Young people's perspectives on quality afterschool programming

Purpose: This study examined the association between youth's reports of afterschool program (ASP) quality and the developmental outcomes of school engagement, agency, and empowerment. It also investigated how young people experienced quality in the afterschool context.;Participants: The study sample included 127 young people aged 11--17 who attended two ASPs located in a midsized city in the Midwestern United States.;Methods: An explanatory sequential mixed methods design, using surveys and focus groups, was utilized to gather information on young people's experiences with quality programming in the afterschool setting. Youth participants in two ASPs participated in a survey that assessed their perspectives on the quality and impacts of the ASP they attended. A subgroup of regular participants (i.e. 31 youth) that completed the survey then participated in focus groups to further explore their perceptions of quality afterschool programming.;Findings: Regression analyses revealed youth's reports of supportive adult relationships in the afterschool setting were predictive of their levels of school engagement and agency. Young people's reports of voice in the afterschool setting were predictive of empowerment. During focus groups, youth indicated that supportive adults provide emotional and instrumental support, and also possess attributes that make them likeable and relatable. Youth also indicated having a variety of opportunities for voice in the afterschool setting, including participating in formal decision-making structures, choosing how to participate in programming and expressing opinions in their daily interactions with staff. In addition, comparative analyses revealed significant differences between program participants' reports on all four measures of program quality (safe environment, supportive adult relationships, youth voice and program engagement). In focus groups, youth from one ASP indicated more frequent negative interactions with staff members and fewer opportunities for voice in decision-making.;Conclusions: This study contributes to the growing body of evidence that ASPs are effective at promoting youth developmental outcomes. It also highlights the importance of two features of program quality: supportive adult relationships and youth voice in decision-making. From the perspective of young people, establishing meaningful relationships with adults and having opportunities to express voice in the afterschool setting are critical facilitators of their positive development.