Targeting risk and protective factors of youth participating in Red Cross Leadership Development

1
Targeting risk and protective factors of youth
participating in Red Cross Leadership Development

• Sandra OwenGeorgia State UniversityLeisle
  MimsAmerican Red Cross

2
Purpose

• Identify risk behaviors and protective factors of
  students attending Red Cross Youth Leadership
  training
• Target workshop activities to risk behaviors
  identified through the administration of the
  Developmental Asset Survey (Search Institute)
  and
• Demonstrate a decrease in risk behaviors and an
  increase in protective factors

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Questions

• What are the most frequent protective factors?

• What are the most frequent risk factors?
• How do Metro Atlanta Red Cross Youth compare to
  the national youth sample?
• How did targeted activities change risk and
  protective factors?

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SignificanceRisk behaviors decrease as Assets
increase
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Forty Developmental Assets

• External
• Support, Empowerment, Boundaries,
  Expectations, Constructive Use of Time
• Internal
• Commitment to Learn, Positive Values, Social
  Competencies, Positive Identity

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Eight Thriving Indicators

• School Success
• Informal helping
• Valuing diversity
• Maintaining good health
• Exhibiting leadership
• Resisting danger
• Impulse control
• Overcoming adversity

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Methods

• Surveyed 175 high school students registered to
  attend the Red Cross Leadership training (pre
  test administered in January, 2001)
• Workshop content, skill building activities, and
  community service project targeted from pre test
  results (training in June,2001)
• Resurveyed initial 175 students
• through youth councils
• (post test administered in
• December, 2001)

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Pre Test Findings

• Sample Description
• Gender 67 female 33 male
• Ethnicity 63 African American
• 18 Caucasian
• 9 Asian
• 5 Hispanic
• 5 Multiracial
• Number of Developmental Assets
• Red Cross Youth 24
• National Sample 18

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Risk Behaviors to TargetPretest Findings

• External
• Community values youth 31
• Quality family communication 34
• Positive adult role model(s) 35
• Caring neighborhood 38
• Internal
• Planning ahead, making decisions 44
• Resolving conflict peacefully 49
• Resist peer pressure 54

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Youth at Risk (Pretest)

• Thirty-two percent (32) of
• the sample was identified at
• high risk (vulnerable for all
• four risk behaviors).
• Of that 32,
• 96 likely to be violent
• 83 likely to use alcohol
• 61 likely to use drugs
• 54 likely to have unsafe
• sex

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Protective Factors (Pre test)

• Achievement motivation 84
• Integrity (acts on commitment) 83
• Positive view of personal future 83
• Honesty
  75

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Comparison of Asset Levels
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Conclusion

• Red Cross was successful in decreasing risk
  behaviors and increasing protective factors in a
  high school group attending targeted workshop
  content, skill building sessions and community
  service project.
• This model is currently being
• shared with other Red Cross
• chapters across the country.