YES data

As our first semester of Project Coach came to a close, we asked our kids to fill out the YES (Youth Experience Survey) to gauge how Project Coach was impacting their lives. The YES is a survey given to high schoolers involved in extracurricular activities or community-based programs with the aim of looking at self-reported experiences ranging from teamwork and social skills to interpersonal relationships and adult networks. Since the YES provides an average norm score for teenagers in the nation involved in activities, comparing our teens scores gives Project Coach real feedback on asset development within our program.
This round of the YES revealed some gains when compared to last years data, but more importantly, exceptional results when compared to national results. The way the YES is rated, the lower the number the better. Overall, our Project Coach kids scored lower (better) on every single measure when compared to the national average! Some of the most notable differences between us and the national average were evident in categories such as “Tried New Things” (we scored an average 1.31 next to the national average of 3.1), “Learned to Push Myself” (us: 1.19, nation: 2.98), and “Learned to Focus My Attention” (us: 1.25, nation: 3.07). Other fantastic differences came in categories such as “Made Friends of the Opposite Gender,” “Learned about Helping Others,” and “Learned How my Emotions and Attitude Affect Others in a Group.” All in all, the YES revealed that our coaches are gaining valuable skills and experiences through this program, which is the best result we could have hoped for. We’re excited to keep up the forward momentum in the upcoming Project Coach season!