The YALPE Resource Kit is a method and set of tools that allow youth and adults to work together to assess and strengthen program quality. At the same time, it is designed to strengthen the quality of developmental opportunities, relationships, and emotional supports offered to program participants. YALPE is most appropriate for programs that are actively seeking to improve their services, and that include youth as key partners in quality improvement.
The YALPE Resource Kit supports your group through several phases, from preparing to conduct a program assessment, to collecting and compiling data, to sharing the results. Written in a practical and easy-to-use manner, YALPE includes a step-by-step guided process, surveys, tip sheets, tools, templates for data entry and analysis, and templates for preparing written reports.
The YALPE Resource Kit was written by Linda Camino, Shepherd Zeldin, Carrie Mook, and Cailin O'Connor of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and is available from Youth-Adult Partnership in Community and Government as a free PDF. Hard copies are distributed by ACT for Youth: see ordering information below.
YALPE Can Help
Program Quality Improvement
YALPE can be used to:
- Assess the quality of any established program that focuses on youth: an after-school program, community-based service-learning program, group home, civic engagement program, youth advocacy group, 4H Community Club, camping program, or program sponsored by a community coalition.
- Assess and strengthen the work of governing bodies with youth and adult members: an organizational board of directors, mayor's advisory board, 4H Leader Board, or the leadership council of a community coalition.
Tell Your Story
YALPE can be used to:
- Communicate program strengths to funders. Data from the YALPE surveys, for example, can be incorporated into public presentations or used to support future proposals.
- Inform discussion with governing boards, advisory groups, or planning bodies that oversee your program. Data from the YALPE surveys, for example, can be presented to identify key challenges as well as options for program improvement, from the perspective of youth and staff. YALPE tools can serve as a foundation for strategic planning.
What Is the YALPE Process?
Groups identify a core assessment team of youth and adults (four to six people) to lead them through program assessment and action planning. Typically, the core team will work about 24 hours over an average of three months to complete the YALPE process. Other staff and youth in the program will participate for about three hours during this period, completing surveys, responding to assessment results, and engaging in action planning. There is much flexibility in the YALPE process, however. Your group can adapt the method to accomplish your goals in a shorter period of time, as necessary.There are four surveys in the YALPE resource kit:
- Youth Engagement Tool
- Organizational Support for Youth Engagement Tool
- Program and Activity Assessment Tool
- Program and Activity Assessment Tool for Younger Participants
Ordering Information
The YALPE Resource Kit is available as a free PDF from Youth-Adult Partnership in Community and Government, a program of University of Wisconsin Cooperative Extension. Complete the order form (PDF: 244K) and send a check or money order for $20 plus $6.50 shipping/handling for each copy to:YALPE ORDER
ACT for Youth Center of Excellence
Family Life Development Center
Beebe Hall
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY 14853
Make checks payable to Cornell University. If you are unable to access the order form, simply include your name, organization, shipping address, and phone number with your order.
Call 607-255-7736 or email act4youth@cornell.edu for more information.