Preparing for the future with purpose, awareness, and agency
Preparing for the future with purpose, awareness, and agency
Project Summary
Young people confront a number of challenges related to an unstable and changing world of work, growing economic inequality, social discord and racial oppression, and uncertainty fostered by the global pandemic. Applying a psychology of working theory framework, this project seeks to identify how schools can cultivate the psychological assets and social supports that young people need for successfully navigating these challenges.
Approach
We focus on identifying the assets cultivated in schools offering experiential work-based learning and the relational environment fostered in the school and work settings. More specifically, we focus on the development of youth purpose, critical consciousness and relational support as promotive factors in a context of risk. This project extends across three school and community settings that vary in economic resources, schooling types, and the ethnic/racial identification of community members.
Measurements & Metrics
Students have completed surveys including reliable and valid measures of perceived barriers to further education, critical consciousness, youth purpose, proactive personality, teacher autonomy support, internship quality, mastery motivation, work volition, and career adaptability. A subset of students have participated in semi-structured interviews to more fully understand their future goals and sense of purpose, critical awareness, anticipated barriers, and sources of support, motivation, and hopefulness.
Key Findings
Quantitative data reveal that sense of purpose, critical motivation, teacher support and internship quality contribute to mastery motivation, work volition, and career adaptability, beyond the effects of perceived barriers. Interviews highlight the role of relational support in the school and work settings in helping young people to make meaning of the challenges in their broader social context and to develop strategies for navigating challenges with a sense of hope and purpose.
Funding & Partners
This study received funding from a Boston College Collaborative Fellows grant and enjoyed partnerships with the City of Newton, Department of Health and Human Services; Big Picture Learning Schools; and Notre Dame Cristo Rey High School.