Enriching Summer Work: An Evaluation of the Summer Career Exploration Program

To determine the impact of the Summer Career Exploration Program (SCEP), a privately funded summer jobs program for low-income teens, P/PV examined the lives of over 1700 applicants. These youth were randomly assigned to participate or to not participate in SCEP in the summer of 1999, and their outcomes were compared at four and twelve months after program application. Researchers found that implementation was strong, but program impacts were less impressive. While SCEPs participants got summer jobs at a substantially higher rate (92%) than the control group (62%), the programs ability to translate this large and immediate summer employment impact into intermediate gains (in terms of future plans, college enrollment, work success, sense of self-efficacy or reduced criminal activity) proved to be negligible. Although impacts were short lived, the report concludes that SCEP and similar programs have an important place in the larger mosaic of supports, programs and opportunities for young people

Exercise as a Potential Treatment for Drug Abuse: Evidence from Preclinical Studies

Epidemiological studies reveal that individuals who engage in regular aerobic exercise are less likely to use and abuse illicit drugs. Until recently, very few studies had examined the causal influences that mediate this relationship, and it was not clear whether exercise was effective at reducing substance use and abuse. In the past few years, several preclinical studies have revealed that exercise reduces drug self-administration in laboratory animals. These studies have revealed that exercise produces protective effects in procedures designed to model different transitional phases that occur during the development of, and recover from, a substance use disorder (e.g., acquisition, maintenance, escalation, and relapse/reinstatement of drug use). Moreover, recent studies have revealed several behavioral and neurobiological consequences of exercise that may be responsible for its protective effects in these assays. Collectively, these studies have provided convincing evidence to support the development of exercise-based interventions to reduce compulsive patterns of drug intake in clinical and at-risk populations

Enriching Summer Work: An Evaluation of the Summer Career Exploration Program (Executive Summary)

This document summarizes the key findings of the Summer Career Exploration Program evaluation

Ranchers Diverse in Their Drought Management Strategies

Farm Management, Livestock Production/Industries,

Dimensions of hope and the school environment: Results from a school-wide needs assessment at an urban high school

Objectives: Various aspects of hope can play a major role in how students from urban locales perceive their school environment. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationships between various dimensions of hope and the school environment as perceived by adolescents at an urban high school. Methods: Data from a school-wide needs assessment measuring urban adolescents’ perceived hope and perceptions of the school environment were analyzed. Results: The analysis from regression models indicate that the dimensions of hope variables can be predicted by perceptions of the school environment. Conclusion: Overall, the urban adolescent hope domains of Spirituality, Personal Agency, Education, and Caring Connections all proved to be important elements correlated with the school environment. Implications of these findings for future research and practice are discusse

Improving understanding of teaching strategies perceived by interprofessional learning (IPL) lecturers to enhance students’ formulation of multidisciplinary roles: an exploratory qualitative study.

Background: interprofessional learning (IPL) is an educational process intended to equip health and social care students with appropriate knowledge, skills, and attitudes for effective interprofessional working. By and large, the literature review highlighted in this article has shown that IPL is a worthwhile pursuit, with some studies highlighting conflicts over best teaching methods to use. In response, the aim of this exploratory research was to improve understandings of teaching strategies perceived by IPL lecturers to enhance students' formulation of multidisciplinary roles.Methods: an exploratory qualitative study was carried out. Semi-structured interviews were conducted, with a purposive sample of 4 consenting IPL lecturers. The objectives of the study were to extend understandings of strategies believed to enhance or inhibit students' accurate assimilation of Allied Health Professional (AHP) roles, to nurture awareness of potential obstacles that may inhibit successful delivery of IPL, to promote insight into what constitutes quality delivery of IPL, and to identify potential topics for further research.Findings: five themes emerged from the data: (1) IPL lecturers hold contrasting viewpoints about the need for IPL; (2) improved understanding of roles is directly proportional to time spent with AHPs; (3) perspectives differ about when and where IPL should be taught; (4) stereotyping and negative attitudes inhibit accurate role construction; and (5) positive role modelling by lecturers is important.Conclusions: this article acts in a conscience-raising manner and highlights five key areas of lecturers' understandings about how to effectively deliver IPL. This nurtured awareness will be used to develop and evaluate new implementations in IPL and education

Improving understanding of teaching strategies perceived by interprofessional learning (IPL) lecturers to enhance students’ formulation of multidisciplinary roles: an exploratory qualitative study.

Background: interprofessional learning (IPL) is an educational process intended to equip health and social care students with appropriate knowledge, skills, and attitudes for effective interprofessional working. By and large, the literature review highlighted in this article has shown that IPL is a worthwhile pursuit, with some studies highlighting conflicts over best teaching methods to use. In response, the aim of this exploratory research was to improve understandings of teaching strategies perceived by IPL lecturers to enhance students' formulation of multidisciplinary roles.Methods: an exploratory qualitative study was carried out. Semi-structured interviews were conducted, with a purposive sample of 4 consenting IPL lecturers. The objectives of the study were to extend understandings of strategies believed to enhance or inhibit students' accurate assimilation of Allied Health Professional (AHP) roles, to nurture awareness of potential obstacles that may inhibit successful delivery of IPL, to promote insight into what constitutes quality delivery of IPL, and to identify potential topics for further research.Findings: five themes emerged from the data: (1) IPL lecturers hold contrasting viewpoints about the need for IPL; (2) improved understanding of roles is directly proportional to time spent with AHPs; (3) perspectives differ about when and where IPL should be taught; (4) stereotyping and negative attitudes inhibit accurate role construction; and (5) positive role modelling by lecturers is important.Conclusions: this article acts in a conscience-raising manner and highlights five key areas of lecturers' understandings about how to effectively deliver IPL. This nurtured awareness will be used to develop and evaluate new implementations in IPL and education