CASE STUDY 17:  Your co-worker, Nate, is having problems wit…

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CASE STUDY 17:  Yоur cо-wоrker, Nаte, is hаving problems with the youth thаt attend his afternoon recreation program.  You have agreed to stop by and spend an afternoon observing so you can give him feedback on how he might improve his approach.  Nate’s program is advertised as offering a broad range of activities in a local community facility using a youth empowerment philosophy. On a typical afternoon four CYC practitioners staff the program.  Activities are held in a large metal building with a cement floor in the neighborhood where the youth live.  The interior space is open and not sub-divided by walls.  Approximately 30-40 youth ranging in ages from 10 to 18 attend the program daily and come directly from school; 80% of the youth are male and 20% female.  Across the street from the metal building is a fenced neighborhood playground where younger youth can play on swings, slides, climbing equipment and sand boxes under the supervision of program staff. On the afternoon that you observe, youth begin drifting in around 3:15 pm.  A basketball game is started on a court at one end of the building.  As youth arrive, they are expected to join the game or sit quietly and watch.  As the number of youth increases, the game is divided into two games to give more youth opportunity to participate.   The older youth dominate the games, and you notice the younger ones slowly disengaging from play and drifting around the perimeter of activity.  Few of the girls participate.  You notice some of the younger children following staff around asking when snacks will be served and when the younger group will be allowed to go to the playground across the street.  Others are entertaining themselves by running wildly through the basketball games and in and out through the doors.