Improving Outreach Activities — Mentoring Youth in a Structured Skills-Based Development Program Increases Personal Growth of College Students Studying Abroad
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.36366/frontiers.v35i1.574Keywords:
outreach, service-learning, program design, marine conservationAbstract
As study abroad education becomes increasingly common, so does the need to understand how different outreach opportunities alter the study abroad experience. To determine how outreach program design links to perceptions of personal growth, we surveyed 72 college students who participated in different youth outreach activities while studying abroad. Being a mentor in a sequenced, active, focused, and explicit (SAFE) youth outreach program increased the probability of perceived personal growth in college students by 27% relative to unstructured outreach activities in the same location. Thus, we suggest the SAFE framework be considered when designing youth outreach activities. Additionally, 44% of respondents considered outreach options as a factor when selecting a study abroad program. Combined, these findings provide an incentive for study abroad organizations to invest in structured youth outreach opportunities for their clientele—in what may be a triple-win opportunity for study abroad organizations, their students, and youth in host country locations.
Abstract in SpanishA medida que los programas para estudiar en el extranjero se vuelven más comunes, también lo hace la necesidad de entender cómo los diferentes programas de voluntariado impactan la experiencia de estudiar en el extranjero. Para determinar cómo el diseño de programas de intercambio se relaciona con la percepción de crecimiento personal en la población estudiantil encuestamos a 72 estudiantes universitarios que participaron en diferentes actividades de voluntariado para jóvenes mientras estudiaban en el extranjero. Ser mentor en un programa de alcance juvenil secuenciado, activo, enfocado y explícito (SAFE) aumentó la probabilidad de crecimiento personal percibido en estudiantes universitarios en un 27 % en relación con las actividades de alcance no estructurado en el mismo lugar. Con estos hallazgos, sugerimos que se considere el marco SAFE al diseñar actividades de intercambio para jóvenes. Asimismo, el 44% de los encuestados consideró las opciones de voluntariado como un factor al seleccionar un programa de estudios en el extranjero. Combinados, estos hallazgos brindan un incentivo para que las organizaciones de estudios en el extranjero inviertan en oportunidades estructuradas de alcance juvenil para su clientela, en lo que puede ser una oportunidad triplemente beneficiosa para las organizaciones de estudios en el extranjero, sus estudiantes y los jóvenes en las ubicaciones del país anfitrión.
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Copyright (c) 2022 Lily Z. Zhao, Katherine E. Keil, Brittany L. Flittner, Samantha D. Farquhar, Edward H. Allison
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