Learning From Youth: Using Positive Outcomes to Evaluate Summer Youth Employment Programs

The Landscape of Summer Youth Employment Programs (SYEPs)

Over the last decade, SYEPs have received heightened investment from local municipalities, workforce development organizations, policymakers, and funders alike. Typically, SYEPs employ youth aged 16 to 24 for 6 to 10 weeks during the summer months. Paid employment is often supplemented with additional education and training activities, and in some cases, mentorship. These programs, despite varying widely, are meant to connect youth to opportunities to explore careers and postsecondary education, develop essential workforce and leadership skills, build supportive networks, and earn income while receiving on-the-job training (Congressional Research Service, 2017). While a comprehensive census of youth employed through SYEPs is not available, a 2015 survey of 40 U.S. cities estimated that over 115,000 youth were employed in summer jobs (U.S. Conference of Mayors, 2016). The federal government also provides funds to support summer youth employment through workforce development funds and other grants (Congressional Research Service, 2017), so understanding these programs’ effects is important.

In this study, we aim to contribute to the literature on SYEPs by using the framework of Positive Youth Development (PYD) and data from an exploratory evaluation of SummerWorks, a summer youth employment and mentorship program located in Washtenaw County, Michigan. Both SummerWorks programming and evaluation efforts are guided by the Five Cs framework of PYD that emphasizes opportunities to build skills, confidence, and connections with mentors (Lerner, 2004; Roth & Brooks-Gunn, 2003); youth voices are included in the research to identify potential outcomes of interest and their input is sought to inform program design.

To date, however, most evaluations of SYEPs have found mixed evidence that participation significantly moves the needle on outcomes of interest usually studied in existing SYEP research, which are typically focused on behaviors like reducing involvement with the criminal justice system, increasing educational attainment (e.g., higher grade point average [GPA], high school graduation, postsecondary enrollment), and promoting long-term employment and earnings (e.g., (Gelber et al., 2016); Heller, 2014; McClanahan et al., 2004; Modestino, 2019; Schwartz et al., 2015). Some researchers found that participation in SYEPs was associated with reductions in violent crime and other risk behaviors (e.g., alcohol/substance use, unprotected sex; Heller, 2014; Modestino, 2019; Sum et al., 2015). Additionally, one study cited positive outcomes in mortality among the treatment group (Gelber et al., 2016). However, research pertaining to sustained, positive outcomes related to employment and educational attainment is limited and results are mixed (Gelber et al., 2015; Heller, 2014; McClanahan et al., 2004; Schwartz et al., 2015).

Focusing only on these deficit-based outcomes could be problematic, for a couple of reasons. First, higher unemployment rates and disparities in educational attainment among youth in marginalized communities are well documented and deeply rooted—a 10-week long intervention is unlikely to change outcomes that are the product of continued disinvestment, school segregation, redlining, and intentional policy decisions that created those disparities in the first place. For example, in 2015, racial and economic segregation, as well as unaffordable housing, were identified as major drivers of inequities in Washtenaw County, Michigan (CZB, 2015). Washtenaw ranks among the highest counties in the state on education measures, but there are 30- to 40-point racial gaps in third-grade reading and eighth-grade math proficiency levels; the county also falls 80th of 83 Michigan counties for income inequality (Kirwan Institute, 2015). These inequities are largely place- and race-based, with communities of color that have experienced historical segregation seeing disparate outcomes (Kirwan Institute, 2015). Moreover, not examining the root causes of those inequities, systematic and structural oppression, can result in deficit thinking through which individuals and their characteristics often become the recipients of misplaced blame for disparate outcomes (L. P. Davis & Museus, 2019). This is particularly salient to research on SYEPs, where youth are often described as at risk, or engaging in risk behaviors, and the primary outcomes of interest assert that (a) a brief summer internship can alter the behaviors of participants, and (b) by altering behaviors alone we might improve disparate outcomes that result from structural inequities. If, as researchers and evaluators, we wish to build a knowledge base that informs and advances solutions to economic mobility, educational disparities, and other social inequities, we have a responsibility to explicitly name and interrogate the systems at work.

In existing SYEP research, deficit thinking is often present when crime, mortality, and reducing gaps in education and employment are included as primary outcomes of interest without acknowledging the roles of systemic racism and oppression in creating disparities. This is particularly true when it comes to violence prevention strategies; recent studies found that SYEPs may be a cost-effective method to reduce crime by “keeping youth busy during the summer months” and providing them with training to “improve their self-control” or “develop social-emotional skills” (J. Davis & Heller, 2017; Gelber et al., 2016; Heller, 2014). Another recent policy brief described SYEPs as “stopping a bullet with a summer job” (J-PAL Policy Briefcase, 2017).

Recognizing that there are both mixed results in the existing literature and that these paradigms ignore structural, political, and socioeconomic forces, this article presents an exploratory evaluation that uncovers other potential positive outcomes as identified directly by young people through surveys and a focus group. Through this approach, we offer a starting point to listen to and center youth perspectives when evaluating outcomes, rather than preprescribing them and continuing to examine SYEPs solely as cost-effective means to reduce risk behaviors and solve systemic inequities through individual-level changes.

The second major issue with utilizing deficit-based approaches and focusing SYEP evaluation strategies on the outcomes mentioned above is that, by doing so, we potentially miss the full range of positive benefits associated with SYEPs. For example, SYEPs may play an important role in advancing equity at the local level by promoting entry into the workforce, facilitating the development of essential career readiness skills, and connecting youth to supportive networks (Modestino & Nguyen, 2016; Ross & Kazis, 2016). Despite a growing body of evidence to support that these types of skills are critical to long-term success in the workforce (Kautz et al., 2014), few studies of existing SYEPs emphasize these outcomes.

Using PYD to Inform Evaluation

As noted, the dominant conceptual framework in SYEP research has been one that focuses on risk behaviors and labels youth as problems to be managed (Roth et al., 1998). PYD emerged in the 1990s as an alternative, prosocial approach to adolescent development that engages youth in constructive manners, recognizes the inherent strengths young people possess, and promotes positive outcomes for youth by connecting them to opportunities, building relationships, promoting spaces for youth to develop their leadership skills, and providing support in their development (Interagency Working Group on Youth Programs, n.d.). The five theoretical constructs of PYD (referred to as the Five Cs) are competence, confidence, connection, character, and caring/compassion (Burkhard et al., 2019; Lerner, 2004; Merrick et al., 2013; Roth & Brooks-Gunn, 2003). Definitions of each PYD construct are outlined in Table 1.

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Table 1.

Definitions of the Five Cs of Positive Youth Development.

Five Cs	Definition
Competence	Positive views of one’s actions in specific domains such as social, academic, cognitive, and vocational. These areas pertain to interpersonal skills, cognitive abilities (e.g., decision-making), academic achievement, and vocational skills (e.g., career exploration, work habits), respectively.
Confidence	An internal sense of overall positive self-worth and self-efficacy.
Connection	Positive and supportive bonds with people and institutions that are characterized by reciprocity; both parties contribute to the relationship.
Character	Morality, integrity, and an internal possession of standards for behaviors.
Caring and Compassion	A sense of sympathy and empathy for others.

Source. Lerner (2004) and Roth and Brooks-Gunn (2003).

Historic and systemic inequities have undoubtedly affected a variety of outcomes related to education and employment for youth, particularly Black youth and youth of color, as well as access to opportunity in marginalized communities. Travis and Leech (2014) discuss a recent paradigm shift in adolescent research; they acknowledge that the field has started to move away from risk behaviors and deficit-based models. Moreover, they present two additional principles to the Five Cs model of PYD to create a more culturally comprehensive and empowerment-based framework (Travis & Leech, 2014). Despite this change from deficit frameworks and risk in the broader field of adolescent development, nearly all the dominant approaches in evaluating SYEPs implicitly assume that program participation will allow a young person to navigate inequities and structural barriers without acknowledging the structural forces that created them. These approaches often emphasize racial differences and place responsibility on the oppressed. As a result, the roles structural racism and white supremacy play in creating inequities are de-emphasized while individuals and their problem behaviors are blamed for disparities.

While PYD is one of the preeminent models for working with youth, Social Justice Youth Development (SJYD) emerged as a step further to acknowledge that, in addition to skill-building opportunities and supportive environments, young people’s experiences with discrimination, inequity, and social and economic forces affect their development (Ginwright & Cammarota, 2002). Utilizing the PYD and SJYD frameworks to inform SYEP evaluation efforts and research shifts the focus from preventing problem behaviors to providing opportunities and support for adolescent growth and development that acknowledge the role of systemic oppression. For the purpose of this study, we explore the benefits of SYEPs as identified by SummerWorks youth participants: positive relationships with trusted adults, skill-building opportunities, and supportive learning environments. By asking youth to define positive outcomes from their own perspectives and lived experiences, we may be better able to understand the development of young people and the benefits of SYEPs (Bottrell, 2009). Building on the SJYD model, Outley et al. (2018) suggest that youth development efforts adopt an approach that focuses on creating equitable access and opportunities for all young people by addressing disparities in systems that affect their development. In this study, we incorporate principles of PYD and SJYD to guide evaluation efforts, critique existing SYEP research, acknowledge the role of oppressive systems in creating disparities, and allow youth to exercise agency by beginning to define positive outcomes for themselves. We hope that leveraging the PYD and SJYD frameworks will encourage anti-racist approaches in future SYEP evaluation strategies by shifting the focus away from individual behaviors to creating access to opportunities for all youth and addressing systems that hinder their development.

Setting

This study highlights key insights and results from an exploratory, mixed-methods evaluation of the 2019 SummerWorks program, a summer employment and mentoring program serving youth ages 16 to 24 in Washtenaw County, Michigan. The program is a community-university partnership between MichiganWorks! Southeast (the area’s workforce development agency), the Washtenaw County Office of Community and Economic Development (the county’s economic development entity), and Poverty Solutions at the University of Michigan (a university research initiative). Each year, SummerWorks connects roughly 100 youth with a 10-week, paid internship from June to August. Typically, half of all SummerWorks youth are employed at departments across the University of Michigan campus; the other half of program participants are employed at local businesses and agencies throughout Washtenaw County. While some subsidized positions are available, most employers cover the costs of hiring an intern. In the past, interns have worked in research labs, government offices, automotive companies, nonprofits, tech firms, and more. Any age-eligible youth residing in the county is eligible to participate, but priority is given to youth living in two zip codes that experience disproportionate rates of poverty and inequity in access to quality jobs and education. Prior to and throughout the duration of their internships, youth attend paid, weekly professional development workshops and small-group reflection sessions. The SummerWorks professional development curriculum is informed by feedback from former youth participants; each workshop focuses on a different topic related to career readiness, professional development, and postsecondary education.

In addition to professional development activities, participants are connected with a mentor whom they meet with at least once per week throughout the program. “Success Coaches” are hired for the summer months to implement professional development programming, serve as near-peer mentors to participants, and act as liaisons between youth and employers throughout the hiring and employment periods. Success Coaches play a key role in building close, supportive relationships with youth participants by providing guidance on future employment and postsecondary education, connecting youth to additional resources, conducting periodic check-ins with each participant, and facilitating small-group reflection sessions. Youth participants attend job shadows and networking events and complete a professional portfolio. Through these professional development activities and individualized coaching, SummerWorks aims to prepare young people for high-demand jobs, postsecondary education, and the transition to adulthood. Specifically, the program connects youth to resources for building professional networks, exploring career opportunities, and developing essential job and leadership skills.

Participants and Data

This study was granted exempt status from the University of Michigan Institutional Review Board due to the relatively low risk to program participants in providing feedback regarding their experience in SummerWorks. Following the completion of the 10-week summer program, program participants were invited to complete surveys and attend a focus group. Surveys were collected from 66 Washtenaw County youth aged 16 to 24 who participated in the SYEP in 2019, yielding a 71% response rate. All SYEP participants were invited to take the postprogram evaluation survey online and their participation was voluntary. We use data from the survey to provide demographic information (shown next), in development of the focus group guide, and to conduct analysis of open-ended responses to select survey questions.

Most respondents in the sample were between the ages of 16 and 18; the median age of respondents was 17.5 years. About 57% of respondents identified as African American or Black. Gender was self-reported; 47% identified as women, 47% identified as men, 3% identified as transgender or gender nonconforming, and 3% preferred not to answer. Finally, 62% of youth resided in one of two of the program’s priority recruitment zip codes. While roughly one-third of respondents reported household incomes of US$75,000 or higher, it is important to note that Washtenaw County has a very high cost of living and, depending on zip code, youth from higher-income families may still experience geographic barriers to accessing employment and quality education (Kirwan Institute, 2015). Detailed demographics for survey participants are outlined in Table 2.

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Table 2.

Demographics of Survey Respondents (N = 66).

Age	%	n
16–18	77	51
19–24	23	15
Gender
Woman	47	31
Man	47	31
Transgender/nonbinary	3	2
Prefer not to say	3	2
Race/ethnicity
African American/Black	57	38
Asian	3	2
Biracial/Multiracial	16	10
Latinx	1	1
White	23	15
Household income
>US$15,000	13	9
US$15,000–US$24,999	10	6
US$25,000–US$34,999	16	11
US$35,000–US$49,999	13	9
US$50,000–US$74,999	16	11
US$75,000–US$99,000	15	10
US$100,000–US$149,999	12	7
US$150,000–US$199,999	3	2
US$200,000+	1	1
Current education status
Attending high school	50	33
Attending college	49	32
Attained a college degree	1	1

As noted earlier, results from the postprogram evaluation survey were used to develop a discussion guide for a focus group (the guide is shown in Appendix A). The 60-item survey questionnaire was created using items from existing SYEP evaluation tools and measures of youth development, including future orientation, skill-building, and more. Additionally, some items were created specifically for this evaluation tool; all survey items were tested for construct validity via review by University of Michigan faculty experts and the steering committee that oversees program operations. Survey respondents answered mostly close-ended questions regarding their experience and satisfaction with the SYEP, future plans, assessment of program learning outcomes, and more. However, a series of open-ended questions asked about the benefits of participating, skill development, and which programmatic components participants found to be most beneficial. For example, the survey included these open-ended questions:

Responses to these open-ended items were used to inform the development of the focus group discussion guide referenced in the present study and were also included in our data analysis. Participants received a unique link to complete the survey via Qualtrics during the last week of the SYEP.

The program manager and primary author, who is engaged in program implementation, recruited participants and conducted the focus group. It is important to note that the primary author is also a White woman. We considered how researcher identities may impact both the focus group participants’ comfort discussing their experiences and our interpretation of the results. However, focus group participants were not asked to discuss particularly sensitive information, and as the primary author is also the program manager, she was able to develop trust with all research participants prior to conducting the focus group.

A deliberate selection process was used in recruitment to identify a group of participants that was representative of the different demographics and engagement levels among SYEP participants. A total of seven SYEP youth (four females, three males) participated in a focus group interview after completion of the 2019 program. While the discussion guide was created for the purpose of this study, focus groups were loosely structured to create a conversational tone and invite open reflections from program participants. Focus group topics included strengths and growth areas for the program, reflections from participants regarding what they learned and were most proud of, examples of how participants developed as leaders and young professionals, and essential skills for workforce success.

Data Analysis

SYEP participant demographics were compared with those of the survey respondents to check for potential survey nonresponse bias. Data cleaning, recoding, and analysis of both the focus group data and open-ended responses were conducted using Microsoft Excel. Respondents were assigned a unique ID number and all data were de-identified and stored in a secure Box drive.

The focus group interview was transcribed, producing 43 single spaced pages of transcripts. Data were organized and analyzed with the assistance of four members from the research team. Early stages of data analysis of the transcripts and open-ended responses began with inductive content analysis to identify patterns and a coding system. This analysis resulted in a number of what we label in Appendix B as “themes” to categorize the data, including (a) “making the transition to adulthood,” (b) “building community and increasing social capital,” and (c) “access to opportunity.”

Following this initial inductive analysis, the research team debriefed about the emergent themes and identified a coding system for the qualitative data. We further refined our analysis of the themes by looking for specific illustrative examples of the theme in action. For example, within the theme “making the transition to adulthood” were responses that discussed personal growth and skill-building, others that referenced being treated like an adult, and still others that our analyses indicated were representative of increased independence. We refer to these as “subthemes.” Once the themes and subthemes were established, we also conducted descriptive analysis (i.e., frequencies) of a select set of the close-ended survey responses in order to provide additional context to our qualitative findings. For example, we asked participants to indicate how much they agreed or disagreed (using a 5-point scale) with the following questions:

Because of my participation in SummerWorks,

Finally, we analyzed the emergent themes and subthemes regarding benefits of participating in the SYEP and growth opportunities among youth participants in the context of the Five Cs of PYD—confidence, competence, connection, character, caring/compassion—as our coding and analysis indicated a strong relationship between youth’s responses and the Five Cs framework. Specifically, the research team deductively looked for references to strong connections with adults and relationship building; opportunities to develop vocational, interpersonal, and leadership skills; confidence in one’s self; development of one’s own identity and character; and caring relationships with others. These references relate to each of the Five Cs, which are linked to positive growth, development, and outcomes among youth (Lerner, 2004).

Making the Transition to Adulthood

Youth discussed three benefits to participating that helped them feel more prepared for taking the next steps in their lives: (a) personal growth and skill-building, (b) opportunities to be treated as an adult, and (c) developing independence and gaining new levels of responsibility. Participants expressed personal growth and the development of critical workplace skills such as work ethic, initiative, communication, and critical thinking/problem-solving. In particular, though, youth benefited from opportunities to gain real work experience and be treated as adults with valuable expertise and insight to contribute to the employers they worked with. As one participant said, “. . . it felt so good because they [my supervisor] wanted to get my perspective on things. It was nice to be treated like an adult instead of a kid.” Another young person expressed feelings of confidence after helping their workplace improve data practices:

This program was such an amazing thing to be a part of. When I entered I didn’t know what to expect, but I made many connections this summer. I even helped my employer create a new system for spreadsheets and customer data that they still use! Now, they [my employer] want me to continue working after the program. It felt good to show my skills and be able to do something useful for the organization.

Additionally, many youth said that they were most proud of the independence they developed as a result of their summer experience. The concept of independence was related to the trust that they established and relationships they built (see further next) with their supervisors and colleagues throughout the summer internship; participants shared that they were often given more tasks and a greater level of responsibility than they had anticipated. One focus group participant reflected on their experience taking on new responsibilities by saying the following:

The thing I’m most proud of is my relationship with my boss because it’s like we’ve kind of become friends. Well not friends, but he really trusts me more so now. Especially when we hired a bunch of new people in the office, he trusted me to mentor them and answer questions about how we do things in the office.

Youth believed that their summer internships were different from, and offered more opportunities than, the types of jobs typically available to young adults. Participants reported that their internships presented them with opportunities to take on meaningful projects at work, be treated with respect, and seen as adults with agency and integrity. One participant elaborated on the independence gained through their internship:

I guess the thing I learned that was most important to me or that I’m proudest of was the independence I gained because this was kind of the first job I’ve ever had. And I got to have my own thing that I was working on—that just I was responsible for. I had a lot of independence. It wasn’t the stereotypical intern[ship] where you’re running to get coffee, or you’re just assisting doing day-by-day things. It was the kind of thing where I could walk into work (I was working on a research project), I had something really important to do, and I was. . . it was just very independent.

Participants also expressed feelings of anxiety about what it means to become an adult, enter the workforce, and think about their long-term education and career goals. Young people, particularly those in the age range (16–24 years old) served by SummerWorks, experience many changes and uncertainty during this time in their lives; the transition from adolescence to adulthood is a complicated journey with shifting norms and expectations, difficult economic and educational choices, and growing social inequities (Lenz, 2001). Participants talked about feeling as if they had reached a transitional point that often presents challenges. However, SummerWorks provided a supportive environment for participants to grow, explore, and exercise agency over their own personal and professional development. In addition to paid, 10-week, guaranteed internships, SummerWorks provides participants with weekly professional development sessions that emphasize a range of topics from interviewing and resume writing to leadership and social identities in the workplace. Each session incorporates “Youth Choice Workshops” that allow participants to select a workshop and learn more about a subject of their choosing. One participant explained,

I liked learning how to be a professional adult. If you guys were to just throw us into a job when we first joined the program, I wouldn’t know how to dress, how to conduct myself, or talk to new people. I gained a lot of social and networking skills as well . . . and how to make yourself stand out in a room.

The program also matches youth participants to a mentor whom they meet with at least once per week throughout the duration of the program. Mentorship, coaching, and support are also offered by Success Coaches, temporary summer staff who act as near-peer mentors to program participants and provide guidance on navigating the workplace and postsecondary education. By providing these supportive relationships, SummerWorks creates a safe learning environment where it is okay for young people to make mistakes, explore their interests, and develop goals for the future. A newly developed sense of confidence and positive self-image was also prevalent throughout the survey results; 86% of survey respondents indicated that they developed meaningful goals related to their future career aspirations after participating in SummerWorks. About 92% of youth said that they felt more confident that they would be successful in the workforce. Finally, 79% reported that they were more prepared to take on leadership roles in the future. Additionally, youth participants identified the skills, confidence, and independence gained from their experience with SummerWorks as being critical to success in the workforce. Participants developed professionalism, independence, and integrity by participating in the program; one focus group participant said,

You have to have independence and integrity. You have to do the right thing when nobody is watching. There were a lot of times when I was left alone to get my work done. In my job specifically, my boss took a leave of absence for her maternity, and there’s a lot of times where she’d say, “hey, can you go to this meeting and represent me and take notes?” And I’d be left alone without her there and she’d still want me to come to work on time and I’d have to get things done and present my projects to her. I definitely learned a lot of independence.

This theme primarily relates to three of the Five Cs of PYD—competence, confidence, and connection. While young people are preparing to transition from adolescence to adulthood, they often have to manage significant changes, learn new skills, and make major future plans. Based on insights from participants, SummerWorks may help prepare youth for this transition by providing skill-building opportunities and trusting relationships with supervisors that enhance their confidence. Additionally, participants developed character by gaining independence, practicing integrity and work ethic, and establishing their own identities as young professionals.

Building Community and Increasing Social Capital

Youth shared that meeting new people and making new connections with peers were two of the most valuable and beneficial aspects of their experience participating in SummerWorks. Survey respondents and focus group participants often cited how much they enjoyed connecting with their supervisors, mentors, Success Coaches, and guest speakers who presented at the weekly professional development workshops. One participant said,

There isn’t just one thing that I could pinpoint as most valuable, but I do think that having people there to mentor me and give me support through the program was so stress-relieving, and it gave me a lot of opportunities to learn about myself.

The sense of community expressed by program participants falls into two categories: (a) developing close, supportive relationships, and (b) establishing a professional network to help provide connections and tangible resources. These categories are in line with findings from Gowdy and Spencer (2021) that differentiate between two types of informal mentors: mentors who provide social capital (tangible resources gained from relationships), and can connect youth to other important relationships or tangible resources, and mentors who provide social support—emotional concern, informational aid, appraisal, and/or friendship. Building supportive relationships was critical to the development of SummerWorks participants; they discussed establishing strong, trusting relationships with four groups of people through SummerWorks: supervisors, peers in the program, Success Coaches, and mentors. Program staff and Success Coaches are encouraged to practice vulnerability and openness when interacting with youth to help foster an environment of trust where program participants feel safe to share, challenge themselves, explore new things, and grow. These efforts were apparent in the reflections of one participant:

I really appreciate the work that everyone in the program did for all of us. You helped us begin to ease our way into college, the workforce, and adulthood . . . I met so many people and I can tell that you were all very passionate about helping us get to a better place in our lives.

About 82% of survey respondents felt like they were mentored by a supervisor who helped them think about how to achieve their goals. Additionally, 83% indicated that, as a result of SummerWorks, they identified a trusted adult or confidant whom they plan to stay in touch with. In some cases, participants thought of their coworkers as family:

The thing I’m most proud of is that instead of saying I have coworkers, I have a close relationship with everybody I worked with. We actually call each other “family,” so I kind of have a new family, which I’m happy about . . . I feel like we did create this bond that will never be broken. Like they invited me to Thanksgiving dinner, stuff like that. Because I have those relationships now, it’s just like a never-ending experience for me. I’ll always have them for support and guidance, and they offered to help me with college applications.

In addition to close relationships developed with their mentors, Success Coaches, and supervisors, youth participants reported that opportunities to meet new people and build a professional network were beneficial to their development, as well as their ability to learn and explore new career paths. About 93% of survey respondents indicated that they gained information and resources that will be helpful in their careers and professional lives. Additionally, 63% of respondents said that their mentors helped them connect with other professionals working in their desired career fields. These survey findings suggest that many SummerWorks participants connected with mentors who expanded their opportunities to acquire social capital; further reflections on this finding from focus group participants are detailed next. Additionally, SummerWorks programming incorporates guest speakers, job shadowing opportunities, and “Career Talks” featuring professionals from different industries in the weekly professional development sessions. Participants frequently cited these activities as valuable opportunities to establish their networks—having robust networks can increase one’s social capital and be of great assistance when searching for and finding employment (Lin, 1999). One participant shared,

It [professional development workshops] offers youth the opportunity to be in spaces and around people who we can learn from. It gives us the ability to build our network early on, create relationships with people in the community, and find new resources we didn’t have before.

In addition to meeting new people and developing a network of professionals, young people found value in learning from the stories and perspectives of guest speakers who were invited to professional development sessions. Program staff intentionally selected a diverse group of speakers with a wide variety of experiences, and encouraged them to share personal stories about their backgrounds and career trajectories. As a result, the workshop material felt more relevant and applicable to youth participants. One participant elaborated by stating the following:

. . . It was great to meet all those new people, but also getting new perspectives from those different people. ’Cause every professional development session it was. . . someone would present, they would have a story that they could relate to the information we were learning that day, and it’d just be a great way to learn.

By intentionally including mentorship and opportunities for youth to meet professionals in the local community in SummerWorks programming, youth learn from professionals further along in their careers. Several youth viewed these connections to professionals and mentors as opportunities that are critical for success in both their personal and professional lives. One participant talked about the opportunity to build experience in their desired career field:

. . . By making connections within the field I want to pursue and becoming involved in the community, I have things that will allow me to continue to better myself. I had the opportunity to learn skills in a job that interests me. They taught us things that go beyond the workplace, but in life period—things for my growth as a person.

The community that youth developed through the program is of the utmost importance because these supportive relationships and new connections provide the foundation for participants’ growth, promote access to resources, and open doors to new career paths and educational options. One participant reflected on the provision of social capital and shared that their summer internship turned into a long-term position. The mentors with whom they built relationships helped them apply for a college program and find financial aid resources; this participant elaborated on their experience by sharing the following:

For three years I am proud to be in this program. This program taught me something about life and I’m blessed to have been around great people. I will never forget this. I wish the SummerWorks program would never end, but all of the lessons I learned and gained in this program I will use in my everyday life. Also, I met staff who are now great friends that care about me and my life, and I appreciate all the help I get. They have been helping me since day one when I joined the program. I also had great supervisors who guided me through everything at work. I gained confidence and help that got me to college, something I never thought I would do. I will never forget this job, my first job that I ever had.

By building strong relationships with employers, mentors, and program staff, youth participants are exercising the PYD construct of connection. As a result of these relationships, young people develop competence, confidence, caring and compassion. Trusted adults and mentors can help connect youth to resources, establish and grow professional networks; encourage youth to reflect on their strengths; and promote personal growth.

Access to Opportunities

According to youth, SummerWorks promotes access to opportunities in two distinct ways: (a) by creating spaces where youth gain new knowledge that they may not otherwise learn, and (b) by connecting youth to jobs that they feel would not otherwise be accessible. It is important to note that the SummerWorks program and its professional development curriculum were designed based on feedback and input from youth. As a result, youth have the opportunity to learn new information that is often missing from their formal education. Youth frequently shared that the opportunities made available through SummerWorks are not typically available to people their age. One example of this is demonstrated through the types of internships that are offered to program participants. Youth often described their SummerWorks summer internships as being different from the typical summer jobs or first jobs that teenagers can find on their own. Specifically, one person said,

Some people don’t want to work at a fast food place to start off their career. The jobs here are better and more enjoyable. You learn about industries and build skills that most people my age don’t get to. You get to meet other people who are in the same or similar situations you are in. We learn life and work skills that just aren’t taught in school. It’s a great opportunity for young people who want to be a seasoned professional by the time they start college.

Providing opportunities that promote career exploration and equip youth with skills to navigate future educational and work environments is key to supporting young people, particularly those from marginalized communities where quality employment and education may be difficult to access. SummerWorks is doing more than connecting youth with summer income; it provides many young people with their first job (only 52% of 2019 program participants had been previously employed) and a diverse range of employment opportunities that may not otherwise be accessible. One survey respondent said, “SummerWorks gave me an amazing job that I would never get otherwise.” According to the survey, among youth who participated in 2019 and had been employed the previous summer, 68% of them worked in retail stores, fast food chains, or recreational facilities such as movie theaters. Through SummerWorks, youth are connected with more advanced-level positions within the culinary arts, health and social research, government offices, information technology, and marketing and communications (to name a few). In 2019, program participants worked on projects that they felt contributed to the organization’s mission. Contribution is often referred to as the “Sixth C,” or the attribute that youth who are on a positive developmental trajectory will experience (Lerner, 2004). For example, youth were hired to help with county-level climate action plans, programming for an LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer or questioning) youth health center, and community-based policing projects. One participant shared,

I got to be a part of a team doing good, important work . . . It wasn’t like a typical summer job. It was a great experience most teenagers don’t have. I walked away feeling like I made an impact in my community.

Through meeting new people and attending professional development workshops, youth also learned skills that they believe are critical for success in the workforce but that are not taught in school. Specifically, focus group participants identified time management, communication, flexibility, professionalism, work ethic, and other interpersonal skills as essential to being successful at work. Participants also shared that it is often difficult to find other spaces and opportunities to learn about these essential skills; this was not only relevant for interpersonal skills, but for other skills such as interviewing, budgeting, searching for colleges, applying for jobs, and completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). One focus group participant reflected on the fact that SummerWorks was the first opportunity they had to learn about career readiness:

. . . I finally found a class about “College and Career Readiness,” so I took it. They were talking about doing an elevator pitch and I was in class thinking, “y’all are late because I already learned this in SummerWorks,” . . . The soft skills we learn in the program are super important because before the summer, I didn’t know how to act in a professional setting or for a job interview. You don’t learn that in school.

This theme relates to three of the Five Cs of PYD: competence, confidence, and connection. By offering these highly supportive, advanced internships, youth learn new information and gain experience in a professional environment, leading them to learn what they like and do not like in a workplace or future career, establish an identity as a young professional, and develop self-confidence and personal growth as a result.