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Maximising potential: The psychological effects of the youth development programme Project K

Abstract
Project K is a positive youth development programme targeting 13-15 year old students with low self-efficacy. It involves three components: wilderness adventure, community challenge and individual mentoring. This longitudinal study aimed to investigate changes in self-efficacy, resilience, connectedness and wellbeing in students participating in Project K. Eighty students (59% male) were recruited from five secondary schools across the North Island of New Zealand for a quasi-experimental study. Participants displaying delinquent behaviour, self-harm, suicidal ideation, or an eating disorder were excluded. Over 14 months, six waves of measurement were completed by Project K participants (n = 49), while four waves of measurement were completed by a control group (n = 31). Analyses using multilevel models showed that completion of Project K had substantial positive effects on self-efficacy, resilience, and wellbeing, although the effect on connectedness was not significant. We conclude that Project K appears to be an effective positive youth development programme for adolescents with low self-efficacy.
Type
Journal Article
Type of thesis
Series
Citation
Furness, K., Williams, M. N., Veale, J., & Gardner, D. H. (2017). Maximising potential: The psychological effects of the youth development programme Project K. New Zealand Journal of Psychology, 46(1), 14–23.
Date
2017
Publisher
New Zealand Psychological Society
Degree
Supervisors
Rights
This article is published in the New Zealand Journal of Psychology. © 2017 New Zealand Psychological Society. Used with permission.