Goals of the Program Evaluation
One of the main tasks of the educational program is to meet the needs and desires of the community. To do this, it is necessary to know precisely the type of clients on whom the intervention will focus and base all other aspects of the program formation on this. As part of this work, the Nantucket Boys and Girls Club will be evaluated.
The primary purpose of this process is to determine to what extent this approach addresses the developmental needs, risk factors, and resilience factors of the involved children. An important aspect is also the provision of proposals to address the gaps present, thereby improving the organization’s activities. To evaluate the intervention, a study of the target audience, its primary needs and risk factors, and the program’s implementation will be conducted.
School-Based Program
The primary focus of this research paper is the examination of a school-based program called the Nantucket Boys and Girls Club. It is stated that “through programs and activities stressing academic achievement, good character & citizenship, and health lifestyles, the NBGC offers a variety of recreational, cultural, social and sports-oriented experiences for members” (“What we do,” n.d., para. 1). At the moment, the examined program focuses on attracting children from the first to the twelfth grade, which is a reasonably extensive target group of the intervention. As part of this work, attention will be paid to the 13- to 18-year-old age group.
Developmental Needs, Risk, and Resiliency Factors
The following step is to identify the primary developmental needs, risks, and resilience factors of the selected age group. This aspect is valuable because, in the future, it will serve as a basis for analyzing how school-based programs address these indicators. For adolescents aged 13 to 18, the developmental need in the context of the program is to learn and improve their communication skills. This aspect involves learning how to make friends by developing empathy and interpersonal skills.
Peer pressure becomes the leading risk factor for the selected age group and, as a result, the development of mental problems. Another undesirable consequence may also be the development of risk-taking behavior. The main resilience factors for adolescents include appropriate developmental support and high self-esteem. These aspects will help limit the risk of factors and other adverse effects affecting individuals.
Services Provided by the Program
The Nantucket Boys and Girls Club offers a wide variety of after-school activities that support the development of its target audience. For the chosen age group, initiatives such as Youth of the Year and Boys & Girls Club, which focus on training future leaders and providing an understanding of the world of economics, are especially relevant. Another service is Money Matters, which “promotes financial responsibility and independence, where participants learn how to manage a checking account, create a budget, save and invest, start small businesses and pay for college” (“Nantucket boys & girls club programs,” n.d., para. 1). On the other hand, individuals are also invited to take part in the stand up & learn fall kids camp. This program aims to develop creative writing, communication, and critical thinking skills, and to increase students’ confidence.
References
Nantucket boys & girls club programs. (n.d.). Nantucket and Boys & Girls Club.
What we do. (n.d.). Nantucket and Boys & Girls Club.