National Youthworker Education
Project records
Summary Information
National Youthworker
Education Project records
1973-1986
University of
Minnesota, Center for Youth Development, National Youthworker Education
Project
32.5 linear
feet
Language: English
sw0082
The National
Youthworker Education Project (NYEP) began as an initiative of the University
of Minnesota's Center for Youth Development and Research to improve the quality
of youth-serving organizations. Based on the conclusions of
Project Girl, the NYEP noted that
"young people tended not to perceive the opportunities available in the
voluntary youth serving organizations." Beginning in 1975, the NYEP started a
wide-ranging educational program in order to make youth organizations more
"relevant" to adolescents. With financial support and program collaboration
from the Eli Lilly Endowment, NYEP gained the participation of eight national
"girl-serving" organizations: American National Red Cross, Big Brothers/Big
Sisters, Camp Fire Girls, 4-H, Girls Clubs of America, Girl Scouts, YWCA, and
the United Neighborhood Centers of America. The National Youthworker Education
Project records consist of administrative records, such as correspondence and
project summaries; subject and reference files; and file of evaluations,
correspondence, and questionnaires from project participants.
University of
Minnesota Libraries. Social Welfare History
Archives
Access and Use
Open for use in Social Welfare History Archives reading room.
Please consult Archives staff.
Arrangement
- Series 1. Administrative Materials
- Series 2. Subject Files
- Series 3. Reference Files
- Series 4. NYEP In-Service Seminar Participant Files
Historical Note
The National Youthworker Education Project (NYEP) began as an
initiative of the University of Minnesota's Center for Youth Development and
Research to improve the quality of youth-serving organizations. Based on the
conclusions of Project Girl, the NYEP noted that "young people tended not to
perceive the opportunities available in the voluntary youth serving
organizations." Beginning in 1975, the NYEP started a wide-ranging educational
program in order to make youth organizations more "relevant" to adolescents.
With financial support and program collaboration from the Eli Lilly Endowment,
NYEP gained the participation of eight national "girl-serving" organizations:
American National Red Cross, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Camp Fire Girls, 4-H,
Girls Clubs of America, Girl Scouts, YWCA, and the United Neighborhood Centers
of America.
The project was divided into two distinct phases. From 1975 to 1977,
Phase I concentrated on an intensive two week or ten day educational seminar
for selected staff from the participating youth organizations. Each of these
seminars, which were held in Minneapolis, consisted of about 20 youth workers.
The seminars covered a wide range of adolescent concerns and addressed how a
youth organization could best meet these needs. The participants were
encouraged to draw up "action plans," whereby the new information gained at the
conference could be applied at the local level. A major effort of NYEP was to
follow the progress of the "action plans." As a result, a follow up conference
was held three months after the initial Minneapolis seminar. At these
conferences, which were held in Indianapolis, the participants discussed the
progress of implementing their respective action plans. By the end of Phase I,
a total of 29 intensive education seminars were held in Minnesota, with 589
youth workers participating. Meanwhile, in addition to the 33 "follow up"
sessions that were held in Indianapolis, the NYEP resulted in a number of
spin-off seminars and workshops located in Minneapolis, Indianapolis, Kansas
City, Waterloo, San Francisco, Memphis, and Trenton.
All Phase I participants were asked to evaluate their educational
experiences in the seminars. The reports consisted not only of daily
evaluations while the sessions were in progress, but also long range follow ups
occurring from three to six months after completion of the conference. In
total, approximately 97% of the Phase I participants indicated a "high degree
of satisfaction" with the NYEP project. More difficult to evaluate was the
impact of the NYEP on the activities of youth organizations. However, according
to one national study, the NYEP "made a significant contribution to youthwork."
(Corder-Bolz Judy and D. Susan Wisely. An Evaluation of
the National Youth Worker Education Project: a summary report . Austin,
Texas: Southwest Educational Laboratory, 1980.)
The second stage of the NYEP project, Phase II, continued from 1978 to
1981. The second phase was "designed to provide additional links to the growing
network of collaborative and cross-organizational services." One special focus
of Phase II was emphasis on the non-affiliated adolescent. The NYEP argued that
youth organizations offered a "non-stigmatizing" environment for the adolescent
"experiencing serious life conflicts." According to the NYEP, the essential
characteristic of a successful youth organization was its ability cooperate
with other youth organizations and other local institutions, such as the
juvenile justice system. Although the NYEP staff recognized "local boards with
community reactions" may hamper implementation of a collaborative system, the
empahsized that "communication and planning" needed to be "extended and
reinforced."
As in Phase I, Phase II of the NYEP included educational sessions in
Minneapolis. The participants in these seminars were chosen by recommendation
of Phase I participants and applicants. Among the necessary qualifications were
affiliation with one of the eight major youth organizations and experience in
youth work. After the Minneapolis conference, regional follow ups were held in
eight geographic areas. Unlike the Phase I follow ups, the 1978 to 1979 Phase
II conferences represented a greater cooperative effort between the NYEP and
the large, national youth organizations. For example, the national
organizations offered financial incentives for former participants to attend
the follow up workshops. The eight national youth organization executives also
attended a special "mini session" in Indianapolis for the purpose of
"intensifying" their commitment to the NYEP.
Although the NYEP was designed as a national project, the Twin Cities
area of Minnesota received special attention from the staff of the Center for
Youth Development and Research. In effect, the Twin Cities area offered an
opportunity to witness the effects of a national educational effort on a local
community. Because of requests from the executives and staffs of youth-serving
agencies in Minneapolis and St. Paul, the directors of the NYEP, Gisela Konopka
and Ruth Teeter, planned a condensed presentation of the regular NYEP seminars
for the local youth workers. By 1979, it was determined that the format of the
NYEP seminar could be developed into a special summer seminar at the University
of Minnesota. The large majority of the students in these summer seminars came
from the immediate Twin Cities area.
Another important local effort of the NYEP occurred in Indianapolis.
The Indiana project concentrated on training consultation, direct training, and
the "stimulation of collaborative efforts." In 1976, eight former NYEP
participants founded the Indianapolis Girl Serving Alliance. The NYEP viewed
the Alliance as a "laboratory" for demonstrating the effectiveness of the NYEP
program. The Alliance's position paper called for more coordinated programming
and more opportunities for "girls in trouble." The follow-up meetings of the
Indianapolis group served as a model for the Phase II regional follow up
conferences. At the local level, the Indianapolis program evidenced both
success and limitations. While the Alliance became an important center for
youth worker information, it also identified a high incidence of "burn out"
among workers, who often felt powerless in implementing recommendations.
By 1981, the active portion of the NYEP was completed. In the period
of five years, several thousand youth workers participated in the NYEP's
training and follow up seminars. The responses of the participants showed a
high degree of interest in the ideas presented. Moreover, the use of action
plans allowed for the implementation of participant ideas. Yet, as the NYEP
recognized, Action Plans were "a beginning step in planning and implementing
change." Such change proved difficult to achieve immediately. Both lack of
money and local organizational problems caused a great number of the action
plans to fall behind schedule. Nonetheless, the NYEP's action plans suggested
that community problems could be "addressed from more than one vantage point."
Collection Scope and Content Note
The National Youthworker Education Project records document the
funding and organization of the project, the training of project staff, and
interactions with participating youth agencies. Of note are the letters of NYEP
director, Gisela Konopka, to the eight youth organizations involved in the
project and to the Eli Lilly Endowment. The records also include final
conference summaries, follow-up studies, and action plans. These help to
document project outcomes. Daily conference summaries provide information on
specific programs and individual participant evaluations describe the
background and goals of conference attendees. The reference materials consist
of publications on youth organizations and youth-related issues in general that
were used by project staff.
Related Material
Researchers who are interested in youth work for girls and the work of
Gisela Konopka at the University of Minnesota Center for Youth Development and
Research should also see the guide to the
Project Girl records. The
Gisela Konopka
papers are available in the University Archives, University of
Minnesota Libraries.
Unpublished inventory available. Please contact Archives for more
information.
Subject Terms
- This collection is indexed under the following headings in the catalog
of the University of Minnesota Libraries. Researchers desiring materials about
related topics, persons or places should search the catalog using these
headings.
- Konopka,
Gisela
- Youth workers
- National Youthworker Education
Project
Contents List
| Location |
Title |
| |
Series 1. Administrative Materials
Note Series 1 contains correspondence between the staff of the NYEP and
the youth organizations that were affiliated with the project. Of special
importance are the letters of the NYEP director, Gisela Konopka, to the eight
youth organizations and the Eli Lilly Endowment. Konopka's role in the
organization and training of the staff is also prominent in the correspondence.
The administrative records also include the final summaries of the Phase I
regional conferences and follow up workshops. These records review the
activities and decisions reached during the early portion of the NYEP. The
conference summaries also include participant lists and final action plans.
Series 1 also contains the complete records of the special Summer Seminars,
which ran from 1979 to 1981, and the NYEP's final reports to the Eli Lilly
Endowment.
|
|
Box 1 |
Adolescent Girl National Conference, 1975 Box 1, Folder 1 to 3
|
| |
Assignment of Staff Box 1, Folder 4
|
| |
Audio-Visual Proposals Box 1, Folder 5
|
| |
Biographical Sketch of Ruth Teeter Box 1, Folder 6
|
| |
Conferences and Follow up Conferences, 1976-1979 Box 1, Folder 7 to 50
|
| |
Conference Summary, 1979 Box 2, Folder 1
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Congratulations Box 2, Folder 2
|
| |
Content for Training Box 2, Folder 3
Note Gunason’s Reports
|
| |
Correspondence |
|
Box 2 |
Accommodations Box 2, Folder 4
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| |
American Red Cross Box 2, Folder 5 to 6
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Big Sisters Box 2, Folder 7 to 8
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| |
Book, "Young Girls" Box 2, Folder 9
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Book of readings Box 2, Folder 10
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Camp Fire Girls Box 2, Folder 11 t o12
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Collaborators Box 2, Folder 13
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| |
Correction Officials Box 2, Folder 14
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4-H Box 2, Folder 15
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| |
Girls Clubs of America Box 2, Folder 16 to 17
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Girl Scouts Box 2, Folder 18 to 19
|
| |
General 1976 Box 2, Folder 20 to 21
|
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Israeli Program Officials Box 2, Folder 22
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Konopka’s Retirement Symposium Box 2, Folder 23
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Lilly Endowment, 1975-1981 Box 2, Folder 24
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Local Girl Serving Organizations Box 2, Folder 25
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| |
Miscellaneous Box 2, Folder 26 to 28
|
| |
National Federation of Settlements and Neighborhood
Houses (United Neighborhood Centers of America) Box 2, Folder 29 to 30
|
| |
National Organization Box 2, Folder 31 to 32
|
| |
Professional Consultants Box 2, Folder 33
|
| |
Staff (College of Home Economics) Box 2, Folder 34 to 35
|
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United Sates Department of Agriculture Box 2, Folder 36
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Workshop Sites Box 2, Folder 37
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YWCA Box 2, Folder 38 to 39
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Evaluation of Local Community Response, 1979 Box 2, Folder 40
|
| |
Facilities Box 2, Folder 41
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| |
Final Report to Lily Endowment Box 2, Folder 42
|
| |
Follow Up Workshops |
|
Box 3 |
Minneapolis, 1978 Box 3, Folder 1
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| |
Indianapolis, 1978 Box 3, Folder 2
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Kansas City, 1978 Box 3, Folder 3
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Dallas Ft. Worth, 1978 Box 3, Folder 4
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San Francisco, 1978 Box 3, Folder 5
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Los Angeles, 1978 Box 3, Folder 6
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Denver, 1979 Box 3, Folder 7
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Seattle, 1979 Box 3, Folder 8
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Ashland, 1979 Box 3, Folder 9
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New Brunswick, 1979 Box 3, Folder 10
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Memphis, 1979 Box 3, Folder 11
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Memphis, 1979 Box 3, Folder 12
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Washington, D.C., 1979 Box 3, Folder 13
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"Florida" Tampa, 1980 Box 3, Folder 14
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Box 4 |
Grant Agreement for "Phase II" Box 4, Folder 1
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Indianapolis Conference Box 4, Folder 2
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| |
Information on Earle Brown Continuing Education
Center Box 4, Folder 3
|
| |
Interim Report to Lily Endowment, 1975-1979 Box 4, Folder 4 to 9
|
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Lily Endowment Financial Disbursements, 1975-1980 Box 4, Folder 10 to 14
|
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Lily Endowment Reports, 1973, 1974, 1977, 1979 Box 4, Folder 15 to 17
|
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Juvenile Justice Program Collaboration Box 4, Folder 18
|
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Liaison Coordinators (Phase II) Box 4, Folder 19
|
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Master Forms Box 4, Folder 20
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Memorandum of Agreement Box 4, Folder 21
|
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My Day Information Box 4, Folder 22
|
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National Organizations’ Action Plans and Follow
Ups Box 4, Folder 23 to24
|
| |
Newsletter, "Update," 1978-1980 Box 4, Folder 25
|
| |
Organizational Write Ups Box 4, Folder 26
|
| |
Program, Conference Summary |
|
Box 5 |
Indianapolis, 1978 Box 5, Folder 1
|
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Minneapolis, 1978 Box 5, Folder 2
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Kansas City, 1978 Box 5, Folder 3
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Dallas Ft. Worth, 1978 Box 5, Folder 4
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San Francisco, 1978 Box 5, Folder 5
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Los Angeles, 1978 Box 5, Folder 6
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Denver, 1979 Box 5, Folder 7
|
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Seattle, 1979 Box 5, Folder 8
|
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New Brunswick, 1979 Box 5, Folder 9
|
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Memphis, 1979 Box 5, Folder 10
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Memphis, 1979 Box 5, Folder 11
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Washington, D.C., 1979 Box 5, Folder 12
|
| |
Programs, 1976-1980 Box 5, Folder 13 to 14
|
| |
Project Report, 1975-1977 Box 5, Folder 15
|
| |
Proposal for Extension of Lily Endowment Box 5, Folder 16
|
| |
Proposal for Indiana State Project on Adolescent
Services Box 5, Folder 17
|
| |
Regional Surveys Box 5, Folder 18
|
| |
Report for First Project Year, 1976 Box 5, Folder 19
|
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Request for Youth Worker Bibliography Box 5, Folder 20 to 21
|
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Session Evaluation Summaries Box 5, Folder 22
|
| |
Small Group Session Evaluations, 1976 Box 5, Folder 23 31
|
| |
Staff list Box 5, Folder 32
|
| |
Staff Material (College of Home Economics) Box 5, Folder 33
|
| |
Staff Minutes, 1975-1979 Box 5, Folder 34 to 35
|
| |
Summary Report to Lily Endowment on Impact on
4-H, 1980 Box 5, Folder 36
|
| |
Summer Seminar |
|
Box 6 |
General, 1979-1981 Box 6, Folder 1 to 4
|
| |
Acceptances, 1979 Box 6, Folder 5 to 6
|
| |
Activities, 1979 Box 6, Folder 7
|
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Applications, 1980 Box 6, Folder 8
|
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Assignment, 1980 Box 6, Folder 9
|
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Credit Information, 1979 Box 6, Folder 10
|
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Correspondence with Interested Persons, 1979 Box 6, Folder 11
|
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Evaluations, 1979-1980 Box 6, Folder 12 to 13
|
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Future Plans, 1980 Box 6, Folder 14
|
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Graded Action Plans Box 6, Folder 15
|
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Meetings, 1979 Box 6, Folder 16
|
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Overview Schedules, 1979 Box 6, Folder 17
|
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Publications, 1979-1980 Box 6, Folder 18
|
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Rejections, 1980 Box 6, Folder 19
|
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Youthwork, 1980 Box 6, Folder 20
|
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Box 7 |
Training Program in Indiana Box 7, Folder 1
|
| |
Traveling Library Box 7, Folder 2
|
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Time Tables Box 7, Folder 3
|
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Workbook Action Plans, 1976-1977 Box 7, Folder 4
|
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Youthwork Bibliography Box 7, Folder 5
|
| |
Youthwork Readings Box 7, Folder 6 to 7
|
| |
Series 2. Subject Files
Note Series 2, Subject Files, contains a detailed review of the local
and regional educational conferences. While the administrative materials in
Series 1 concentrated on the final results of such conferences, the Subject
Files include the daily summaries and a listing of the participant action
plans. The participants' daily evaluations served as a measure for determining
the effectiveness of individual programs. Series 2 also contains a more
thorough listing of the participants' background and goals in the participant
information surveys. In addition to the national educational conferences, the
Subject files offer a complete review of the Twin Cities Youthworker Education
Project's 1977 seminar. Finally, the subject files include, in the form of
computer print outs and a computer code book, the methodology employed to draw
conclusions from the data in the participants' daily evaluations.
|
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Box 9 |
Computer Code Book Box 9, Folder 1
|
| |
Computer Print Outs Box 9, Folder
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Box 10 |
Daily Evaluations, 1976 Box 10, Folder 1 to 21
|
|
Box 11 |
Daily Evaluations, 1979 Box 11, Folder 1 to 22
|
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Box 12 |
Evaluation of 8 Day Education Sessions, 1978-1979 Box 12, Folder 1 to 5
|
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Evaluation, Summary for Sessions, 1977 Box 12, Folder 6
|
| |
Evaluation of 10 Day Education Sessions, 1977-1978 Box 12, Folder 7 to 20
|
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Evaluation, Twin Cities Sessions, 1978 Box 12, Folder 21 to 23
|
| |
Evaluation Two Week Educations Sessions, 1976 Box 12, Folder 24 to 27
|
| |
Final Project Evaluations, 1976-1977 Box 12, Folder 28 to 37
|
|
Box 13 |
Final Project Evaluations, 1977 Box 13, Folder 1 to 5
|
| |
Forms Box 13, Folder 6
|
| |
Interim Evaluation Summaries, 1976 Box 13, Folder 7
|
| |
Letters of Appreciation, 1977 Box 13, Folder 8
|
| |
Local (Twin Cities) Conference Packet, 1977 Box 13, Folder 9 to 10
|
| |
Memoranda Concerning Action Plans, 1977-1979 Box 13, Folder 11
|
| |
Observer Ratings of the Participants, 1978 Box 13, Folder 12
|
| |
Participant Follow up Survey, 1978-1979 Box 13, Folder 13 to 14
|
| |
Participant Information, 1976-1979 Box 13, Folder 15 to 26
|
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Participant Information Surveys, 1976-1978 Box 13, Folder 27 to 35
|
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Participant Information for Twin Cities, 1977 Box 13, Folder 36 to 37
|
|
Box 14 |
Participant Letters, 1977 Box 14, Folder 1
|
| |
Participant Information (Both Phase I and Phase
II) Box 14, Folder 2
|
| |
Participant Lists, 1979 Box 14, Folder 3 to 15
|
| |
Participant Surveys (Phase II), 1978-1979 Box 14, Folder 16 to 26
|
| |
Action Plans |
|
Box 8 |
American Red Cross Box 8, Folder 1
|
| |
Big Brothers and Big Sisters Box 8, Folder 2
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| |
Camp Fire Box 8, Folder 3
|
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Corrections Box 8, Folder 4
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4-H Box 8, Folder 5
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General, 1978-1979 Box 8, Folder 6
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Girls Clubs of America Box 8, Folder 7
|
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Girl Scouts Box 8, Folder 8
|
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National Federation of Settlements and Neighborhood
Houses Box 8, Folder 9
|
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Participants, 1976-1977 Box 8, Folder 10 to 16
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Summer Seminar Box 8, Folder 17 to 19
|
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Summer Seminar Participants Box 8, Folder 20
|
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YWCA Box 8, Folder 21
|
| |
Photographs |
|
Box 15 |
General Box 15, Folder 1
|
| |
Local (Twin Cities Session), 1977 Box 15, Folder 2
|
| |
Regional Leaders Box 15, Folder 3 to 4
|
| |
Training Session and Reception, 1976 Box 15, Folder 5
|
| |
Gisela Konopka Box 15, Folder 6
|
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Newark, New Jersey, 1967 Box 15, Folder 7
|
| |
Program Segment Evaluation Summary Box 15, Folder 8
|
| |
Quotes from Evaluation of 10 Education
Sessions, 1977 Box 15, Folder 9
|
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Quotes used from Final Project Evaluations, 1976 Box 15, Folder 10
|
| |
Reports, Participants, 1978-1979 Box 15, Folder 11 to 12
|
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Responses to Questions on Girls’ Major
Concerns Box 15, Folder 13
|
| |
Six Month Evaluation, 1977 Box 15, Folder 14
|
| |
Six Week Interim Evaluations, 1976 Box 15, Folder 15 to21
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| |
Three Month Evaluations, 1976 Box 15, Folder 22 t 23
|
| |
Twin Cities Session, 1977 Box 15, Folder 24 to 29
|
| |
Series 3. Reference
Note Series 3, Reference Files, contain general, local and national
reference sources used by NYEP staff. Box 16 contains printed secondary
materials filed according to subject. The subjects include: adolescence,
careers, chemical dependency, child abuse, corrections, cultural diversities,
nutrition, parenting, serious life events, volunteers, and youth participation.
In total, these reference sources appear to have served as a supplement to the
various seminars held during the educational conferences.
Boxes 17 through 23 contain local reference sources used by the
NYEP local staff. Although a majority of the collection centers on the local
Twin Cities area, there are also some materials from other locations. Box 24
contains publications of national youth organizations. In particular, the box
contains publications from the eight youth serving organizations that
participated in the project: the American Red Cross, Big Sisters/ Big Bothers,
Girls Clubs of America, Girl Scouts, Campfire Girls, 4-H, United Neighborhood
Centers of America, and the YWCA. There are also publications from other
national groups regarding youth issues.
Box 25 contains a miscellaneous array of pamphlets on a variety of
youth issues. The pamphlets include both national and local perspectives. Box
26 contain scholarly papers and other writings from various individuals on
youth issues and organizations. The materials consist primarily of the
professional writings of social workers and educators. These papers served as
reference material for the NYEP's reports to the Lilly Endowment.
|
|
Box 16 |
Adolescence Box 16, Folder 1
|
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Careers Box 16, Folder 2 to 3
|
| |
Chemical Dependency Box 16, Folder 4 to 6
|
| |
Child Abuse Box 16, Folder 7
|
| |
Corrections Box 16, Folder 8 to 9
|
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Cultural Diversities Box 16, Folder 10
|
| |
Group Process and Practice Box 16, Folder 11
|
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Nutrition for Adolescent Box 16, Folder 12
|
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Parenting Box 16, Folder 13 to 14
|
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Program Sharing Ideas Box 16, Folder 15
|
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Rural Youth Box 16, Folder 16
|
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Serious Life Events Box 16, Folder 17
|
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Volunteering Box 16, Folder 18
|
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Working with Staff Box 16, Folder 19
|
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Youth Participation Box 16, Folder 20
|
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Box 17 |
Local Box 17
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Box 18 |
Local Box 18
|
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Box 19 |
Local Box 19
|
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Box 20 |
Local Box 20
|
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Box 21 |
Local Box 21
|
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Box 22 |
Local Box 22
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Box 23 |
Local Box 23
|
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Box 24 |
National Box 24
|
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Box 25 |
Pamphlets Box 25
|
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Box 26 |
Papers Box 26
|
| |
Series 4. NYEP In-Service Seminar Participant
Files, 1976-1980, 1986
Note Series 4 contains files on participants in the NYEP intensive
in-service seminars that were held between 1976 and 1980. The files are
organized by participant number, although individual participants and their
agency affiliation are also identified. The files contain questionnaires and
evaluations about the seminars as well as action plans to bring ideas from the
seminar back to the participant's agency. They also contain follow-up
correspondence and evaluations, including evaluations of projects in individual
agencies. The files are of interest for assessing the influence of the NYEP in
the eight participating agencies.
|
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Box 27 |
Participants #1 - #191 Box 27
|
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Box 28 |
Participants #213 - #394 Box 28
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Box 29 |
Participants #409 - #999 and Interview Files Box 29
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