well as evenings and weekends. Though a ple benefit from an exemplary youth development prac- search of the Harvard Family Research Project database tice that offers an opportunity to make a real (2006) reveals few studies of the practice of hiring for- contribution to the life of their mer participants, two studies of community while developing their Beacon programs confirm that the Lack of resources and low social, cognitive, and employment practice can serve as a youth devel- skills. Working in an afterschool budgets made employing opment strategy that provides age- program helps bridge the protected former participants a cost- appropriate avenues for older world of childhood and the inde- youth to continue their learning. effective choice. pendent world of adults. Parents Beacon Profiles: An Overview of often support young participants’ the New York City Beacons Initiative, decisions to work in the programs that nurtured them. published by the Youth Development Institute (YDI) of The example of the strategies employed at the Forest the Fund for the City of New York (2002), describes the Hills Community House in Queens, New York, will importance of employment opportunities within the show how the benefits of hiring participants as staff can Beacons, where hiring both youth participants and be enhanced through staff development and supervi- adults from the community is a common feature of the sory practices that address the potential challenges of program model. According to this study, Beacons build the practice. community involvement by hiring youth and adults who are community residents, thus increasing young A Time-Honored Practice people’s opportunities to contribute to their communi- Robert Halpern’s wonderful history of afterschool pro- ties, providing community role models for younger Bea- grams in Making Play Work (2003) traces the practice of con participants, and creating career stepping stones hiring local youth and former participants as staff or vol- through volunteer and paid jobs of increasing respon- unteers back to the beginnings of afterschool program- sibility (YDI, 2002). ming in the early 1900s. According to Halpern, the The Academy for Educational Development con- practice weaves through the history of the field, born of ducted an extensive evaluation of six Beacon programs practical necessity. Lack of resources and low budgets that describes both the value of cross-age activities and made employing former participants a cost-effective choice some of the challenges of relying on young employees. (Halpern, 2003). Youth development and childcare jobs The study notes that youth hired to work with younger typically are not well paid and have low social status, but children often have weaker group-management skills first-time job seekers from low-income and immigrant than more experienced staff members, but it also neighborhoods have few opportunities for meaningful describes a positive effect on teens’ risk-taking behav- work and are generally pleased to secure a job that pays ior and sense of responsibility. The evaluation found minimum wage. Then, as now, the jobs were a way station cross-age activities to be a valuable part of the Beacon for many youth who were undecided or undirected in their experience. The importance of good training was a key lives. finding (Warren, Feist, & Nevárez, 2002). Both of these For many summer programs in New York City, the studies identify the hiring of youth as a salient feature city- and state-funded Summer Youth Employment Pro- of the Beacon programs and as a positive youth devel- gram, which provides six to eight weeks of employment opment strategy. 16 Afterschool Matters Spring 2007 Research Context and Methods Like the programs Halpern (2003) cites, we ini- Founded in 1975, the Forest Hills Community House tially hired youth for cost reasons. Over time, FHCH (FHCH) is one of the newest settlement houses in New has come to value both the positive youth development York City. We provide comprehensive services to and the unique staff contributions that result from hir- 20,000 residents of all ages in Queens. Programs ing former participants. The practice enhances our abil- include afterschool, summer camp, and youth develop- ity to build community and strengthen the surrounding ment programs for young people ages 5 to 21 at our neighborhood. By developing care-taking and employ- main site; two community centers; a facility operated by ment skills in youth, we are creating a resource: young the NYC Parks Department; and youth development people who are effective employees with a passionate programs based in public school buildings, one of sense of purpose and a visceral understanding of the which is a Beacon program. Nearly 80 percent of our FHCH mission. youth participants are immigrants or children of immi- This article grew out of a participatory research pro- grants, representing as many as 40 language groups. ject conducted with support of the Robert Bowne Foun- While economically diverse overall, most come from dation from January 2003 through January 2004. Six working-class families. young people who had been partici- FHCH youth development prac- pants in FHCH programs for eight I have watched young tices have been recognized for their years or longer agreed to be inter- people grow up to work quality. Our teen outreach program viewed in depth about experiences as staff with children and has been replicated in 25 New York that had affected their development. City neighborhoods and internation- youth who are as old as Initially, I simply asked them to tell ally. Our arts activities are cited as a the staff members were their stories about how they came to model of curriculum-based after- the community house and about when I first met them. school arts programming in what it was like to make the transi- Halpern’s Making Play Work (2003). tion to a staff role. I also shared some Our Access for Young Women teen leadership program has of my memories of them as younger people. As we spoke, been selected three times for study by federal agencies as they suggested questions that I subsequently incorporated a model for promoting youth development. In-house and into all interviews. I supplemented the data from these external evaluations since 1995 have documented consis- interviews with program observations. I also drew on my tent patterns of positive youth development including own memories, as well as those of colleagues, and spoke improved communication skills, greater awareness of to the young people’s supervisors. Our collective memo- career options, increased interest in reading for pleasure, ries of and reflections on our shared history, together with better school attendance, and improved engagement in our observations of each other over time, have been rich education. In addition, four of our teen programs have sources of data. documented levels of youth retention in high school at 100 After combing through the interview transcripts, percent; two of these have 100 percent of participants notes, and tapes for themes, I re-interviewed the young enrolling in college (Fox 1999; Mosatche 2004, 2006). people at least once to follow up these themes in depth. At all levels, from administration to part-time line In order to broaden the scope and in response to strong workers, are employees who have worked at FHCH for interest from colleagues, I also conducted interviews decades. As an FHCH youth director since 1992, I have with staff of five other youth programs. Accompanying watched young people grow up to work as staff with chil- the interviews were weekly observations of the programs dren and youth who are as old as the staff members were and interviews with program directors. Other Robert when I first met them. Investment in staff is a part of the Bowne Foundation (RBF) research fellows contributed FHCH culture; we take risks to hire and develop relatively their own experiences with former participants as staff; inexperienced staff. Some former participants have con- one participated in a formal interview. I inquired during tinued as staff for over a decade and moved into supervi- RBF and other citywide networking meetings about col- sory positions. Reaching the 30-year mark means that we leagues’ experiences with youth staff and, in some cases, have now seen an entire generation grow through partici- their own experiences as former participants. I then pation as children into increasingly responsible staff roles. reviewed the data for common themes and followed up We are thus uniquely situated to examine the practice of with additional interviews to expand on and clarify the hiring youth participants as an emerging part of our work. themes throughout 2004 and 2005. Matloff-Nieves GROWING OUR OWN 17 Employment as a Youth Development Now I tell my friends: “If you’re going to do that, I Strategy have to leave, because the younger kids look up to Through these interviews, former participants clearly me and I can’t have them seeing you do that [drink- articulated the benefits of working as staff in their after- ing] around me.” …I tell them [the youth he works school programs. These benefits go beyond the basic with], “There goes my friend; he does that and I need for a job that allows teens to contribute to their don’t; that’s his path and we’re still friends, but I households or pay for college. Assuming a staff position don’t have to do what he does.” (personal interview, meets an essential developmental need of older adoles- May 1, 2003) cents: the opportunity to take on adult roles. José’s experience is confirmed by that of youth Facilitating Individual Development interviewed for the AED report: “[O]lder youth repeat- Joan Wynn (2003) describes the importance to youth edly mentioned that they felt responsible to serve as role development of offering a “system of opportunities for models for younger children, and that seeing themselves adolescents.” This system should be composed of four in this way helped them avoid negative behaviors such types of opportunities: “engaging activities, apprentice- as fighting or using drugs” (Warren, Feist, & Nevárez, ships with skilled professionals, work-site internships, 2002, p. 12). This strategy, which builds on young peo- and part-time and summer jobs” (Wynn, 2003, p. 60). ple’s assets and ability to contribute, is the essence of a Employment in a comprehensive youth development approach. afterschool, summer camp, or Now I tell my friends: “If mixed-age youth development site you’re going to do that, I Supporting Educational and such as a Beacon can complement Employment Goals have to leave, because other program or community Youth employees of afterschool pro- the younger kids look up offerings to create a full range of grams benefit from working in a sit- opportunities for teens. Work in a to me and I can’t have uation that supports their success in community center also fits Wynn’s them seeing you do that school and encourages their educa- criteria for ideal jobs for youth: tional goals. Most youth programs I [drinking] around me.” that they “should not reproduce examined have a policy that young the often-routinized work avail- people must be in school in order to able to teenagers, which isolates them from adults and be employed. Young people’s academic progress may be reinforces disenfranchisement” (Wynn, 2003, p. 62). tracked and their work schedules adjusted if their grades The opportunity for youth to make authentic contribu- drop. This approach to promoting school attendance tions is a characteristic of a quality youth development and performance is consistent with the youth develop- program. ment principle of building on young people’s assets and The opportunity to assume adult roles as colleagues ability to contribute. and employees enables young people to remain con- Many youth programs offer college and career coun- nected to the adults who mentored them. We’ve found seling, including financial aid advice, as well as exposure that young men, in particular, often continue to need the to different fields of work. FHCH offers such counseling support and structure provided by our teen programs to youth employees as well as to participants. With our into their 20s. Working in our programs provides a tran- in-depth knowledge of the young person, we can offer sitional stage in which they learn to assume adult detailed guidance. At least one staff member was able to responsibilities for younger people while retaining con- secure a partial college scholarship as an employee ben- tact with supportive adults. The expectations of their efit. Adult staff members write letters of reference for staff role provide an appropriate level of challenge for jobs and recommendations for colleges, citing not only their developmental stage. the young people’s present achievements, but also their The staff role can also reinforce a reduction in the growth and accomplishments throughout their teen young people’s risk-taking behavior. José,1who came to years. Some long-term participants find meaningful FHCH when he was eight and remained throughout careers in related fields such as education, social work, adolescence, overcame difficulties with substance abuse physical therapy, law, and medicine—or in unrelated and was given an opportunity to work with younger fields. Beacon Profiles calls this benefit “providing step- teens. He said: ping stones for careers” (YDI, 2002, p. 13). 18 Afterschool Matters Spring 2007 Employing young participants also develops their Reinforcing Families academic and employment skills. As Wynn (2003) puts Parents in the youths’ “first families” know that their it, “Through these opportunities, young people can children’s educational goals will be respected and develop and deepen specific content knowledge and encouraged. Program employment policies that pro- know-how. In addition, they can acquire the kinds of mote school attendance and check in on academic soft skills—leadership, decision making, negotiating, progress create a seamless support system with fami- and working as part of a group—that are important for lies and schools. Particularly in neighborhoods with participating effectively in education, employment, and high rates of high school non-completion, the civic life” (p. 63). employer’s message can be a factor in raising retention and graduation rates. Building Community Friends and family play a part in a young Without being prompted, each of the young person’s decision to maintain long-term rela- people interviewed mentioned a concept of tionships. Stated one interviewee: “My father neighborhood. All cited the benefit of the always tells me, ‘Stay close to those people community house as a place where they could at the community house; they are good peo- find and maintain friendships from through- ple and they can help you’” (personal inter- out the neighborhood. The area surrounding view, June 25, 2003). Parents of young the FHCH main site includes a population that employees meet with staff for guidance on is diverse in every way: economically, the college application process and ethnically, racially. In fact, the mission Young people who were for assistance in filling out financial of the founding board was to provide summer campers eight aid forms. They may also seek assis- a bridge among diverse sectors of the tance in finding fulltime jobs for years ago are counselors community. The young people their children outside the agency now, sometimes working expressed their value of having a when it is time for them to move on. place where they can mingle across under program directors Young employees also learn barriers. When they become staff, who were their own parenting skills, as one young they become part of the continuous woman pointed out in her inter- camp counselors. This community fabric, where they could view. Teens working in afterschool continuity offsets the maintain positive social relationships programs learn effective, non- notable turnover in the and network with the community— punitive ways to discipline chil- another important youth develop- afterschool field. dren, as well as how to listen and ment strategy. One young employee to communicate assertively but not noted, “There is a group of friends that are my community aggressively. Such skills strengthen the fabric of families house friends who I see when I come back from college” and the communities they live in. to work in summer camp (personal interview, June 23, 2003). Benefits to Programs A number of interviewees used the phrase “second The “generations” of youth participants who become family” to describe the community house. A similar feel- staff mimic the generations of families. Young people ing is expressed in Beacon Profiles, describing a young who were summer campers eight years ago are coun- woman who worked in several positions at the La Plaza selors now, sometimes working under program directors Beacon run by Alianza Dominicana: “La Plaza is now her who were their own camp counselors. This continuity second home and she considers each staff person a cher- offsets the notable turnover in the afterschool field doc- ished uncle or aunt” (YDI, 2002, p. 19). Beacon Profiles umented by Halpern (2003). The multi-year retention of also cites the benefit of connecting young people more young people fosters continuity of staffing and relation- closely with their communities, quoting John Kixmiller ships between adults and youth. of the Center for Family Life as saying, “You need peo- Staff who grew up in programs often have a strong ple at all developmental stages to build a strong com- sense of loyalty and identify with the agency mission. munity center” (YDI, 2002, p. 13). States a Beacon staff person who joined the program at age 14 and is now a fulltime staff member: “I am grate- ful to the program. Sometimes I wonder what I would 20 Afterschool Matters Spring 2007 have done without this program and where I would be” These youth-adult partnerships exemplify strategies (personal interview, August 14, 2003). Her esteem for for promoting learning in a youth development setting. the program is reflected in the intensity she brings to her Steve came to FHCH at age 13 through the Hot Spots projects and her dedicated efforts toward continuous Street Outreach program, where he remained until he improvement of the program and her own work in it. aged out at 19. As a youth worker, he is highly skilled Staff members who engaged in learning activities when at engaging young people, mediating conflicts, and they were participants associate education and growth guiding groups. Scott, the young man described in the with the program. They are receptive to continuous staff opening vignette, cited him as one of the people who development because it is consistent with their past pro- plays a key role in setting the positive and welcoming gram experiences. All of the interviewees articulated tone of FHCH: “He makes it a comfortable place to be, many ways that they learned on the job, describing the and everyone knows he’s there to help.” When I asked methods with enthusiasm. Steve how he learned, he credited the outreach director: Employment of older youth becomes a retention Everything I know I learned from [the outreach strategy for adult staff as well. “Every time I think about director and the senior outreach worker].… My first leaving, I think about having to say good-bye to the few weeks as an outreach worker, [the director] kids,” confided one program director who entered the really put me to the grind. We had meetings; he agency as a participant in the summer youth employ- gave me reading material. We had training sessions. ment program. The pleasure of watching young people Through my trainings as an outreach worker, I grow up to share our history becomes the glue that learned so much about understanding people, the keeps good adult staff in a program. importance of listening to people, the importance of continuity, the importance of being a role model... Components of Successful Youth Employment I also remember how [the staff] were with me, and Continuing staff development is not only key to the suc- I try my hardest to emulate them. (personal inter- cess of youth employees, but also an important youth view, June 13, 2003) development strategy. Our young people learn by a vari- ety of methods, including mentoring, The importance of having observation, formal oppor tunities for adult supervisors that they look up The importance of having reflection, and careful supervision. to and trust was a common theme adult supervisors that they that emerged in all of the inter- Apprentice/Mentor Roles look up to and trust was views. Working as staff under the supervi- a common theme that sion of an experienced youth worker emerged in all of the Feedback is like an apprenticeship. In some Our formal evaluation system interviews. staffing structures, young staff mem- incorporates an extensive process bers are intentionally paired with of self-reflection and a joint process more experienced staff members who are charged with with the supervisor to plan for growth. Senior staff try developing their skills. A young staff member may also to provide clear parameters so that younger staff can be paired with an older staff member who has profes- think through the logical consequences of their assump- sional expertise in an area of interest to the young per- tions and behavior and act independently while alone son. For instance, a high school student with a strong with children and youth. Supervisors offer a great deal interest in theater found employment as coordinator of of feedback, both orally and in writing. One supervisor the cultural committee of the FHCH Beacon, also staffed has his staff keep journals. He encourages workers to use by an adult who operated her own theater company. the journals to reflect on their practice and periodically In some cases, staff learn by observing the actions of reviews their writing to give feedback. more seasoned staff, particularly when learning to defuse conflicts and handle challenging behavior. One young Paths of Progressive Responsibility staff member noted, “I learned from experience and by Returning staff receive progressive training for positions observing…. I try something, and if it doesn’t work, I try of increasing responsibility. Employment offers young something else, and if that doesn’t work, I ask someone. workers an opportunity to integrate lessons introduced But usually it works” (personal interview, July 10, 2003). to them through curricula and activities when they were Matloff-Nieves GROWING OUR OWN 21 younger. Cathy, who graduated from the FHCH Access Dual Roles and Boundary Issues for Young Women girls’ empowerment program, began Our young staffers have dual roles: In some ways, they as a counselor-in-training and ended up as assistant are still participants. A staff member running an activity director of the summer day camp. She ultimately went at one site may, at another site, be a team member with into the field of therapeutic recreation. She described a participant from the activity she runs. Staff who have her progression through specific skills that built on pre- been around for a long time may assume that unprofes- vious skills, beginning with her leadership experiences sional conduct will be tolerated as it was when they were (personal interview, June 25, 2003). Another employee participants. At FHCH, a job candidate who was a for- articulated a similar theme: mer participant assumed a level of familiarity in the I became a better person as staff; I learned responsi- interview that was inappropriate to the situation. Simi- bility. I couldn’t act like a regular teen. It made me lar dilemmas may exist for adult staff: A staff member’s mature a lot. Even as a volunteer, my time was more counseling client may be hired as staff in another pro- my own. But being a staff person was better, beyond gram, so that the client is also a colleague. Mattison, the salary; I like the recognition and being integrated Jayaratne, and Croxton (2002), addressing this dilemma [into the program staff] and becoming a leader. I like in adult social work, ask, “When, if ever, does an indi- showing my peers we can make a difference and being vidual cease to be a client?” They conclude that the a role model. (personal interview, August 14, 2003) answer may vary depending on the roles and the com- munity and agency setting. Staff also have an opportunity to try new approaches Boundary issues can be complicated in a commu- and new roles, including serving on teams that design nity setting, even for mature staff. The web of relation- and facilitate staff development ses- ships that enriches layers of support sions and on agency and depart- for young people also adds layers of Boundary issues can be mental committees. confusion. Staff members may be complicated in a friends with participants through Challenges community setting, even pre-existing relationships, putting Hiring former or current partici- agency guidelines about maintain- for mature staff. The web pants as staff is not without its ing social relationships with partic- of relationships that dilemmas. The work of child and ipants into a gray area. A parti cipant youth development requires a high enriches layers of support may enter the program with a group level of skill. Quality, experienced for young people also of friends and subsequently be supervision is required to bring out hired as staff, complicating his or adds layers of confusion. the best in young staff. With our her social relationship with peers. pattern of promoting young people Furthermore, supervisory and from within, we often find that our young staff are administrative staff enroll our own children in our pro- supervised by a director who is also inexperienced. The grams. While there is no higher recommendation of our supervisors themselves need the supervision of seasoned faith in our staff, being charged with care of our families directors who understand and appreciate this challenge can be a burden for junior staff. and can work with the advantages inherent in the situ- Finding an appropriate balance between fostering ation. Smaller programs, with fewer staff who can young people’s growth and ensuring that they meet receive more attention from the director, can be an asset employment expectations requires the supervisor to be in adopting this model. clear about those expectations and the staff member to We generally hold that we can work with any young be willing to accept challenges. Clear and consistent person who is motivated, but directors must bring a codes of behavior are key. Supervisors communicate a blend of good judgment, good communication skills, common message about how staff members should con- personal balance, and consciousness in developing their duct themselves, providing time in staff development staff. Youth staff seem to benefit most when they have a and supervision sessions to reflect on these codes. They close supervisor who can observe and give feedback and remind young staffers that the purpose of our work is to with whom they can honestly raise questions. promote the growth of participants rather than our own gratification. Supervisors work with young employees on trusting their own authority, extending respect, and 22 Afterschool Matters Spring 2007 holding participants to expectations. They point out that their skills in the best light. Over the years, staff have young staff are role models who represent participants’ received training on the Americans with Disabilities Act own near-term future. Perhaps the most important fac- and the rights of youth with felony convictions. tor is a strong and trusting relationship in which young Another equity issue has to do with the web of rela- staff can speak frankly about their dilemmas and adult tionships in a community-based program. Every group staff can respectfully challenge young people to grow. of children and youth includes those who are comfort- able reaching out for adult attention and those who hold Time to Move On back. The young people interviewed for this project all In the FHCH peer counseling program, a strong group of related well to adults and reached out to staff through- young people remained for several years as staff. At a cer- out their tenure as participants. For this reason, they tain point, the “peer counselors” were highly skilled, but were close to the directors who were in charge of hiring. they were no longer peers of the high school students. Other young people, less skilled at reaching out to Now in their 20s, they needed to move on so that teens adults, may be missing out on employment opportuni- could take their positions. Young workers’ level of com- ties—and they may be the very young people who are fort with their programs may stunt their professional most in need of supportive employment. Attending to growth if they stop looking for opportunities elsewhere. the importance of employment as a youth development Supervisors must be sensitive to young staff members’ strategy can help us to look past the obvious candidates need to move on and gently encourage them to make the and see those who might benefit more. A willingness to break. One strategy we’ve found promising is to main- take a chance on a promising candidate who is strug- tain relationships with other agencies so we can refer our gling with personal issues can provide significant staff members when they need a new opportunity in rewards. As one senior director stated, “Sometimes the order to continue to grow. staff person we hire is the one who A willingness to take a most needs the job.” Equity Issues chance on a promising Some groups of young people, candidate who is Supervision and Training though they may have something Supervision and training—which struggling with personal important to offer, experience barri- should be both universal and indi- issues can provide ers to employment in a youth pro- vidualized—are the keys to meeting gram. We had to deny employment significant rewards. As these challenges. Universal training to a former FHCH participant with one senior director stated, includes giving all staff a set of com- a strong interest in coaching sports mon parameters: the values, proto- “Sometimes the staff because he lacked the necessary cols, and language of the program. person we hire is the one literacy skills due to learning dis- Many former participants have who most needs the job.” abilities. Another long-term partici- already absorbed the values, but the pant, who was successfully getting specifics of protocols may have his life back on track during a felony probation, was been invisible until they happen to “bump up against” barred by NYC regulations from working with children one. Clarity about policies and procedures, ample or youth. A young woman who was in a wheelchair was opportunities for discussion, communication through able to volunteer one day a week tutoring younger chil- weekly individual and group staff meetings, and formal dren and gave workshops to other teens on disability staff development are essential elements of a good super- awareness but was not able to work full time. vision and training system. Staff should also be exposed At FHCH, we are addressing such dilemmas to training outside the organization so they can meet col- through annual job fairs organized by the Youth leagues from other agencies and develop an under- Employment Program and by posting and referring standing of the language and practices of the field. afterschool jobs in FCHC and other agencies. Potential Supervision must also be tailored to each young employees are pre-screened by the youth employment person. For example, an FHCH staff member who coordinator and then referred to afterschool sites for exhibited exemplary skills and abilities with younger employment. Through this process, young people teens was subsequently hired into a program serving receive assistance in preparing good résumés, as well as older teens who were nearly peers. In spite of his pride coaching on the interview process, in order to present in the new position and support from supervisors, he Matloff-Nieves GROWING OUR OWN 23 was never comfortable working with the older teens. He References couldn’t establish the necessary balance between friend- Fox, S. (1999). I really love this job: What it takes to do liness and authority. He was terminated in a gentle inter- street outreach. A review of the Forest Hills Community view in which it was acknowledged that the position was House Hot Spots Program.Unpublished manuscript. not a good fit. The supervisor, concerned with the staff Halpern, R. (2003). Making play work: The promise of member’s opportunity to learn about himself, wanted after-school programs for low-income children.New York: him to experience the termination as an occasion for Teachers College Press. growth and reflection rather than as punishment. The Harvard Family Research Project (2006). OST evalua- staff member continued to work successfully with the tion database and bibliography. Retrieved August 31, younger teens. This experience helped us remember that 2006, from http://www.gse.harvard.edu/hfrp. the youth development model of our programs can serve as an educational framework for supervising young staff Mattison, D., Jayaratne, S., & Croxton, T. (2002). members. Client or former client? Implications of ex-client defi- nition in social work practice. Social Work, 47(1), The Bottom Line 55–64. The practice of hiring former participants as staff in Mosatche, H. (2004). Evaluation of the Forest Hills Com- youth programs is a salient feature of the youth devel- munity House 21st Century Community of Learner Program, opment field. Originally an expedient and cost-effective Years 1, 2 and 3 (final).Unpublished manuscript. way of staffing programs with thin budgets, it is begin- Mosatche, H. (2006). Evaluation of the Forest Hills Com- ning to be recognized as a youth development strategy munity House Access for Young Women’s Program funded by that is effective in providing older youth with a pathway the Women’s Educational Equity Act.Unpublished manu- to adult roles. The benefits to the sponsoring agency script. include a strong sense of mission among staff members Warren, C., Feist, M., & Nevárez, N. (2002). A place to as well as continuity of relationships in the program. The grow: Evaluation of the New York City Beacons. Summary challenges of this strategy can be offset and the benefits report.New York: Academy for Educational Develop- maximized by attentive and supportive supervision, ment. reflection by both adult and youth staff, and honesty on both sides about when it is time to move on. The youth Wynn, J. (2003). High school after school: Creating development field would benefit from further research pathways to the future for adolescents. In K. Pittman, on this practice, particularly on the most effective super- N. Yohalem, & J. Tolman (eds.), When, where, what and visory techniques and program practices. Examination how youth learn: Blurring school and community boundaries. of best practices through case studies, as well as broad- New Directions for Youth Development, No. 97. San scale documentation of the extent of the practice of hir- Francisco: Jossey-Bass. ing youth participants, could advance our knowledge of Youth Development Institute (YDI), Fund for the City this often-used but little-studied strategy. of New York. (2002). Beacon profiles: An overview of the New York City Beacon Initiative.New York: Fund for the Acknowledgement City of New York. This article was researched and written with the support of a Research Fellowship from the Robert Bowne Foun- dation. Thanks to the young people of the Forest Hills 1 All participant and staff names in this article are Community House Street Outreach and Beacon pro- pseudonyms. grams who shared their experiences with honesty, gen- erosity, and intelligence 24 Afterschool Matters Spring 2007