Engaging youth for positive change: A quantitative analysis of participant outcomes

Abstract

Engaging Youth for Positive Change is a local civic engagement program focused on youth and young adults in the U.S. state of Illinois, and guides them through the process of adopting a local ordinance by working with their local city councils or other governing bodies. Researchers collected two waves of data from EYPC participants to quantitatively assess associations between program participation and changes in a variety of key factors relating to civic engagement. Initial findings indicate participants reported significant increases in variables associated with civic participation, including teamwork, leadership, and internal political efficacy. Furthermore, participants at more rigorous implementation sites reported significantly higher levels of critical civic engagement indicators compared to their peers at less rigorous implementation sites. This paper discusses EYPC in detail, findings from analyses and program evaluation, and concludes with a discussion on next steps regarding how EYPC and similar programs may enhance civic engagement among youth and young adult populations.