Exploring Black and Latino High School Youths' Lived Experiences in Step up: A Multi-Component Program Applying a Positive Youth Development Lens

Background: Inner-city Black and Latino youth are at particularly high risk of leaving high school early (Barton, 2005; Heppen & Bowles Therriault, 2008). Research on educational disparities between racial and ethnic groups suggests that a student’s educational trajectory is affected by environmental factors as well as developmental skills (Alicea, Pardo, Conover, Gopalan, & McKay, 2011; Henry, Knight, & Thornberry, 2012). For example, exposure to stressors such as poverty, substance abuse, and community violence leads to inherent disadvantages in youth’s cognitive and behavioral development, resulting in difficulties in adapting to the school environment (Black & Krishnakumar, 1998; Evans, 2004; Schwartz & Gorman, 2003). STEP UP, a multi-component program informed by Social Action Theory and a positive youth development framework, was developed in 2008 and has served over 450 high school students in over 8 different schools. Quantitative findings from prior studies indicated a need for examining participants’ social-emotional development, thus, the purpose of this qualitative study was to explore Black and Latino high school youths’ lived experiences in STEP UP.

Methods: Individual, semi-structured interviews were conducted twice, at beginning and at the completion of the program, with fifteen adolescents. Participants were asked about personal changes, future goals and accomplishments based on their experience in STEP UP. Interviews were audio recorded and lasted between 30 and 60 minutes. Audio files were transcribed and analyzed using Dedoose. Thematic analysis was employed.

Results: Based on participants’ interviews, STEP UP provided mentoring, a safe collective space for personal growth, and opportunities to enhance their social, emotional, and life skills. Participants indicated that the group sessions and individual mentoring provided a safe, non-judgmental space for them to explore issues they confronted. Through group participation participants gained a feeling of “connectedness to each other”.  Adult role models were perceived by students as positive supportive mentors providing a space to discuss difficult emotions and life challenges. Participants also discussed skills, specifically learning coping strategies, communication skills, and ways to manage relationships and conflicts which they were able to integrate, apply and transfer to other parts of their lives.   

Implications: Based on students’ experiences in Step Up, the findings from this study indicate that mentoring from adults, peer interactions, a safe space to discuss tough issues, and opportunities to develop social and life skills were most meaningful when staff made students’ feel positive and hopeful about their future. Using a positive youth development framework appears to be a promising way for working with youth experiencing difficult social and emotional problems at home and in peer relationships, as well as struggling with academic goals. Additional research is needed to further examine how participants perceive STEP UP affects their decision-making processes and behaviors when confronted with challenging situations.