Best Practices for Integrating Technology and Service Learning in a Youth Development Program

Abstract

The Long Beach YMCA Youth Institute is an innovative program that uses technology and service learning as a mechanism for promoting positive youth development while enhancing the academic and career readiness of low-income, culturally-diverse, urban high school students. This article describes the Youth Institute and identifies best practice principles for the use of technology and service learning in youth development programs. The best practice principles, based on focus group data with 170 youths, are reaching underserved and culturally-diverse youths, utilizing project-based learning for teaching technology, preparing for the workplace or higher education, involving youths in service learning, and encouraging personal growth and development.

Key Words:

• Youth development
• technology
• service learning
• teens
• after-school programs