1. Situational Analysis

One of the basic principles of youth program development for adolescents is that the program must be based on factual information and valid data. The change agent should be equipped with the necessary skills to conduct a situational analysis of the target audience. With the availability of valid data on the community, the change agent will be able to:

1. Gauge the situation at hand

1. Determine the actual needs and problems

1. Delineate the objectives to be realized

1. Identify the local leaders and individuals that can contribute to ensuring the program’s success.
2. Identify the adolescents’ sub-culture, beliefs, and value system that will provide the guide to teach the desirable changes.

2. Formulating Program Objectives

An objective is a statement of adolescents’ behavioral change(s) that need to be realized. Behavioral changes refer to the change in knowledge, attitude, and practice. A correct statement of objective provides the direction of change and acts as a guide for selecting learning activities.

There are several considerations in formulating objectives. Firstly, it should be written in a manner that describes what the learner will experience and not what the change agent will do. Thus, it is suggested that the statement of an objective begin with At the

completion of the program, the adolescents in school X will be able to apply the problem-solving skills Each statement of objective should contain the following elements: the target audience (e.g., 20 selected teenagers in school W); the behavioral change (e.g., a realization of the importance, having knowledge and skills in decision making ); the content (e.g., problem-solving/decision making); and the standard (e.g., approved by the experts, within two months).

Thirdly, each objective should be based on the need of the audience. Fourthly, the statement of objective should begin with where the audiences are. In summary, the objective should be stated with the following criteria: specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, having a time frame, educational and revisable (SMARTER).

The SMARTER way of developing the program objectives is for adolescents’ centered. With the emphasis on the learners, it is envisaged that the empowering process will be enhanced the

desired lifestyles of responsible adolescents will prevail.

 

3. Determining and Selecting Educational Experiences and Learning Methods/Strategies

Learning experiences are the activities that adolescents will be exposed to realize their learning objectives. They encompass mental and hands-on experiences that capitalize on all the sense organs of the learners. The learning experiences may include learning that an adolescent gathers through seeing (e.g., observing the steps in public speaking), hearing (listening to talk on the importance of having a career), touching (compäring the surface of an original compact disc to that of an imitation) and doing (having hands-on experience in computer maintenance). When formulating the learning experiences for a positive impact on the adolescents, the following considerations prove to be useful:

1. Feeling proud to be a member/participant
2. Gaining multiple benefits
3. Unique experiences
4. Challenging
5. Incremental development
6. Becoming a model to others
7. Being acknowledged and recognized
8. In-thing, up to date
9. Having renowned figure as patron
10. Guided for worldly and success in the hereafter

As emphasized in the previous paragraph, the change agent should develop learning experiences that facilitate the active involvement of the target audience. Concurrently, the agent has to ensure that the learning experiences are formulated to enhance the attainment of the learning objectives. For these purposes. he may use the following screens to select the learning experiences:

1. Provide opportunities for the learner to do hands-on activities
2. Provide the learner with some level of satisfaction
3. Start where the learners are
4. Provide several experiences for attaining a similar objective
5. Provide experiences that can give several outcomes

After formulating the learning objectives, the subsequent task of the change agent is to select the appropriate teaching-learning methods that will enhance the transfer of innovation and facilitate the active participation of the people in the community. There are arrays of methods that the change agent can choose from; These methods may be categorized into three groups: individual method, group method, and mats method. Agents should be able to choose the right methods for the right occasion. The following set of criteria may be used as a guide in choosing the appropriate methods for bringing about desirable change for the adolescents:

1. Sources the availability of the fund, expertise, and facilities associated with using a particular method.
2. Behavioral change to be achieved – whether it is for achieving change in knowledge, attitude or practice.
3. Characteristics of target audiences whether they are psychologically, intellectually, and physically ready to participate.
4. Change agent – whether he has the knowledge and skills to employ a particular method effectively.
5. Process of teaching-learning — whether the process involves motivation, maintaining continuity, or getting feedback.

 

4. Plan of Work

This section summarizes the previous discussion on program development in a single table. The work plan is developed to provide both the change agent and the adolescents a fast reference in implementing the program – especially in guiding the preparation before implementation. Basically, the work plan refers to a schedule of activities for one particular program.

It is recommended that a plan of work have at least six columns. The first column states the objective or content of the program. The next column indicates the methods/how and learning experiences to achieve the objective (e.g., lectures, visits, exhibits). The third column specifies the date/when the methods or learning experiences will be conducted. The following column identifies the individuals responsible for conducting the methods. The fifth column. It is about the venue where the methods and learning experiences will be held. The final column allows space for the change to write additional notes/remarks. One plan of work is for one program. If the change agent formulates two programs for a group of adolescents, he will have to develop two work plans.

 

5. Program Implementation

A lot of hard work has gone into developing a program blueprint to bring about desirable changes for adolescents. As mentioned earlier that planning without implementation is futile. However, haphazard implementation is wasteful and may invite uncalled problems. Thus, before the implementation proper, the charge agent should give adequate attention to the following:

1. Training the facilitators
2. Unfreezing the mind of the adolescents
3. Publicity
4. Mobilizing the resources and facilities
5. Managing and supervising the match between flow and schedule
6. Sensitive to participants’ needs
7. Managing time effectively

As the program development is directed toward empowering the adolescents, the young people should be mobilized systematically through:

1. Helping adolescents feel valued
2. Promoting involvement
3. Handling complaints on the spot
4. Managing risk
5. Promoting leadership
6. Creating Environment – exceeding expectations, elements of surprise, attending to details that make the difference.
7. Creating the connection – personal contact and promoting a healthy relationship.

 

6. Program Evaluation

Evaluation forms yet another major component of the program development process. The sub-processes of evaluation include:

1. Monitoring.
2. Process evaluation (formative).
3. End evaluation (summative).
4. Reactive and proactive feedback.
5. Ensuring continuity

The sub-processes show that evaluation is conducted before, during, and at the end of the program development processes. Planning for the evaluation process should be done at the initial stage of the process and in conjunction with the other two major processes. The following questions pertaining to program evaluation should be answered during the planning stage of the program development process:

1. Who should do the monitoring and evaluation?
2. What should be evaluated?
3. What is the appropriate method to conduct the evaluation?
4. How should the monitoring and evaluation be implemented?

The feedback gathered from the evaluation is critical in ensuring that the orientation of the program development is adolescents-centered. The following list may be employed when reflecting on the feedback gathered:

1. National integration
2. Innovativeness
3. Future orientation
4. Getting things right the first time
5. Constant and continuous improvement
6. Attention to detail
7. Belief in service
8. Anticipatory planning
9. Performance measurements
10. Elimination of negativism
11. World-ready adolescents

 

Prof. Azimi Hamzah