Project Venture

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Project Venture

• National Indian Youth Leadership Project
• (NIYLP)
• McClellan Hall, Founder Executive Director
• Dr. Susan Carter, Evaluation Coordinator
  susancarter_at_hughes.net
• Neal Ferris, Outreach Training Coordinator

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About NIYLP

• National Indian Youth Leadership Project is a New
  Mexico based nonprofit with a 25 year history.
  NIYLP developed Project Venture, which is the
  only Native American program to reach
  Evidence-Based program status with the federal
  government (CSAP/NREPP)

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NIYLP, Inc.

• Mission Statement
• NIYLPs mission is to nurture the potential of
  Native youth and engage them to be the architects
  of a more positive world through adventure-based
  learning, service to nature, community, and
  family.

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NIYLPs Vision

• A generation of healthy, capable, caring,
  resilient Native youth who proactively contribute
  to their peer group, family, community and
  nation. We see NIYLP at the forefront of a
  national youth development movement, as leaders,
  mentors and partners in Native communities.

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History of Project Venture

• The Project Venture model grew out of a 10 day
  leadership camp, developed in Oklahoma, 1980-83.
• NIYLP was formed in the mid 1980s to continue
  the camp program and develop a national
  organization to support it.
• 1985-89, the camp model was expanded into a year
  round program, at request of parents, schools and
  kids.
• In 1990, CSAP funded the Project Venture concept
  with a 5 Year High Risk Youth Demonstration grant.

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Federal and State Recognition

• 2001, Project Venture nominated by the state of
  New Mexico, Exemplary Program
• 2002, Project Venture receives Promising Program
  status
• 2003, Project Venture receives Effective Program
  status
• 2004, Project Venture receives Model Program
  status
• 2007, Project Venture designated as
  Evidence-Based program by NREPP

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What Project Venture is and isnt

• Project Venture is a Positive Youth Development
  approach to prevention
• Project Venture is assets-based, views young
  people as valuable resources and potential
  leaders
• Project Venture was developed in consultation
  with Native Elders
• It is a complex, intensive year round program
• indirect
• Project Venture is not a mainstream prevention
  approach
• Project Venture does not spend a lot of time
  telling young people what they shouldnt do
• Project Venture is not easy to implement and
  requires staff to seriously engage with young
  people, get outdoors, get dirty, wet, cold and
  hungry, as required

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Project Venture brings together

• Outdoor, adventure activities
• Ropes Course, rappelling, canoeing, backpacking,
  camping, mountain biking, etc.
• Service Learning
• Meaningful projects that are youth centered and
  designed, address cultural, environmental and
  other community needs.
• Cultural and values based Leadership
• The ethic of service takes many different forms
  in tribal cultures, we explore these, the terms
  in Native languages for service and the
  importance in the life of the community.

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Essential Elements of Project Venture

• Population
• Middle school aged Native youth (grades 5-8)
• High school aged service staff
• Mix of risk levels (Never call it a prevention
  program, dont just pick the good kids)
• Program Components
• Outdoor adventure and experiential challenge
• Experiential education
• Connecting to the natural world
• Physical and emotional challenge
• Service Learning
• Active learning
• Connections to the academic themes
• School or community service
• Critical thinking and analysis skills
• Connections to culture and language
• Roots Shoots
• Culturally based leadership
• Service ethic in tribal context
• Language, history and values

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Program Delivery

• Approximately 68 sessions annually
• Risk Management principles followed
• Sequential progression of programming
• Physical, emotional safety
• Four components of programming
• In school
• After school
• Weekends
• Summer

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Outcomes measured

• We typically assess some sort of prevention
  outcomes such as substance use (may be dependent
  on funder requirements)
• We always assess psychosocial outcomes related to
  resilience
• Currently using California Healthy Kids
  Survey-Resilience Module
• (Based on Search Institutes 20 Internal
  Developmental Assets)
• Goals Aspirations
• Problem-Solving
• Self-Efficacy
• Empathy
• Cooperation Communication
• Self-Awareness

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In-School Component

• EXPERIENTIAL
• ACTIVITIES
• - Ice Breakers
• - Socialization
• - Team Building
• - Problem Solving
• - Trust Building
• - Skill Building

Builds on camp concepts, Prepares for higher
level challenges 1 classroom sessions per week,
20 classroom sessions per year
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Out-of-School Component

• EXPERIENTIAL
• ACTIVITIES
• - Team Building
• - Problem Solving
• - Skill Building
• - Trust Building

Builds on in-school activities Increased
challenge 1 or more afterschool sessions per week
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Weekend Extended Trips
1 or more weekend activity per month Extended
trips/treks during school vacation
breaks Increased challenge/perceived
risks EXPERIENTIAL ACTIVITIES - High Ropes
Course - Hiking, Camping - Rappelling, Biking -
Field Trips/Training
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Summer Camps/Treks

• 4 to 8 days
• Immersion experience
• Introduce values, norms
• Introduce service ethic, conduct projects
• Introduce nutrition principles
• Introduce Journaling
• Reconnect with natural world
• (Re)Connect with spiritual awareness

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Annual Leadership Camp
27 years 1983-2009
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Native Cultural Values

• Activities tied to local cultural and spiritual
  traditions
• Intergenerational service projects
• Family activities, potlucks, dinners, etc.
• Elders as advisors, mentors

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Service Learning

• Youth led
• Meaningful
• Service Leadership ethic
• Projects begin with simple, move to complex
• Relationships emphasized
• Culturally relevant
• Skill building
• Reflection and dialogue
• Roots Shoots

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Evaluation DesignPre/Post with Comparison Group

• INSTRUMENTS
• American Drug Alcohol Survey
• National Youth Survey
• Resilience Scale (CHKS IPFI)
• Locus of Control Survey
• Strategies for Success Survey (based on CSAP
  NOMS)

• FINDINGS
• Reduced
• Alcohol
• Marijuana
• Cigarettes
• Inhalants
• Illicit drugs
• Increased Protective Factors
• Locus of Control
• Resilience Factors

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Major Findings

• Project Venture reduces ATOD risk factors and
  increases protective factors
• Project Venture cited as MOST EFFECTIVE
  prevention program for Native youth in CSAPs
  National Cross-Site Study of High Risk Youth
  Demonstration Projects (Springer Sambrano, 2002)

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Lessons Learned

• Positive Youth Development approach to prevention
  works!
• Quality Sequence of Interventions
• Key elements of Project Venture
• Staffing Supervision
• Continuous Improvement Evaluation
• Indirect, Metaphorical approach

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High Risk Youth Study

• The most effective programs included these
  program characteristics
• Life skills dominant
• Connection-building orientation
• High coherence
• Intensity of interventions, services
• After school component

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CSAP Model Program Award

• In 2004, NIYLP received the Model Program Award
  from the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention.
• 2007, Evidence based Program status

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PV Readiness Assessment Part 1
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Support Levels
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Non-negotiables
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Summary