EVALUATION OF THE COMMUNITY AGENCY
FUTURE CENTS
By
Tom Wainwright
B.S.W., University of Northern British Columbia, 1977

PROJECT SUMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF
THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF
MASTER OF EDUCATION
in
EDUCATIONAL COUNSELLING

THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTHERN BRITISH COLUMBIA
June 2004

© Tom Wainwright, 2004

UNIVERSITY of NORTHERN
BRITISH COLUMBIA
LIBRARY
Prtace Gtorp,.ft.C.

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2

Abstract
This project evaluated the change in self-esteem as identified by the young people who
completed the Future Cents Program. The goal of the Future cents program is to teach
youth considered "high risk" how to obtain and maintain employment in mainstream
society. Twelve participants who had successfully completed the program were
interviewed. Of the twelve participants, five graduated from the program in the spring of
2000, three graduated in the spring of 2001, and the remaining four graduated in 2002. At
the time of the interviews, two of the participants were under 19 years-of-age and the
remainder were 20 to 25 years-of-age. The questions were designed to help the
participants consider how the program affected them and their feelings of self-esteem. As
part of the interview, they were asked, on a scale of 1 -10, what their self-esteem was
before entering the program and what they thought it was after they completed the
program.

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FUTURE CENTS

Table of Contents

Introduction

4

Literature Review

6

Purpose and Rationale

18

Research Questions

20

Method

21

Participants

21

Procedure

21

Results and Discussion

27

Limitations

31

Conclusion

32

References

34

Appendixes
Appendix A: Letter to Subjects

37

Appendix B: Questionnaire

39

Appendix C: Informed Consent Form

41

Appendix D: UNBC Research Ethics Board Approval Letter

42

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FUTURE CENTS

Introduction
For most people, youth is the most turbulent time of their lives. It is a time of rapid
physical growth, fluctuating emotions, newly found independence, and a heightened sense of
self-awareness. Some of us remember our youth as the most exciting time of our lives or,
depending on our personal experience, the worst. It was a time to experiment, a time to test
one's limits, dream of the future, and discover new opportunities. "Twenty-one percent of the
population is between the ages of 15 to 24 years." (Families & Health, Sept. 2000, p. 8). We
can observe them on the streets and in the malls of every community. Some of us may feel
uncomfortable with the young people's behaviours and style of dress. However, most of us
tend to overlook these differences and see the young people for what they are, the future of our
species. We realize that, in spite of their youthful exuberance, most are and will continue to be
contributing members of our society. Unfortunately, many of us do not see or understand what
is happening with a segment of this young population. There are young people out there, highrisk youth, who are struggling for their very survival. High-risk youth are young people who
live in environments or engage in behaviours that put them at risk, either for violence, substance
abuse, school drop out, or pregnancy (Burt, Novick & Resnick, 1998, p. v ).
These children and youth usually live a life-style that puts their very lives and emotional
well being at risk. They are young people without employment, adequate education, or a
structured life. Some of them are trying to escape from abusive or uncaring homes. Others are
enticed into the life with drugs and promises of being a part of something special. Few are able
to attend school regularly. Many of these young people live on the streets surviving with illegal
activities such as involvement in the drug trade, theft, and prostitution. Panhandling, dealing
drugs, and prostitution are fairly common sources of income for both male and female street

FUTURE CENTS

youth. Consequently, having trouble with the law is not uncommon for these marginalized
young people. Some are placed in temporary group or foster homes by social workers and the
courts. Unfortunately, few find lasting benefits in the placements and are soon on their own
again. Whether living in or out of foster care, these young people tend to be quite transient in
where they live. For example, in Vancouver;
This is evidenced by the fact that 52% have lived at their current address for less than
three months and 24% had no residence at the time of the survey. Just 10% of street
youth have lived at their current address for more than one year (McCreary, 1994, p. 8).
In my own work with street youth, I found that most of these young people lack the

structure and discipline needed to successfully attend school or hold on to employment. "Youth
living in the street culture typically lack formal education, skills, and the discipline required by
non-street employers. Life on the streets encourages chronic unemployment." (Kirby, 1998, p.
18). As a result, they also lack the needed responsibility that comes with that discipline.
Consequently, they have a difficult time fitting into society's norms. This inability to fit
society's norms can lead to feelings of personal inadequacies on the part of the young person.
Feelings of low self-esteem can make it difficult for anyone to make positive changes. It is
particularly challenging for these young people to find and maintain employment, or obtain an
adequate education. Few have the needed education or skills that today' s employers look for in
their workers. They also find it difficult to handle the stress of going to school on a regular
basis. Basically, while their life skills help them survive on the streets, they do not have the
skills needed to hold down steady employment or attend school regularly.
Over the years there has been much discussion by various social service agencies, all
three levels of government, and the public, on the importance of these youth and the need for

5

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FUTURE CENTS

positive interventions. However, solutions in the long term appear to be as difficult to find as a
public commitment to change. "People don't want to hear about street kids in our society and
many agencies cannot make a long-term commitment to street youth, many of whom need years
of service." (Kirby, 1998, p. 27). In these times of fiscal restraint, government funding for
youth projects is limited. Most members of this population are too young to vote. They
therefore have little influence with politicians and government sponsored agencies when it
comes to allotting funds for programs. Politicians and government bureaucrats favour programs
that are directed towards people with the power of the vote behind them. Unfortunately, the
reality is that little is done to actually assist high-risk youth develop the positive self-esteem that
is needed to improve their situation. Through my own involvement, I have discovered that
most social service agencies and youth group homes attempt to control young clients with
incentives and punishments. In my mind this approach does not always work well with clients
who have poor impulse control. Clients with low self-esteem usually see punishment for
misdeeds as further proof that they are no good. Punishment or loss of reward is often the
excuse they need to run away. Fortunately however, there are social agencies that offer an
exception to this approach. There are agencies that help their clients make positive life changes
through the development of positive self-esteem and help them feel better about who they are.
Future Cents is one such program. Future Cents believes that one of the most effective ways of
doing this is to train youth to help youth.
Literature Review
Society today faces a major problem in the number of youth who do not fit within
mainstream society. "The problems created by youth dropping out of school, using drugs or
alcohol, joining gangs, becoming teenage parents, and being involved in antisocial and

FUTURE CENTS

7

delinquent acts are widely recognized". (Crompton & Witt,1996, p. 3). "Some proportions of
adolescents, however, engage in behaviour that seriously compromises their chances of charting
that course [to adulthood] successfully." (Burt & Resnick, 1998, p.3). They are usually
involved in a variety of emotionally and/or physically unhealthy activities. Many of these
activities such as drug abuse, prostitution, criminal acts, and running away are illegal. Some
activities such as public horseplay and panhandling, however, are seen as more of a nuisance.
Both types of activities can be considered problem and high-risk behaviours. In general, we
consider young people who involve themselves in these behaviours as high-risk or at-risk youth.
These behaviours often put the youth's physical, emotional, and/or mental health at risk.
Most authors agree that a continuum of "at riskness" exists. While every youth has
potential, those who are found in certain environments or have certain characteristics are
more likely to develop maladaptive behaviours that will have lifelong effects. Those
who are most vulnerable are most at risk. Vulnerable children often are deficient in
school skills, have low self-esteem, minimal social skills, ineffective copping and stress
management skills, and have an external (versus internal) locus of control (Stumbo,
1999, p. 5).
The number of youth considered to be at risk in North America is in the millions .
. . . a significant number of children in the United States who are in dire straits: failing in
school, delinquent, taking drugs, and having unprotected intercourse. Of the 28 million
girls and boys aged 10 to 17, it is estimated that 1 in 10 (almost 3 million) are in critical
situations. Another group of 4 million (15 %) have excessively high prevalence rates
for some but not all of the high-risk behaviors. Thus the future of 7 million youth---one
in four in this country [USA] is in jeopardy .... (Dryfoos, 1990, p. 115).

FUTURE CENTS

At one time much of our literature and folklore dramatized or hero-worshiped stories of
young people running away from home and experiencing great adventures. The stories of Tom
Sawyer and Huckleberry Fin are good examples of this. In my own family we often talk, with
some pride, about my grandfather who came to North America from England after running
away from home and stowing away on a ship at the age of ten. However, as a rule, we are
obligated to view things differently today. Many of our children are running in fear or looking
for some sort of stability in their lives.
The problem of runaway and homeless youth is serious and complex. No longer is
running away viewed as a flight to an exciting place or the result of a need to wander.
There is general agreement that these youth are running from something, often from a
place or a life in which they felt abused, rejected, and unhappy ( Bradley, 1997. p.15).
Identifying and defining who or what high-risk youth and high-risk behaviours are can
be difficult.
Defining the population of runaways and homeless youth has been a continuing
challenge. Their numbers include young teenagers who will return to intact families
after one day; teenagers who have survived in the streets for weeks and months; youth
thrown out of families or institutions; teenagers whose families have lost their homes
and must seek emergency shelter; youth escaping victimization; and psychiatrically
disturbed youth. The diversity of runaway and homeless youth make simplistic
definitions and description meaningless (Bradley, 1997, p. 16).
The term 'high-risk' youth is often debated. A safe definition ... would be youth that
are not in mainstream school, not employed or underemployed, may be involved with

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drug and alcohol use and/or abuse, are or have been in trouble with the law, and come
from an unhealthy living/home situation (Letendra, 2000, p. 6).
The fact that different agencies often use different ways of identifying their target
population makes overall identification even more difficult. Also, the diversity of the high-risk
youth population also makes identification more difficult.
The term at-risk youth is both a helpful and troublesome one. It is helpful in that it
brings attention to a group of individuals who are likely to need intervention to avert
potentially dangerous circumstances. It is troublesome in that the same group of
individuals is quite diverse, to the point of defying a solid and concrete classification
system. So on one hand, as we try to classify them, for example for the purpose of
providing services, their very diversity makes it difficult to do (Stumbo, 1999, p. 1).
"During the past decade the term at risk has appeared frequently in literature ... Its
origins are obscure and its use in various contexts indicates a lack of consensus regarding its
meaning." (McWhirter, McWhirter, McWhirter, & McWhirter, 1993, p. 6). There are, of
course, different levels of a youth being considered at risk or high-risk. In her book Stumbo
(1999) talks about an at risk continuum. She says there are five different components; minimal
risk, remote risk, high risk, imminent risk, and at-risk activities. At-risk activities are for the
youth beyond being considered at-risk because they are already involved in at-risk behaviours.
She defines high risk as; "individual's personal negative attitudes and emotions, such as
depression, anxiety, aggression, hopelessness; social skills deficits and poor coping skills; and
internalization of personal problems". Imminent risk as; "gateway behaviours--- mildly or
moderate distressing activities; self-destructive behaviours; deviant behaviours, such as

9

FUTURE CENTS

lO

aggression towards other children and authority (e.g., gateway to juvenile delinquency); and
advances from cigarettes to alcohol to marijuana to harder drugs.
Even the definition of youth in general can be difficult. For example, the age of the
youth may vary between different organizations or agencies. "The age of runaway and
homeless youth is generally defined as between 12 to 17." (Bradley, 1997, p. 16). "The highrisk teenager is a youth between the ages of 11 - 17 perpetrates threats and/or harm to another
person." (Farmer, 1990, p. 4). "The high-risk teenager is a youth between the ages of 11 - 17
who perpetuates threat and/or harm to another person." (Farmer, 1990, p. 4,). "Participants
range in age from 17 to 24; the majority are 19 or 20." (Kariel, 1993, p. 95). On the other hand,
to be considered for their program, Future Cents clients must be youth involved in high- risk
behaviours between the ages of 16 and 29. The gender and race of the youth involved should
also be taken into consideration when determining whether a certain behaviour is high-risk.
Males appear to act out more then females and get into more trouble in school and out,
but females have higher rates of smoking and, obviously, pregnancy has more negative
consequences for females . In regard to race, the data on early initiation of sexual
intercourse, early childbearing, school failure and dropping out are clear: minority youth
have much higher rate then the white youth (Dryfoos, 1990, p. 95).
Defining what high-risk behaviours are can also be considered difficult. The Center for
Research on Youth At Risk says that there are three main risk factors. The main risk factors can
be grouped into three broad areas: risk factors present in the child or young person, risk factors
present in the family, and risk factors in the environment of wider community. Broadly
defined, risk factors for the National Crime Prevention Council include such factors as:
•

Difficulty "personality" or temperament

FUTURE CENTS

•

Problems caused by brain diseases or disorders

•

Family violence, including verbal and emotional abuse and neglect

•

Childhood traumas such as physical and sexual abuse

•

Poor or ineffective parental supervision and discipline skills

•

Parental alcoholism or drug addiction

•

Failing in school truancy and other school problems

•

Low socio-economic status, living in poverty

II

Of the many behaviours considered high-risk, the use of drugs, especially alcohol, can
be the most problematic. "Clearly, substance abuse is one of the most serious health hazards
confronting our youth." (Isralowitz & Singer,1983, p. 1). Most have a serious problem with
substance abuse: alcohol, drugs, often both (Kariel, 1993, p. 95).
Risky behaviours, including child prostitution and various forms of violence, are often
made worse with the use of alcohol and other drugs. "Adolescents are at particular risk from
the effects of mood altering substances." (Isralowitz, 1983, p.1-2). Isralowiz says this is due to
a variety of factors including lighter average body weights, the fact that young people tend to
drink more per session then adults, and because they have not yet learned to compensate for the
effect of the drug on their behaviours. A survey of drug and alcohol use by Toronto street
youth found that 95 per cent were current drinkers, and 6 per cent reported drinking daily. On
the average, they consumed 15.1 drinks during the week ... and 20 per cent reported 29 or
more drinks. The most commonly used drugs were cannabis (92 per cent), LSD (70 per cent),
cocaine (64 per cent), and diazepam (59 per cent). Most have a serious problem with substance
abuse: alcohol, drugs, often both (Kariel, 1993, p.l21).

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12

In British Columbia, including Prince George, drug and alcohol abuse continues to be a major

problem among youth people. "In 1993, Juvenile offenders involved in drug-related offences
increased 30% to 3,426 offences." (Steindl, 2000, p. 2). Steindl also reports that of the 1500
injection drug users registered at the Prince George Needle exchange, approximately 25% are
youth. In addition, 30 and 35 youth between the ages of 19 and 25 and 24 younger then 19 are
using Methadone obtained from the Metaclinic in Prince George.
Many people of all ages use drugs as a way of coping with their life. When young
people from dysfunctional families, usually without adequate coping skills, attempt to kill their
inner pain with a drug they run the risk of being overwhelmed by the very substance they are
looking at for relief. "Most of the teenagers on the streets today grew up in extremely disturbed
families, . .. Many have been introduced to alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana, at an early age and
subsequently became heavy users of one of more of these substances." (Kariel, 1993, p.1).
Most of the young people considered high-risk come from families that are seen as
dysfunctional and emotionally unhealthy.
It is about children growing up in homes in which they are physically brutalized or

sexually exploited .... This book is about children left to grow up in inadequate homes,
but also about children removed only to be placed in inadequate foster or institutional
care (Bartholet, 1999, p.1).
"Usually the family is characterized by poor marital adjustment, a lack of warmth and support,
and a low level of solidarity between parents." (McWhirter et al,1993, p. 52). All have been
severely damaged by lack of a secure, caring environment throughout their childhood, often
accentuated by physical and/or psychological abuse, all which leave lasting scars. Most have a
serious problem with substance abuse: alcohol, drugs, often both (Kariel, 1993, p. 95).

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13

Family conflict and serious communication problems tend to be the common theme
reported as causing homelessness among youth. The severity and nature of conflicts
vary greatly. Sexual orientation, sexual activity, pregnancy, school, rejection by a
stepparent, and alcohol and drug use are commonly reported sources of conflict. Family
disruptions such as divorce or separation often related to parental alcohol or substance
abuse are commonly reported (Bradley, 1997, p. 18).
"Thus, one nurturing parent or caretaker can be a more significant influence and guard against
high-risk behavior then two nonnurturing parents." (Dryfoos, 1990, p. 95). In our society the
family unit is the major source from which children and youth learn to cope and live in the
world around them. "During childhood the family is the major institution for the socialization
of the growing person." (Lerner, 1993, p. 17). However, if the family is dysfunctional, the child
is likely to grow up equally dysfunctional. As they grow into adulthood, with their limited
coping skills, we can observe them as they continue this unhealthy cycle with their own
families . " ... The participants ... came from extremely disturbed, dysfunctional homes, in
which the adult experienced difficulty even in recognizing, much less meeting, their child's
emotional needs." (Kariel, 1993, p. 57). "This book is about the children who are growing up
without true families --- without, that is, families that are functioning to provide the kind of care
and nurturing that is essential to well-being." (Bartholet, 1999, p. 1 ). Without the needed
support and nurturing from their primary caregivers, young people will often search for
fulfillment outside the family unit. Unfortunately, this search for belonging can lead the young
person to peers with similar problems, spiraling even further into their unhealthy lifestyle.
At-risk children and adolescents do not acquire all the knowledge, behaviours, attitudes,
and skills they need to become successful adults. They frequently exhibit interlocking

FUTURE CENTS

14

and dysfunctional patterns of behaviours, cognitions, and emotions in their early school
years. If this pattern is not reversed, it may develop into a self-fulfilling prophecy, a
downward spiral of multiple problems that could include school failure, drug use, teen
pregnancy, delinquency, and suicide (McWhirther,1993, p. 81).
One serious problem among all young people is the likelihood of using suicide as a
solution to their pain and problems. Death by suicide among youth and young adults
constitutes a serious social problem in this country ... suicide still ranks as the second
leading cause of death [in BC] among those 15- 24 years of age .... in the last 10 years
(1987- 1996), 746 British Columbians, aged 24 and under, killed themselves ....
Sixteen per cent of students in BC, grades 7 through 12, reported considering suicide at
least once in the preceding year and 7 %indicated that they had actually attempted
suicide (White, 1998, p. 3).
These statistics are for all youth in BC and so it can be a safe assumption the statistics for highrisk youth would be much higher.
Over the years there has been many attempts at finding ways to help these young people
find new directions in their life. In recent years there has been a growing interest in youth who
live on the streets or in shelters as well as numerous explorations of whether psychological,
family, economic, or other factors contribute to homelessness among adolescents (Bradely,
1997, p. 15).
Unfortunately, there have been many misguided programs developed that focus on
control and punishment as a way of managing troubled youth. "Experience suggests that
programs that strive primarily to control behaviours tend to induce the dreaded state known as
institutionalization; they foster mechanistic child and youth care approaches that leave little

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15

scope for personal development and autonomy." (Denholm, Ferguson, and Pence, 1993, p. 18).
"In general, the social services system that serves young people and families is not in step with
the current thinking on contextual and comprehensive approaches to risky behaviours and
negative outcomes." (Burt et al, 1998, p. 4). However, the therapeutic views appear to be
starting to change.
The view of adolescents has recently begun to change in the literature and in the design
of programs and policies that concern young people .... This perspective differs from
the traditional view of teenagers as rebellious and unpredictable beings whose problem
behaviors must be corrected, controlled, or punished (Bradely, 1997, pp. 4-5). Instead
of using punitive methods of controlling them, more helping professionals are looking at
using early methods of supporting and developing the strengths of at-risk young people.
They believe that if they can intervene with high-risk youth early enough and use the
youth's natural strengths successful intervention is more likely. "The new philosophy
posits that providing certain basic opportunities and supports will build on young
people's strengths and will ultimately be more successful than intervening after the
crisis has already occurred." (Bradely, 1997, p. 4). "The range of conditions that youth
experience and the continuity of many types of dysfunction over the life span heighten
the significance of early intervention (Kazdin, 1993, p. 127).
Today, more then ever, concerned people are trying to find a solution that will bring
relief to this vulnerable population. Government and private foster homes and group homes
have been around for decades. Residential care and treatment for youth can be traced to the
1600s.
In a review of the development of residential care and treatment programs in

FUTURE CENTS

Canada, Pawson identifies three overlapping periods of influence. 'The Puritan
Era' (1600-1800) insisted that the group care of children was primarily a regional
responsibility. 'The Refuge Manager Era' ( 1750-1890) saw the beginning of the
development of facilities created specifically for children. This period also witnessed
the evolution of the concept protection, as opposed to simply the provision of housing
for children. Canadian legislation both reflected and led this change in orientation.
'The Child Saving Era' ( 1850-19250) brought an increased emphasis on foster care for
disturbed and delinquent children. This move towards deinstitutionalization and
specialization can be seen as the point from which differential treatment programs for
children and youth slowly began to emerge (Denholm et al, 1993, p. 18).
Over the years various intervention programs for high-risk youth and children have been
designed by government and private agencies, groups, and concerned individuals. Using
numerous and varied techniques and approaches over the years they have attempted find the
elusive answer to returning the youth to a healthy lifestyle. Most intervention programs are
designed to improve the life skills of their young clients.
Often at-risk youth need specific interventions in developing necessary skills. These
skills typically fall into the categories of:
•

Anger control and stress management;

•

Positive physical and mental health;

•

Cooperation, communication, and listening skills

•

Problem-solving, decision-making, and planning skills;

•

Leisure awareness and leisure resources; and

•

Friendship and social skills (Stumbo, 1999, p. 4).

16

FUTURE CENTS

17

To be successful, intervention programs designed for youth should also take into account
how young people tend to view themselves.
Adolescents often are absorbed in a world within themselves. They withdraw
from others, and are limited by self-centeredness. . .. Adolescents react to an
imaginary audience. When they feel self-critical, they assume others are equally
critical of them . ... Adolescents regard themselves as unique and special---only
they "can suffer such agonized intensity or exquisite rapture (Mordock & Van
Ornum, 1991, p. 41).
Those designing and implementing intervention programs should be aware of what is effective
and what is not effective.
What is Effective
•

Patience- many of these youth will have trust issues with adults and time must be taken
to build rapport.

•

Dramatic enactment work, and mask making.

•

Improvisation, especially using their own situations.

•

Sometimes group therapy- depending on the chemistry of the group and the skills of
the facilitator.

•

Talking while doing activities on a one to one basis. This takes the focus off being
centered out in a group setting.

•

Using game situations to present information.

•

Make all session short, specific, and single topic oriented. These clients often have
short attention span.

What is Not Effective

FUTURE CENTS

•

18

Taking a strong authoritative role and use of confrontation as the only counseling
strategy.

•

Long counseling sessions.

•

Too high expectation of outcomes.

•

Having an agenda that is not the clients'.

•

Patronizing, talking down, making assumptions, insincere.

•

School-like presentation of information in-group sessions. Clients often have negative
memories of school

•

Forcing parents to participate creates resentment (Stumbo, 1999, p. 5).
Perhaps the most important part of a successful intervention program is the promotion of

feelings of high self-worth within these high-risk young people. "Every youth is in need of love
and care. When a juvenile is lacking in love, this individual will display problems in the areas
of crime, violence, and substance abuse." (Farmer, 1990, p. 17). "Englander found significantly
lower social self-esteem among female runaways when compared to non-runaways. They are
more likely to attribute socially undesirable traits to themselves than are non-runaway girls."
(Bradely, 1997, p. 23). Bradely further states that in spite of the importance of self-esteem in
the successful intervention of high-risk youth, there is surprisingly little in the relevant literature
on the subject. "Data on the self-esteem of runaway and homeless youth are quite limited and
those which do exist do not present clear results." (Bradely, 1997, p. 23).
The very behaviours we often criticize in young people can actually be viewed as signs
of low self-esteem. "Another characteristic of the high-risk teenager is how he/she responds to
the environment. ... A teenager reacting to his/her environment with negative behaviours is
experiencing feelings of low self-esteem." (Farmer, 1990, p. 23). Programs involving early

FUTURE CENTS

19

interventions, supporting and developing young people's natural strengths and abilities, and
knowing what works and what does not work have better chances of success. However,
whatever strategies and techniques are used, all intervention for high-risk youth should be
geared towards developing higher feelings of self-esteem. Without positive feelings of selfworth, it can be extremely difficult to take the necessary emotional risks needed to become
emotionally healthy enough to successfully live and work within mainstream society.
Purpose and Rational
The Future Cents Program has been operating in Prince George since March 1998.
Their funding comes from the Ministry for Children and Families and Human Resources
Development Canada. This not-for-profit program is designed to help high-risk youth by
providing a range of services by youth for youth. Future Cents defines high-risk youth as those
who are between the ages of sixteen and twenty-nine and:
~

Are not in school.

~

Are unemployed or underemployed.

~

May be involved with drugs and alcohol use/abuse.

~

Are or have been in trouble with the law.

~

Come from an unhealthy living/home situation. (Letendra, 2001, p. 6)
Future Cents hires 'high risk' youth and assists them in acquiring the experience, skills,
and information they need to prepare them for employment. The Future Cents youth
participant's project's focus on youth providing services to their community,
specifically their peer group- 'high-risk' youth. This gives them the opportunity to
develop social and employment skills through hands on experience. This is a creative,
new approach to assisting youth with barriers, lack of self-confidence, and skills. The

FUTURE CENTS

20

Future Cents program is different than any other service in Prince George, as it hires
'high-risk' youth, and pays them well, for their life and street experiences that help them
assist other youth in the same situation. It empowers them and builds their selfconfidence by showing they have something to contribute to their community and their
peers (Letendre, 2000, p. 2).
Given that an outside evaluation of the Future Cents Program has never been done, the
program staff has deemed this study important. They understand that, in their ongoing
development of programs, it is important for them to understand, from the participants' point of
view, what works and what does not work. The staff can report great success in the number of
graduates finding employment in mainstream society. They can even honestly say that their
graduates appear to better handle interpersonal relationships. There is, however, little indication
of just how much of this success is due to an increase in the self-esteem of the participants. In
other words, how much of the program's apparent success is due to the development of the
participants' positive self-esteem as opposed to them just learning new skills?
Research Questions
The purpose of this study is to determine, from the clients' point of view, to what extent the
Future Cents program has been successful. In particular, I wish to know how successful the
program is in helping high-risk youth develop more positive feelings of self-worth. I will also
examine whether higher feelings of self-esteem assist the client in terms of better fitting into
today's society. The research questions are:
~

Has completing the Future Cents program had a positive affect on the level of the clients'
self-esteem?

FUTURE CENTS

~

21

What attitude and life changes do the clients report experiencing as a result of working in
and completing in the Future Cents program?

~

Do the clients of the Future Cents Program better fit into mainstream society in terms of
employment and/or education after completing the program?
Methods

Participants
The participants in this evaluation study were twelve young people, five males and
seven females, who have graduated from the Future Cents Program. Five of the young people
that I interviewed were from a group of ten people who had graduated in the spring of 2000.
Three were part of the group of eight who graduated in the spring of 2001. The final four were
from the group of ten who graduated in 2002. Therefore, I interviewed 12 of a possible 28, or
42.86 % of the participants who graduated from the Future Cents program over a three-year
period. It should be noted that the 12 young people who participated in the evaluation were the
only ones who were in town and available when I did the interviews. I did not receive any
refusals to participate in the evaluation. I did consider phone interviews for those who had left
town, but rejected this option because I did not believe they would be as accurate as face-to-face
interviews. At the time of the interview, two of the participants were under the age of nineteen
and the rest were between the ages 20 and 25.
Procedure
As a requirement for completion of my M.Ed. degree, I found I needed to do a thesis or
project. Upon study, I decided that to do a project would be the most beneficial for my career
and for me. A project would be more likely to help me to better understand how various
existing programs worked. More important, a project would give me an opportunity to get

FUTURE CENTS

22

direct feedback from the people directly involved. It is likely that, as I continue to work within
existing community programs, knowing how to collect, analyze, and interpret information on
them may be an important part of what I will be expected to do. It is also feasible that I could
be asked to develop new programs. Understanding how to deal with both of these situations
would definitely increase my effectiveness as a helping person.
While attending a research class at UNBC, I had an opportunity to examine some
completed theses and projects. One of the projects that I read was an evaluation of an existing
social services agency. "Evaluation research is the systematic application of social research
procedures for assessing the conceptualization, design, implementation, and utility of social
programs." (Freeman, 1993, p. 5). At this point I decided that to do an evaluation of an existing
program as a project to complete my Masters degree made sense.
Evaluations are undertaken for a number of reasons: to judge the worth of ongoing
programs and to estimate the usefulness of attempts to improve them; to assess the
utility of new programs and initiatives; to increase the effectiveness of program
management and administration; and to satisfy the accountability requirements of
program sponsors (Freeman, 1993, p. 3).
As a front line worker in the helping profession, understanding how to evaluate
programs appeared to be just what I was looking for. Next I had to decide what kind of
evaluation I was going to do. Further study showed "three classes of evaluation research: (1)
analysis related to the conceptualization and design of interventions; (2) monitoring of program
implementation; and (3) assessment of program effectiveness and efficiency." (Freeman, 1993,
p. 34). Number three fit neatly into what I would like the evaluation to do.

FUTURE CENTS

23

With this in mind, I approached Youth Around Prince (YAP), an agency that works with
high-risk youth here in Prince George. While they expressed interest in my idea, it quickly
became clear that YAP, which is made up of several independent agencies, was too big for the
project I was planning. They suggested I look at Future Cents, one of the agencies operating
under their umbrella. I then contacted Franka Letendra, Program Manager of Future Cents. I
met with Ms. Letendra and explained what I wanted to do and why. After addressing her
concerns of confidentiality and who would have access to the information, she agreed that an
evaluation would be beneficial to both of us. With her approval, I developed a proposal to
present to the UNBC Ethics Committee. The proposal included a draft of questions that I
intended to ask the participants, an informed consent form, and a letter asking for their support.
Prior to developing the proposal I had to decide what type of research would best
answer my questions on the program from the participants' point of view. " ... the deliberate
choice of a design increases the likelihood that the data will yield information on the research
question." (McMillan and Schumacher, 1997, p. 9). I had to decide which data collection
method would best way to get my questions answered. As extensive interviews and
observations appeared to be what I needed to obtain the results I was looking for, I decided that
a qualitative study, rather then a quantitative study would work best. Further study revealed
that, for my purposes, the best use of a qualitative study was through ethnographic interviews.
"Ethnographic interviews are open-response questions to obtain data of participant meanings--how individuals conceive of their world and how they explain or "make sense" of important
event in their lives." (McMillan et al, 1997, p. 447).
With approval from the Ethics Committee at UNBC, I presented a letter to Future Cents
staff that was in turn given to all the young people who had graduated from the Future Cent

FUTURE CENTS

24

program in the past three years (see Appendix A). The letter explained that I was doing an
evaluation of Future Cents for my university project and asking for their help. After the letters
were mailed, staff of Future Cents contacted each of the graduates personally. This was to
reassure them that they supported what I was doing, explain to them about confidentiality, and
encourage them to participate in the evaluation. This included the youth who had move to other
towns. The out of town graduates were asked if they would be willing to do an interview over
the telephone. While these particular graduates indicated they were willing to participate in this
manner, I decided not to do it. I felt that telephone interviews could not give me as accurate a
reading as I could get from face-to-face interviewing. Body language and facial expressions
would not be available for me to monitor. I was worried that the results from the few out-oftown participants would skew the results of those living in Prince George. Thus my whole
evaluation would be at risk of being inaccurate.
A meeting was called with the program graduates that live in Prince George.
Unfortunately, only three people showed up for this meeting. I explained to them how and what
I was doing, how the evaluation would work, and confidentiality. For those who were unable to
attend this meeting, I arranged to meet individually to pass on the same information. I also used
this time as an opportunity for the participants to get to know me and encouraged them to ask
any questions they might have had about me and/or the evaluation. Each was invited to
participate in the evaluation and then requested to sign an informed consent form (see Appendix
B). To be sure they understood it, the consent form was read aloud with each individual
participant before they signed it.
I then interviewed each participant individually. The interviews began with a casual
conversation about the current life of the individual participant. It was hoped that this would

FUTURE CENTS

25

help to relax them and in turn, help establish trust between us. Next, I reviewed the whole
process with them, encouraging them to ask any questions they may have had. Only when I felt
the participant was relaxed and understood the process did I begin to ask them my predeveloped questions. The series of questions that I had developed for the project were designed
to encourage the participants to relax and talk about their experiences within Future Cents.
Other spontaneous questions were asked when I thought more information or clarification was
needed. The original and the related questions were meant to get them to talk about what affect
the Future Cents experiences had on them and their lives. Perhaps more importantly, the
questions were designed to assist the participants in identifying what changes they saw in
themselves as a result of completing the program. If I thought that a participant was getting
nervous or agitated, I would ask some personal questions or have a casual conversation until
they settled down again. Interestingly, all the female participants that I interviewed appeared
confident and wanting to help. A couple of the males, on the other hand were quite nervous and
more support and encouragement was need from me to get them through the interview.
While the pre-designed questions were an important part of the evaluation, my
observations of each participant's behaviours were perhaps even more important. I used my
skills as a psychological therapist to observe their non-verbal communications; body language,
facial expressions, voice tone and inflections, to help evaluate how they really felt about the
Future Cents program and the staff. I would ask a question and carefully watch and make a
mental note of their non-verbal responses while recording their verbal answers. If their nonverbal and verbal responses were not congruent, I would investigate further with additional
questions until I was satisfied that I was getting honest and open responses to my queries. I
used both types of questions to evaluate the success of Future Cents from the participants' point

FUTURE CENTS

26

of view. After each interview was completed, I sat down and reviewed it, making notes of the
non-verbal behaviours of the participant.
Although one and a half hours was scheduled for each interview, they only took about
one hour to complete. Each participant chose the location of his or her individual interview.
Various locations were chosen. Most participants chose to meet with me at the Future Cents
office. Two invited me to their homes, two interviews were done on park benches, and, because
of the noise in the office two interviews were done in my car while parked in front of the office.
I had only one person not show for the interview, however, she rebooked and I was able to do
the interview later. The interviews were audio recorded and I also wrote notes during the
interview. The audiotapes were transcribed and checked with the written recording for
accuracy. The data was then analyzed to determine similarities and difference in the
participants' experiences and perceptions of the program. The data was also analyzed to see if
the participants' viewed the world and themselves differently from before and after completing
the program. I also checked to see if the impressions I received during the interviews were
compatible with the verbal answers they gave. When I was done I put the notes and audiotapes
were put into safe storage to be disposed of at the completion of the project.
To do this, I listed the participants into groups of three, one for each year of graduation.
I further divided each of the groups into categories of male and female. This gave me six
groups, which I examined for similarities and differences. This gave me the ability to note any
variances or parallelism within the various groups. For example, I was able to see how many
participants were working or going to school before the program. Then I compared it with the
number of participants going to school or working after the program completion. This gave me
an idea of changes in lifestyle as a result of attending Future Cents.

27

FUTURE CENTS

Perhaps the most important part of the questioning was to determine if and how much
change each participant felt their feelings of self-esteem altered as a result of their participation
in the Future Cents program. To determine this, I asked each of the participants to rate their
level of personal self-esteem before attending the program. I asked them to do this rating by
picking the number between 1 and 10 that best described their self-esteem level. Later I asked
them to rate their self-esteem after completion of the program, again using the 1 to 10 scale. I
then compared the two answers to see what differences in self-esteem were self-reported by the
individual. For example, if a particular participant reported their self-esteem, before the
program at four and eight after the program, then they would have a self-reported increase of
four points or forty per cent. I also took an average of the self-reported self-esteem changes for
each group. This was to determine if there were any reported differences between the three
groups.

Results and Discussion
All the participants who volunteered to assist in the evaluation appeared to be open and
honest in answering the questions. They were unanimous in saying the program was a positive
experience for them and they would definitely recommend it to other youth.
Living Arrangements
Before entering the program five of the participants reported that they lived on their own
or with roommates (Table 1). Three more lived in a common-law marriage and one lived in
foster care. Only three of the twelve said they lived with parent(s) before entering the Future
Cents program. This had changed little at the time of the interview, with two reporting they

28

FUTURE CENTS

presently lived with parents and one with a relative. Three were in a marriage relationship and
eight live on their own or with a roommate.
Table 1

Prior living arrangements o(participants
Type of Living Arrangement

n

%

Living on their own/roommate

5

41.67

Living with parent(s)

3

25.00

Foster Care

1

8.33

Common-law Relationship
Note: n = 12

3

25.00

Education
When asked about their education levels before entering the program, five reported a
grade 12 or OED equivalency. Two of them said they had grade 11, four had grade 10, and one
grade 9. At the time they entered the Future Cents program, seven of the participants were not
attending school. Of the other five, four were attending an alternative education program (two
full-time and two part-time). The final one had just started college. None of the interviewed
participants were legally employed before entering the program. Four of them were receiving
social assistance. Of these four, two said they were also involved in illegal activities. At the
time of the interview, five reported being employed and two said they were attending school.

FUTURE CENTS

29

Two of them told me they were both employed and going to school. Of the three who were
unemployed, one had recently had a baby and one was expecting a baby shortly.
Reason for Participating
When asked how they had heard about the Future Cents Program, five of the
participants said they heard of it from a friend and five of them were referred to the program
from an outside social agency. The other two became aware of the program while attending a
presentation by Future Cents staff. Interestingly, none of the participants appeared to know
what the program was really about when they first agreed to become involved in it. Eight of
them said they had no idea what it was. Two of them were the closest in understanding the
program in thinking it was youth helping youth. One said they thought it was a good place to
hang out and another saw it as just a job. Employment appeared to be the primary reason for
most of them agreeing to participate in the program. Only three of them looked at it as an
opportunity to work on personal development. One participant saw it as an opportunity to help
others.
Identified Personal Changes
When discussing how the Future Cents Program changed them, all the responses were
positive. "Trusting, more confidence, and maturity" were the most used expressions. Others
talked about, "new skills and abilities, new way of thinking, better outlook on life, sense of

direction, improved communication skills, and learning to trust". One person mentioned, "it
helped beat addiction and get closure on some issues". When the participants were asked if
they saw any changes in themselves after completing the program, the response was
enthusiastically positive. "Yes completely, I have respect for community, lots offriends, people

who care about me, I feel completely different about myself" "Yes, more confident, easier to

30

FUTURE CENTS

talk to people, less shy, now just happy." "Yes, higher self-esteem, I realize a lot about myself
and it made me better myself." "Yes, more positive about myself, more self-esteem, more
worthwhile, purpose for me being here. " "Yes, more confident, more positive about self. It
helps your life feel more worthwhile. " Except for one participant who said he "didn't know"
all participants reported the program changed their lives for the better. Also, when asked, all
participants, males and females, reported that they viewed life differently after completing the
program, that they now viewed life in a more positive manner.
Self-Esteem
When asked if their feelings of self-esteem were different from before taking the
program as compared to after completing the program, all reported a positive change. They did
this by rating their feelings of self-esteem before and after taking the program using a scale
from one-to-ten, with ten being the highest. For most of them, a definite improvement in their
feelings of self-esteem was reported (Table 2). According to the figures given by the
participants, the 2002 graduating group reported the highest increase in feelings of self-esteem
at a 78.75 %increase. The 2001 group reported the lowest increase at a 35 %. The 2000
graduating group reported a 60 % increase in their feelings of self-esteem. Together, the three
groups had a mean increase in self-esteem of 57.92 %.
Table 2

Percentage change in self-reported self-esteem by year o(program
Year of Graduation

Before Program

After Program

Percentage of Change

2000

32%

92%

60%

2001

45 %

80%

35%

2002

17.5%

96.25 %

78.75 %

Mean

31.5%

89.42%

57.92%

FUTURE CENTS

31

Identified Benefits of Program
When ask what part of the program was most beneficial to them, the support they had
received from the program and staff was the most common answer. Typical answers were:
personal development, helping others, learning new skills, learning responsibility, having a job,
and making money. However, six, or fifty per cent of the participants name the positive support
they received from the program staff, Franka and Mary, as the most beneficial part of the
program. Franka appeared to have the most influence on them. She was named five times as
the most beneficial part of the program. "Frankafirst and foremost." "being in a supportive
atmosphere, especially Franka." "Franka and Mary were the most beneficial." "Franka saw
the good in me. " When asked about what was the least beneficial part of the program, most
said the entire program was beneficial. Two suggested that being exposed to the problems of
other youths was hard. However, while they indicated to me that this exposure was hard, they
acknowledged that it was an important part of the program. "I found it hard being exposed to
the problems other youth were going through. It wasn't a bad thing, just hard. " One
participant could not see the point of team day and another had a problem doing morning time
sheets.
When I asked if they would recommend the program to other youth, the response was
overwhelming, a definite yes. "Yes I would recommend it highly. Because if I can come back
from being all messed up to go on working everyday and hanging out with positive people."
"Yes . .. I wouldn't have gone back to school with out them". "Of course, because it holds so
much potential if you're willing and ready to get into it". When I inquired about what changes
should be made to the program, most said none. Four suggested more funding and/or an

32

FUTURE CENTS

expansion of the program. "Better funded to keep stafffull time and contracts could be
longer. " There was one suggestion that there be "less office work and more getting out into the
community. "

Limitations
The biggest limitation of this study may be the participants themselves. The Future
Cents staff recruited them for me and it is possible that they may have felt obligated to promote
the program. Also, as most high-risk youth have difficulty in trusting people they see as
representatives of the establishment or even adults in general, they may not have trusted me
enough to give honest answers to my questions. They may have looked at giving honest
answers as emotionally risking themselves to an outsider. Clearer results may have been
obtained if I could have interviewed the one or two young people who did not complete the
program. As well, the points of view of the successful participants who have moved to other
communities may have benefited the study.
Conclusion
The purpose of this evaluation was to determine whether the Future Cents program
helped its participants improve their feelings of self-esteem. It is to see if attending the program
resulted in them viewing life differently, with different attitudes. I wanted to see a new positive
life view helped them to better fit into mainstream society, particularly in terms of employment
and/or attending school.
The participants' responses clearly show that they believe that the Future Cents Program
had a positive effect on how they look at and live their lives. This new belief they have found
within themselves has played a large part in their new ability to live and work comfortably
within mainstream society. This is clearly shown by the number of former participants who are

FUTURE CENTS

33

now employed, going to school, and feel they are now an important part of our society. There
is a strong belief among the participants that the most important part of the program was how
the staff believed in them and supported what they were doing. This support gave them the
strength to take the risks needed to try new and often scary endeavors. Being successfully
employed had a great deal to do with developing their feelings of self-worth. Conversely,
people with positive feeling of self-worth are more likely to be successfully employed. The
program also assisted them in learning how to be a responsible part of mainstream society. This
includes learning to work and live with other people in a healthy way. Perhaps even more
important, they have learned to regard themselves as positive, good people. They have learned
that life involves risks, but that taking emotional risks is how people learn and grow. Perhaps
even more importantly, this evaluation suggests that a sustainability of a higher belief in their
abilities is present in the participants. Each group reported higher feelings of self-esteem even
after one year, two years, and even three years.
While interviewing these young people, I was very impressed by their openness and
honesty. However, I was even more impressed by their enthusiastic outlook on life. It was
almost as if they were in awe of the changes they saw in themselves. They were proud of who
they had become and were now enjoying life more fully. There is little doubt in my mind that
the Future Cents experience has made a positive difference in the lives of the participants who
have completed the program. Their feelings of self-worth have gone up and they are now able
to face life directly instead of running from or fighting it. I would definitely recommend this
program for any youth who may be considered "high risk".

34

FUTURE CENTS

REFERENCES
Bartholet, E. (1999). Nobody's children: Abuse and neglect, foster drift, and the

adoption alternative. Boston MA: Beacon Press.
Bradley, J. (1979). Runaway youth: Stress, social support, and adjustment. New York
& London: Garland Publishing, Inc.

Burt, M., Novick, E. R., & Resnick, G. (1998). Building supportive communities: It

takes more then services. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
Crompton, J. L. & Witt, Peter, (Eds.). (1996). Recreation programs that work for at-risk

youth. State Collage, P A: Venture Publishing, Inc.
Denholm, C. Ferguson, Roy, & Pence, Alan, (Eds). (1993) Professional child and youth

care. Vancouver, BC: UBC Press.
Dryfoos, J. (1990). Adolescents at risk: Prevalence and prevention. New York, NY:
Oxford University Press.
Farmer, J. (1990). High-risk teenagers: Real cases and interception strategies with

resistant adolescents. Springfield lllinois, USA: Charles C. Thomas - Publisher.
H. E. (Sept. 2000). Youth: A source of inspiration. Families & Health. 13, 1-2.
Isralowitz, R. & Singer, M. (Eds.) (1983). Adolescent substance abuse: A guide to

prevention and treatment. New York, NY: The Haworth Press Inc.
Freeman, H. E. & Rossi, P. H. (1993). Evaluation: A systematic approach. Newbury
Park, Ca.: Sage Publications.
Kariel, P. ( 1993). New directions: Stepping out of street life. Calgary Alberta,
Greenways Press.

FUTURE CENTS

35

Kazdin E. A. (1993). Adolescent mental health: Prevention and treatment programs.

American Psychologist, 48, 127-141.
Kirby, M. (1998) Youth advocating for youth. Canada's Children. 5, 17-18.
Krueger, M. & Powell, N. (Eds.). (1990). Choices in caring. Washington, DC: Child
Welfare League of America.
Lerner, R. (Ed.). (1993) . Early adolescents: Perspectives on research, policy, and

intervention. Hillside, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Publishers.
Letendre, F. (2001). Future cents: proposalfor 2000-2001. Prince George, BC.
Unpublished funding proposal.
McMillan, J.H., & Schumacher, S. (1997). Research in education: A conceptual

introduction. United States, Addison-Wesley Educational Publishers Inc.
McWhirter, A.M. McWhirter, B. T. McWhirter, E. H., & McWhirter, J. J. (1993). At

risk youth: A comprehensive response. Pacific Grove Ca., Brooks/Cole Publishing
Company.
Mordock, J. B. & VanOrnum, W. (1991). Crisis counseling with children and

adolescents. New York, NY: The Continuum Publishing Company.
Steindl, D. (March 2000). Issues in counseling youth with substance abuse problems:

Summary. Unpublished manuscript, University of Northern British Columbia,
Canada.
Stumbo, N.J. (1999). Intervention activities for at risk youth. State Collage PA: Venture
Publishing, Inc.
Unknown. (1999). Youth crime: developing solutions. Preventing crime: Through social

development, (Bulletin no. 1.), 4.

FUTURE CENTS

White, J. (June, 1998). Youth suicide prevention: aframeworkfor British Columbia.
Suicide Prevention Information and Resource Centre of British Columbia.

36

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FUTURE CENTS

Appendix A
Tom Wainwright BSW, M.Ed. (Candidate), RSW
University of Northern British Columbia
Prince George, B.C.
June 11, 2001
To Graduates of the Future Cents Program
I am a graduate student in the Masters of Education Program at the University of
Northern British Columbia. As part of my studies I am required to do a research project. For
my project I have chosen to do an evaluation on how effective the Future Cents Program has
been in helping you and other participants. To be able to do this, I am hoping you will assist me.
The project would involve meeting with you and other program graduates individually.
I will ask you a series of questions and record your responses. I will write out your answers on
paper and audiotape the interview to ensure accuracy. Once I have used the tape to confirm the
accuracy of my written recording, the tape will be erased. The interview will be approximately
one and one-half hours in length.
Your involvement in the study is strictly voluntary. You certainly have the right to
refuse to be involved in this project. If you choose to help out, be assured this information will
be kept strictly confidential. Your identity will not be used. All materials pertaining to your
information will be destroyed when the project is completed. Completion is when my project is
completed and UNBC has approved it, within two-to-three months. Future Cents may use this
study to help identify improvements that can be made to future programs. However, your
confidentiality will be strictly maintained, as the Future Cents staff will only receive the final
results. The staff of Future Cents, or UNBC, will not have access to anything you say. When
the evaluation has been completed and approved, a copy will be made available for you to read
at the Future Cents office. While you may not directly benefit from the study, your assistance
may identify improvements that will help future participants make positive life changes.
I will be holding two information meetings to further explain this process and answer
any questions you may have. Pop and pizza will be on me. They will be held on Monday July
8, 2001. The first one will be at 12:30 pm and the second at 7:30pm. Both meetings will be
held at YAP Friends. Please return this letter to Future Cents or phone Franca letting us know
if you will consider participating in this evaluation. If you agree to work with me and are under
the age of nineteen, your parent or guardian will also need to sign the letter. The signing of this
letter does not commit you to participate or prevent you from withdrawing from the study. You
have the right to withdraw from the study at any time for any reason. If any complaints or
concerns arise during or after this evaluation, you are free to contact the Office of Research at
333 University Way Prince George, V2N-4Z9. Or phone UNBC at 960-5555 and ask for the
Office of Research. If you would like more information from me, please leave a message on
my cell phone, 961-1612, or leave your name and telephone number at the Future Cents and I
will contact you. Thank you for your time and consideration and hope to see you on the 8th.
Sincerely,

38

FUTURE CENTS

Tom Wainwright
Yes, I am willing to consider participating in your evaluation of Future Cents
No, I am unable to participate in your evaluation of Future Cents
I will attend the information session before deciding to participate
Participant's Signature

Please print name

Guardian's Signature

39

FUTURE CENTS

Appendix B
QUESTIONNAIRE
1. What is your gender?

Male

Female

2. What is your age?

Under 19

20-25

26 or older

3. When did you graduate from the Future Cents Program?
4.

What is the highest level of education you have obtained?

5.

Before beginning the Future Cents Program, where was your primary residence?

6. Before the Future Cents Program, were you employed? Part or full time?
7. If employed, what type of employment was it?
8. Before beginning the Future Cents Program, did you attend school on a regular basis?
9. If you attended school, was it regular or alternate? Full time or part time?
10. How did you hear about the Future Cents Program?
11. When you were first referred to the Future Cents Program and what did you think it was
about?
12. What was your reason agreeing to participate in the Future Cents Program?
13. Please describe your relationship with your family before attending the Future Cents
Program.
14. In your own words, please describe how the Future Cents Program works.
15. Are you working or attending school now?
16. What is your present living arrangement?
17. In what ways, if any, has the Future Cents Program changed you?
18. Has your relationship with your family changed since attending Future Cents Program, if so
how?

FUTURE CENTS

19. Do you feel differently about your self at present as compared to how you felt about your
self before taking the Future Cents Program?
20. In what ways do you feel differently?
21. Do you now view life differently then from before you started the program?
22. Please describe how your view is different?
23. If we were to measure your feelings of self-esteem on a scale form 1 to 10, with 10 being
the highest, and 1 being the lowest, where would you measure your self-esteem before the
Program?
24. After the program?
25. What parts of the program were most beneficial to you? Why?
26. What parts were least beneficial to you? Why?
27. Would you recommend this program to other young people? Why?
28. What changes to the program would you recommend be made?
29. Do you have any other comments to make?

Thank you for your time and participation.

40

FUTURE CENTS

41

Appendix C
Informed Consent Form
Do you understand that you have been asked to participate in an evaluation
of Future Cents as part of a UNBC research project?

Yes

No

Have you attended an information meeting where the purpose and process of
the evaluation was explained to you?

Yes

No

Have you had an opportunity to ask questions and discuss the evaluation?

Yes

No

Do you understand that the research interviews will be audio taped and your
answers manually recorded (hand written)?

Yes

No

Has it been explained how the information you provide will be used and what
will be done with it after the evaluation is completed?

Yes

No

Do you understand that you are free to refuse to participate or to withdraw
from the study at any time without reason and without consequences to you?

Yes

No

Has confidentiality been explained to you? Do you understand who
will have access to the information you provide?

Yes

No

This study was explained to me by: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
I agree to take part in this study.

Signature of Research Participant

Date

Printed Name

Witness
Printed Name

I believe that the person signing this form understands what is involved in the study and
voluntarily agrees to participate.

Signature of Investigator

Date

42

FUTURE CENTS

UNBC

Appendix D

UNIVERSITY OF NORTHERN
BRITISH COLUMBIA
Research Ethics Board

MEMORANDUM
To:

Tom Wainwright
2839 Alexander Dr. , Prince George, V2N IJ8

From:

Alex Michalos
Chair, Research Ethics Board

Date:

May 17, 2002

Re:

Ethics Review 2002.03 18.42
A Program Evaluation of the Community Agency ,Community Cents

Thank you for submitting the above noted proposal for review by the Research Ethics
Board. Your proposal has been approved and you may begin your research.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.

Sincerely,

Alex C. Michalos, Chair
Research Ethics Board