Overnight Chaperone Training

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The Overnight Chaperone Program Utilizing Risk
Management Tools and Training to Protect Youth
and Adults in Overnight Settings
National Extension Conference on
Volunteers Presented by Charles Hebert Kelly
Hiemstra
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Why Risk Management in Overnight Chaperone
Situations?

• 82 of abuse involving youth, ages 12 to 17 occur
  outside the childs home. (Lauritsen, 2004)

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Program Development

• Risk Management Think Tank
• Volunteers, Agents, Youth
• Nominal Process to Identify Top 3 Issues
• Child Protection
• Overnight Settings
• Transportation
• Administrative Presentation
• HRM Representation Added to Think Tank

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Overnight Chaperone Program Objectives

• To create a safe environment for youth and adults
  in overnight settings
• To prepare volunteers and staff with tools to
  create positive experiences for youth in
  overnight settings

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Program Process

• Overnight Chaperone Program Development
• Reviewed Existing Programs and Curriculum
• Identified Program Components
• Pilot Tested Process
• Parishes Test the Procedure
• Experts Review Material

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Program Design
Background Screening Process Role
Description Code of Conduct
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Program Design

• Mandatory Three Hour Training
• Creating a Positive Environment
• Discipline
• Abuse and Neglect
• Youth and Adult Protection
• Health and Safety
• Crisis Management

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Program Implementation

• Risk Management Committee Members Trained
  Extension Professionals
• Agents Trained Volunteers on Parish and Area
  Basis
• Parish Staff is responsible for entering
  volunteer into volunteer enrollment system, and
  indicate that the volunteer has been trained.
• State 4-H Office Handled Screening and Tracked
  Volunteers

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(No Transcript)
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Evaluation Procedures

• Population
• All Volunteers Successfully Completing the
  Overnight Chaperone Program
• Response Rate 46 - 248 volunteers

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Evaluation Design

• Instrumentation
• 33 Item Mail Survey Mixed Model Design
• Pilot Test Reviewed by a Panel of Experts
• Mailed out 4 weeks following the Training
• Five Sections
• Program Impact - SD - SA
• Knowledge Gains Test of Knowledge
• Prior Training
• Demographics
• Open Ended Comments

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Evaluation Procedures

• Data Analysis SPSS
• Descriptive Statistics
• Frequencies
• Cronbach Alpha Reliability Coefficient - .82
• For further information contact Dr. Janet Fox
  jfox_at_agcenter.lsu.edu

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Program Impact Positive Environments

• 98 gained information on creating a positive
  environment.
• 94 felt more comfortable dealing handling
  discipline problems.

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Program Impact Child Abuse

• 94 increased knowledge of the signs of child
  abuse.
• 94 increased knowledge of the types of child
  abuse.

15
Program Impact Emergencies

• 95 were more aware of safety considerations.
• 94 felt more comfortable handling crisis
  situations.
• 93 felt more prepared to handle emergency
  situations.

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Program Impact Safe Environments

• 97 increased their understanding of how to
  maintain a safe environment.
• 93 increased understanding on how to protect
  adults in overnight situations.

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Section 2 Knowledge GainsDiscipline

• 98 understood that rules should be enforceable.
• 83 understood children misbehave because of
  power, attention, revenge or inadequacy.

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Section 2 Knowledge GainsAdult Protection

• 95 understood that they should avoid one-on-one
  contact with youth.
• 93 identified signs of emotional abuse.

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Section 2 Knowledge GainsHealth

• 99 knew that all emergency actions and medical
  treatment should be kept in a medical log.
• 89 identified the role of all non-medically
  trained personnel was to clear the area when an
  emergency occurs.

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Prior Training 31
Topic Mean Minutes Range Minutes
Youth Protection 28 106 10-590
Health Safety 25 84 10-600
Adult Protection 24 76 5-600
Discipline 24 99 10-780
Emergency 24 90 10-600
Crisis Mgt 22 93 10-600
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Open Ended CommentsIncreased Awareness

• Learned much more to help me while chaperoning.
  
• I was refreshed in things I knew and learned
  some new things.
• Really opened my eyes to a lot things I never
  considered.

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Open Ended CommentsApplicable to New Situations

• The training prepared me to handle any situation
  that might occur.
• .Appreciated the fact that it went beyond the
  Diocesan training I received and discussed why
  children misbehave and how we can avoid some
  situations.
• Taught me lessons to use in everyday
  situations.

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Demographics

• Gender
• Female 80
• Male 20
• Race
• Caucasian 90
• African American 5
• American Indian 1
• Hispanic 1
• Other 3

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Demographics

• Age
• 18 to 25 years old 13
• 26 to 35 years old 9
• 36 to 45 years old 39
• 46 to 55 years old 28
• 56 to 65 years old 9
• Over 65 years old 2

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In Summary

• Only 31 of participants had related training.
• The majority of participants increased their
  knowledge as measured by a post test given 4
  weeks after the training.
• The majority of participants reported being
  better prepared for their role as a chaperone.

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Questions?
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References

• Child Abuse The Hidden Bruises AACAP Facts for
  Families 5. July 2004. Washington, D.C.
  American Academy of Child and Adolescent
  Psychiatry. Retrieved at http//www.aacap.org/pub
  lications/factsfam/chldabus.htm
• Child Sexual Abuse AACAP Facts for Families 9.
  July 2004. Washington, D.C. American Academy of
  Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Retrieved at
  http//www.aacap.org/publications/factsfam/sexabus
  e.htm
• Discipline AACAP Facts for Families 43. April
  2001. Washington, D.C. American Academy of
  Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Retrieved at
  http//www.aacap.org/publications/factsfam/discpli
  n.htm

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References

• Guidelines for Accidents Illnesses, Georgia
  4-H. Retrieved at http//www.georgia4horg.caes.ug
  a.edu/public/more/guidebook/accidentillnessguidel
  ines.html
• Hebert, Charles. Camp Counselor PowerPoint
  Presentation, LSU AgCenter Lafayette Parish
• Heltemes, Bill. New 4-H Club Leaders Lesson Four
  4-H Events and Activities 4-H Record Books
  Parent Involvement Child Behavior. Gainesville,
  FL University of Florida 4-H Youth Development.
• Heltemes, Bill. New 4-H Club Leaders Lesson Five
  Legal Issues in Working with Youth Safety Issues
  in Working with Youth Having Fun Working with
  Youth. University of Florida 4-H Youth
  Development

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References

• Management of Risks and Emergencies A Workbook
  for Administrators (1993). Camp Fire Boys and
  Girls. Kansas City, MO.
• McPhail Gray, Mary (May 1996). Handling
  Emergencies, National Network for Child Cares
  Connections Newsletter. College of Human Ecology,
  Kansas State University.
• National GAINS Center http//www.gainsctr.com/curr
  iculum/juvenile/glossary.htm
• Responding to Child Sexual Abuse (11/96). Number
  28. Washington, DC American Academy of Child
  and Adolescent Psychiatry. Retrieved at
  www.aacap.org/publications/factsfam/rspdabus.htm
• Seibold, Sheri. April 2003. Child Safety
  recommendations for Youth Programs. Champaign,
  IL University of Illinois Extension.