Operationalizing Quality Youth Leadership Programs Within the Context of Summer Camps

Positive youth development (PYD) exists in a variety of out-of-school time settings. Research has demonstrated that PYD occurs when there is an alignment between ecological assets and individual capabilities (Lerner et al., 2005). Participation in youth programs can be a successful strategy for promoting PYD because they can offer youth relationships with supportive adults (Henderson, 2007) who provide opportunities for skill building and community connection (Lerner, 2004). More specifically, the camp setting has been shown to offer a variety of positive outcomes for youth by providing developmental opportunities across social, physical, cognitive, and spiritual domains of adolescent development (Garst et al., 2011). Additionally, camp settings often offer a role between counselor and camper to encourage young people to gradually progress into staff roles by completing specific training requirements (Riley et al., 2021). These roles are often labeled as a “counselor-in-training” (CIT). CIT programs often target participants who are interested in becoming future camp counselors, and they provide opportunities for youth to develop their skills for both the camp setting and the general workforce (Kendellen et al., 2016). Despite the popularity of CIT programs, research related to youth leadership development programs in the camp space is sparse. This dissertation aims to further understand the CIT program experience by investigating the qualities that make up successful programs and their relationships to developmental outcomes. Starting with a Delphi approach, camp industry experts developed a list of criteria necessary for top-tier CIT programs. These characteristics were then explored for potential scale development via confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Five major themes that support CIT program outcomes were developed as a result of these research studies: (1) staff expectations, (2) staff behaviors, (3) program structure, (4) supportive camp culture, and (5) developmental objectives. CFA did not produce a verifiable scale. However, it did indicate that there may be some support that the proposed theoretical model created from the Delphi process and cognitive interviews aligns with the data. This dissertation also explores the creation of a conceptual model to highlight the theoretical pathways that may contribute to positive youth outcomes within CIT programs. This conceptual model is informed by previously collected data from the Delphi study and CFA, providing empirical support for its proposed pathways. Additionally, this conceptual model reflects the underlying perspective of PYD: with the right conditions, CIT programs can support youth as they mature into adults. Lastly, this dissertation hopes to facilitate a theoretical and data-driven exploration of CIT programs. The study findings outline strategies to assist camp provides with the facilitation of their CIT program and create a more intentional opportunity for PYD within the camp settings. Camp professionals should think critically about how they implement CIT programs and consider all factors that contribute to desired program outcomes. This dissertation also highlights the need to diversify camp spaces, conduct longitudinal research on CIT outcomes, and explore the creation of national policies for CIT program structure and standards.