RESEARCHERS

The following undergraduate students were enrolled and carried out the study as part of the requirement for Social Work 1905, High School: Moments, Memories & Meanings with Dr. Michael L. Baizerman and his co-teachers, Emily Rence and Felix Snoozy, at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, during Spring 2011.

Research Interns: Abby Anderson Lindsey Countryman Abby Dohm Lainey Dunn Justin Frederiksen Kelly Lund Rachel McDermand Emily Mueller Jake Mulford Jenna Mrozinski Michelle Novalany Aneta Pszczola Jessica Sanko From St. Paul Parks & Recreation: Steve Randall, Arlington Rec Jamar Shaw, Daytons Bluff Rec Co-Teachers: Dr. Michael L. Baizerman Emily Rence, Grad Student YDL Felix Snoozy, Grad Student YDL

Artwork Done by: Emily Rence, Grad Student YDL

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Researchers I. Abstract II. Introduction III. Research Findings a. What did young people tell us? b. What did staff tell us? IV. Appendix a. Methods b. Instrument

NOTHING IN THIS REPORT SHOULD BE READ OR USED TO IMPLY AGREEMENT BY THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA, COLLEGE OF EDUCATION AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT, THE SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK, THE DEPARTMENT OF YOUTH STUDIES, OR THE CITY OF ST. PAULS PARK AND RECREATION

I. ABSTRACT

A request by St. Paul Park and Recreation Department led to this study of two Rec Centers (Arlington and Jimmy Lee) youth and youth workers by students in a Freshman Seminar at the University of Minnesota. Intended as a field study of how young people and workers at the two sites saw the Rec and each other and how their perceptions fit into those of local library, police, fire, high schools and business owners. Only completed were the Rec Center interviews due to time limitations. It is found that Rec Centers are seen both by young people and staff as essential local services. Males used the Rec mostly for sports and socializing while females used it mostly for socializing and to support the makes playing basketball. At Jimmy Lee, there were more activities for females. Youth experience their Rec as a safe and fun place which, were it to disappear, would leave them a huge hole in their everyday lives, raising their risk of getting into trouble, they said; they would go to the streets, parks and then homes. Staff make the Rec into more than a building and they vary, youth say, in their interest and competence with them, from excellent workers at Arlington to fewer at Jimmy Lee. Staff inconsistency in rule monitoring and variability in how they respond to rule infractions were noted, while the reasonability of the rules was accepted by youth. Workers tend to see youth as youth see themselves. Many youth do not attend their local Rec Center and too little effort seems to be the given to their recruitment and retention.

II. INTRODUCTION

Background This is a tense moment in American politics and policy, with clear differences between political parties and policy advocates on a wide range of social issues and social problems. This is a moment of budget cuts when long established youth programs and services are losing funding, leading to a shrinking and ultimately smaller prevention and service system for young people. We hope to contribute to the timely debates by providing data on young people and workers at two Saint Paul Rec Centers.

Introduction Ms. Kathy Korum, Deputy Director of Saint Paul Parks and Recreation, approached this Freshman Seminar in late January to request a study on how Rec Workers and youth at Rec Centers saw each other, and how Centers and young people were seen by other community organizations, services, and groups. Only the first part of the proposed study was completed by May 2011. (See Appendix for student designed survey instruments). Rec youth and Rec workers were interviewed at Arlington and Jimmy Lee Rec Centers. Findings, conclusions, and suggestions drawn from the data constitute this Report.

III. RESEARCH FINDINGS: a. What did young people tell us?

What school do you go to? Arlington Recreation Center Ramsey Jr. High Highland Park Wilder Johnson Gap Washington Gordon Park Como Park Battle Creek Harden Bruce Vento MIA Central OPEA Homeschooled Jimmy Lee Recreation Center Ramsey Jr. High Highland Park Humboldt Murray Central Park Center Greendale Mall Como Park Tartan

What neighborhood do you live in? Arlington Recreation Center Eastside University Maplewood Westside Payne Selby Across the street Jimmy Lee Recreation Center Selby Central & Western White Bear Aurora Como West 7th Rondo St. Anthony Park Daytons Bluff Frogtown Brooklyn Park Ames Lake East St. Paul West St. Paul North St. Paul Midway St. Paul
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How long have you been coming to the Rec Center? Arlington First Time < 1 Year 1-2 Years 3-4 Years 5-6 Years 7-8 Years > 8 Years Other 1 3 4 8 6 4 0 3 First Time < 1 Year 1-2 Years 3-4 Years 5-6 Years 7-8 Years > 8 Years Other Jimmy Lee 0 3 9 3 2 2 2 12

Question 7: How did you find out about the Rec Center? Though young people at both Arlington and Jimmy credited their discovery of the Rec Center and its programming to family members, friends, and geographic proximity, only young people at Jimmy Lee mentioned advertisements, community events, and flyers. Young people at Arlington overwhelmingly attributed their attendance to proximity (living near the Rec or passing by it regularly) more often than the young people at Jimmy Lee. This could be due to the nature of the community, youth friendship networks, and their nearby high school networks. Young people at Jimmy Lee said that they discovered the Rec through organized sports- uncles played basketball there, friends played volleyball and a dad played football. If young people know about their local Rec Center, do they use it after school? And if they do, what does the Rec compete with for their interest and time.

Question 8: Where do you spend your time after school? On the weekends? What do you do at those places? Do you learn anything from doing those things? Are there any places youre not going to? Why not?
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Seen from the outside, a Rec Center is just like any other public building in the community. From the inside, it is a different story. According to young people who attend, the Rec is a place to hang out with friends, play sports, and get schoolwork help. I can be active instead of sitting around. I can get homework done. In many ways, the Rec illuminates a more positive view of life in their darker world. When telling why they dont go to other, nearby spaces to hang out and play: *I dont go to the park+ because theres shootouts and stuff. / Weekends get worse. Bad stuff happens. When asked why he comes to the Rec, a young man answered, Its better than being on the streets. Its positive here. I could be doing more negative things. For others, the Rec has a deeper effect. When asked what they have learned from going to the Rec Center, a common answer touched on the theme of respect, Respect. Loyalty. Respect for people who respect you. Respect of them by others and respect of others by them can, for some, be joined to respect for themselves. More directly, young people were asked why they go to their local Rec.

Question 9: Why do you go to the Rec? It is important to have Rec Centers because its something for people to do after school and to get away from home and stay positive as a group. This was the response of a 16 year old female at the Arlington Rec Center. Other responses varied, with some common themes being to play basketball and volleyball, to be with friends and classmates, and it is a safe, nearby place. Most common was the answer, to play basketball. As for the Rec Center itself, some young people mentioned that they feel safe there. *I go to the Rec+ because its the closest and its the safest. They have staff everywhere, (14 year old black male). When young people utilize a Rec, they are finding alternatives to danger on the street, or being involved in other dangerous activities. A 19 year old male at Arlington said, I come, you know, to stay out of trouble. And, I can release stress so I dont release it on other people. Youth at Jimmy Lee said, *I go to
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the Rec+ because theres a lot of people I know. I dont want to be doing the wrong things. Overall, young people choose to come to the Rec Center because it is a safe and enjoyable place to be with friends and other people they know. It is a safe space for activities, such as sports, and a fun place to be with friends and to get away from troubles on the street and other negative enticements.

The Rec works for many youth who attend regularly. But many do not use it. Why?

Question 10: How often do you and your friends go to the Rec? Is there anything the Rec could do to get more young people to come regularly? What would be the best way for the Rec to get more young people to come regularly?

Almost even numbers of females (21) and males (27) answered this question. These youth gave a range of the amount of time that they spend at the Rec, but not many of them told much about their friends and how frequently they attend. When friends were mentioned, they come often to every day, with few differences between genders.

Both young men and women had ideas about what would make their Rec better and bring in those not attending. Suggestions to improve the facility were to make it bigger and add more groups, programs, and activities.

More advertising was suggested, including flyers, signs, posters, and telling others. More open-gym and videogames were also suggested. A powerful response was offered by a youth from Arlington: "Show people what it's like to be in a community." To show what a feeling of community, and even family is, lets people see what friendship and acceptance looks like.

On the other hand, Rec Centers have reputations, and there are facts- these work to keep away some of the young people: Theres a gang here so a lot of people dont wanna come. Because fights could break out. Surely this is a reason why some youth do not attend; they are scared. This reputation and similar facts must be addressed. Another source of non-participation may be the Rec Worker especially those who have a bad reputation, such as those who close the gym when there is a problem with a few/many kids. Conversely, Rec Workers with positive reputations bring in young people and keep them coming back.

Another possible barrier to using a local Rec may be that it is hard to get to, far away, and/or the way is not safe.

Question 11: How do you get to the Rec center? Is it a safe way to get there?

At Jimmy Lee and Arlington, youth walk there. Getting rides, the bus, and bikes are used less often. Generally, these are safe ways, but not always. There are moments of danger. Though most young people did not let their concern interfere with getting to the Rec. Typically, youth walk to the Rec because it is close by, and surely it is used more when it is close to home and to school.

The way to the Rec may be unsafe, so too may the Rec itself.

Question 12: Do you consider the Rec a safe place? In what ways? In general, a Rec Centers purpose is to provide a free, accessible, and safe place for recreation and informal learning for the community. Whether playing basketball or participating in interest groups such as a girls group facilitated by staff members, everyone should have the opportunity to find or help create activities of interest and to do these in a place that is safe and secure. 47 out of the 50 young people that were interviewed said that the Rec was safe.

Why for you, is your Rec a safe place? Basic, are staff and a friendly environment; obviously, both are closely related. It is crucial for a feeling of safety that workers were always there to help, support, and to keep everything in order. I know theres adults here that are going to be watching me and they care about me (15 year old African American boy at Arlington). And All the staff know me so its easy to feel safe (12 year old African American female at Jimmy Lee). Youth say that staff at these Recs are very active and make a point to personally get to know the young people who attend. This results in a comfortable setting, with trusted workers. Related, is the fact that neighborhood-based Rec Centers are places where most know the others who attend. This was said as Youre with friends and Everyone knows everyone. These comments however also can be read as suggesting that if most youth know each other, then this might contribute to safety. If staff are crucial to the perception and experience of a Rec being safe, and that experience is based on staff knowing young people, it is expected that each young person will be known by a Rec Center staff person.

Question 13: Do you think the staff people here know your name or anything about you? Are there staff people at the Rec Center that you could see yourself hanging out with? How come? If you had a problem, would you talk to the staff people? Do you think they treat you fairly? 41% of youth interviewed said that the staff know something about me. Two said that the staff know everything about me. While the rest were spread over other possibilities. Important, is that 20% of the young people said that the staff did not know anything about them. If staff know them, would they talk to staff if they had a problem? While 73% said that they could talk to the Rec staff if they had a problem, 16% said no and the rest were scattered, this is somewhat different than was found in another recent Youth Studies study where most said no. Whether the staff know them or not, are they treated fairly by Rec workers? 80% said yes that they Rec Staff treated them fairly, with the rest of responses scattered:
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Been with most of them *Rec Staff] since 5th grade. (15 year old) They *Rec Staff+ keepin their promises all the time. (15 year old) They *Rec Staff+ treat you with as much respect as you give them. (17 year old) Q: Can you talk to Rec Staff about your problems? A: Of course. Q: Can you talk to your teachers about your problems? A: Oh no, thats a different story. Theyre just going to tell you to talk to the principal. Theyre here to teach. (18 year old Male)

They *Rec Staff] give everybody a chance. (13 year old female)

Dont nobody mess with me when they [Rec Staff+ here. (19 year old male) I know that if I wanna talk, theyre *Rec Staff+ here. (15 year old male) Theyre *Rec Staff+ good listeners. (16 year old female) If Rec workers know them and they would like to talk to Rec workers if they had a problem, and the Rec Center is a safe and fun place, more young people should use its facilities. How to recruit these others is a concern to a public agency required to and wanting to serve all young people.

Question 14: How could the RC advertise or reach out to more young people? Flyers - 17 Commercials - 7 Facebook - 5 Invite Friends - 3 Speakers - 3 Work with schools - 2

Given these answers, we have a conflict with another Youth Studies

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research for Parks and Recreation. There, the fact is that it is friends and families that bring in most youth. Other youth suggestions are to have more and longer open gym hours and to use local athletes in person and in commercials. The Rec is safe, most workers are good and know the young people who attend; these are good places, essential local services. Is that all there is to what makes a Rec work for its Young People?

Question 15: What do you like about the Rec? Okay, so imagine someone gave you a million dollars and told you that you could use it to change anything you wanted to at the Rec Center in order to make it perfect. How would you spend the money?

The Recreation Center is seen by many people, young and old alike, as an essential neighborhood service. This is surely true for young people, our data indicate. Young people's answers differed from the obvious to the more obscure.

One of the most common reasons why young people go, particularly for African-American teenage males, is the gym and, more specifically, for basketball. Without the local Rec, it would be very difficult to find another space to play.

But it is more than physical activities. It is also about socializing and communicating, especially for teenage girls. One said, You have people you can talk to, while many found it to be a great place to hang out and stay out of trouble. When many kids are out on the streets, one African-American teenage male said, the Recreation Center is a place to be. [It] keeps me out of trouble. One of the most common themes focused on the atmosphere that kids felt and liked at their Rec. Its a safe place, and a fun, getaway, Indeed, for many it is their second home. Young people see the Rec as a place where everybody is welcome, and can all feel like one together. In a world of danger and growing up fast, the Rec is a place to joke around and just have fun.

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So it is about sports and hanging out, anything else? How would you improve your Rec? Jimmy Lee young people want a computer lab that wasnt just for homework," and new jerseys and equipment, and fixing up the fields for football, given the ground problems there. At Arlington young people said that the Center had to be bigger; so too the park and the gym. Lots of people dont have enough space, said one young person and another said there was simply too many people for the size. Youth at both Centers also wanted more amenities, such as a game room, and board games, and increased programming, particularly directed towards girls and younger kids. There was a desire to get little kids more interested, and get more activities for little kids.

If there was money to improve the local Rec, would Young people be asked for their ideas on what to do?

Question 16: Do you think your opinions are valued at the Rec? At School?

In a society where youth want their voices to be heard, a youth space should be a place to both practice and use one's individual and collective voice. At the Rec, youth could be treated as individuals of value, significance, and substance. This was found to be true at their Rec Centers. In comparison, when asked Do you think your opinions are valued at school? there were 17 young people who answered no, along with many sometimes and maybes.

How did this come to be? Because of the staff: "[Staff] listen. They fix my problems. But note that it is the staff who fix his problems. A 17 year old African American male said he felt his opinions were valued more at the Rec than at school and that *the Rec Staff+ are trying to help you. This connection with the staff remained strong with nearly all of the Arlington youth and this resulted in a general attitude that everyones opinion matters.

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One significant difference worth noting between the youth at Arlington and those at Jimmy Lee is that most all Arlington youth referred to the Rec Staff by their first names, and knew the names of every staff. A few even went so far as to refer to the staff as family. These connections are crucial to the trust and communication that enable Arlington youth to believe their opinions matter. At Jimmy Lee this was not so much the case. One 15 year old African-American male at Jimmy Lee said he knew his opinions were valued because the person who runs it will come out and ask us things. Also notable is that the two youth who did not think their opinions were valued were at Jimmy Lee. (Note: At Jimmy Lee there are all small numbers.)

The principal and the school system runs the way they want it, sums up much of the attitude toward whether or not the young peoples opinions are valued at school. When asked if his opinions were valued, a 13 year old male at Arlington said the teachers dont pay attention to us. At Jimmy Lee young people have the same beliefs; with one 15 year old male saying they tell me to shut up all the time. One positive case, however, was an 18 year old male at Arlington who said he felt his opinions were valued because he was able to get his entire school schedule switched around. This shows that at school it seems that opinions are valued if they are necessary for academic success. But in many other cases their opinions are ignored.

Finally, the two 13 year old females who believed their opinions were not valued claimed that if we came here more it would be different. These two girls dont see their opinions to be valuable at the Rec because they are not regulars. However, the fact that they both are able to recognize the potential for their value at the Rec Center over time shows the benefit of the Recs presence, and the ability for new connections to be formed with new youth.

While these answers are suggestive, they dont directly address the involvement of young people in Center programming, nor whether the Center could be a viable site for learning and producing citizenship, i.e. youth involvement in decision-making about a variety of practical Rec Center concerns. Were the Rec
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Centers such sites of informal learning about how to be and do citizenship, they would validate in this way their role as learning spaces. Some of this potential is seen in the next question.

Question 17: How do you use what youve learned at the RC in your everyday life?

When asked how they use what they have learned at the Rec Centers in their everyday lives, young people generally gave three answers. First was getting along with others, being respectful and having the respect of others. This helps appreciation of other cultures and allows for the transfer of communication skills to their lives beyond the Rec. One 13 year old female said, If you are nice to people here, its easier to be nice to people outside of here too.Additionally, the youth also believe that the Rec provides them with opportunities for their future. A 12 year old girl said, I use it because it can get me somewhere in life instead of out of the streets. It can get me a college degree. In short, the Rec keeps young people off the street and invites motivation to self-improvement. Last, the Rec has helped them learn sportsmanship and thus to become better team players, and also to work well with others in life-spaces other than sports.

In contrast, do young people use in everyday life what they learn in school?

Question 18: How do you use what youve learned at school in your everyday life? Like the Rec, the school provides opportunities for young people to prepare for their individual and collective futures. While the Rec provides youth many opportunities to master social skills and keep them off of the street, school teaches basic subjects, such as reading and math, both essential for everyday life. Yet, many young people believe that they do not use much of what is learned in school in their everyday life. One 15 year old male said, Half of the stuff I use, half I dont." A few young people said that they learned some communication and social skills at school,

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but their answers were nowhere near as many or as extensive compared to their answers when talking about their Rec center.

The Rec matters to these young people, they have said loudly and clearly. What if it was no longer there?

Question 19: Lets pretend they just closed the Rec Center, there is no more money to keep it open. What could you do after school?If the Rec center was closed permanently, how might you be different?

If there was no Rec center, what would you do after school? For girls and young women, the answer is stark: Nowhere to go. They could stay at home, and, they feared, would get into trouble. Girls and boys too, would be on the streets, in parks, and around the neighborhood more often. Here, there is a clear connection to "getting into trouble." One girl claimed, Itd be harder for other facilities in our neighborhood. Wed be messing around more in places we shouldnt be. As an alternative to parks and the streets, youth would remain at home if there was no Rec Center. There they would be less physically active and "become lazy." Also significant, they expect they would become both sad and lonely because their friends would not be with them. For males, in general, the results were similar. Different than the girls, the boys said that they would fight for and raise money to keep the Rec open. If theres no Rec Center, then theres nowhere to go. The young males seemed to be very passionate about the time that they spend in these facilities and are not willing to easily give it up. A large number also said that they would go to an alternative Rec if their local Rec was closed. Put bluntly: Id be doing bad things, like real bad things. Like stealing bikes or throwing rocks. Like real negative things. The males were much more direct about the violence that would arise and they admit that they themselves would be engaged in these activities. Without the Rec, males said that

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they would be in a "bad mood" and become lazy because they would lack physical activity.

Interviews were ended by asking young people if they had questions for the Research Interns.

Question 20: Do you have any questions for us? This was the last question and its purpose was simply to wrap up the interview. About one third answered; they asked about us, about possible budget cuts, and, again, one told us his painful truth, "This is the only place I feel safe." They asked about getting the report and we promised to make a readable copy available.

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IV. RESEARCH FINDINGS: a. What did staff tell us?

The little things like a listening ear, someone who cares enough to get them a drink when theyre thirsty, someone who cares enough to give them advice. For these kids, its about survival, it comes down to the things like love, water, shelter, safety. Well never know how much that means. The purpose of this study was to identify the importance of St. Paul Recreational Centers (RC) in the lives of young people. In order to gain a holistic understanding, we found it essential to gather the perspectives of both involved young people and employed staff. The staff questionnaire looked for neighborhood demographics, the current state of the RC, and where staff hope it to be in the future. We visited two locations. From April 8-14, thirteen research interns went daily and interviewed six workers from Jimmy Lee and five from Arlington.

Jimmy Lee Rec The first site visited was Jimmy Lee. To effectively recognize how the RC aids a community, it is vital to understand its geographic and social environments. The Jimmy Lee neighborhood encompasses populations from a variety of racial backgrounds and economic statuses, including African American/Black, Caucasian/White, Asian/Hmong, Somali, and Mexican/Latino. Nearby are streets with ethnic shopping and low-income housing. The neighborhood is diverse and improving. According to a Jimmy Lee staff member, Its going in the right direction. It was slummy and now its definitely improving lives of young people. Jimmy Lee has a new building, combining the old Jimmy Lee RC with the Oxford community pool. This transition helped provide the community with a then state-of-the-art facility. It is also joined to the building with The Loft, a teen center. They look to the RC, especially the kids, as a place to play basketball and as a pillar of the community, said a staff. The RC provides a variety of programs which staff say are tailored to the needs and interests of community members, young and
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old. Many are free and some have a fee: yoga, swimming lessons, aerobics, life guard training, and special needs inclusion classes. For low-income families that cannot afford programming fees, scholarships and other discounts are available. The RC also is a neighborhood venue for volleyball and basketball tournaments, as well as a meeting space for church groups and other organizations. With strong ties to the neighborhood school, Central High School, Jimmy Lee provides space for student classes. The RC also has a limited, but mutually beneficial relationship, with the new library which provides books for the RC. Jimmy Lee staff reward free waterpark passes to young people who complete the librarys summer reading program. With such a large space and wide variety of activities, many young people come to the RC to fulfill a variation of interests, wants and needs. There are a lot of young people who go regularly: Wed get kids that come every single day. For some of those kids when wed start out with behavior issues, and once you start to know the kids they get some respect for the center. When they start to seek you out you know youve made an impression. Worker/Youth relationships reduce fights, workers say, and this is seen in respect for the staff and the Center. Despite these positive improvements seen by some workers, many staff members struggled to name individual young people who come regularly. As one staff member said, They come in, they play basketball, they hang out, they leave. As far as influencing their character, Im not sure how much we do. Another says, It keeps them off the streets. Its better to have them here playing basketball with adult supervision than out on the streets. I think parents would rather have them here. Although staff recognizes that it is beneficial for young people to attend, they offered little insight into individuals, their interests, behavior and friendships. In contrast the staff reacted much more enthusiastically to whether they wanted more kids to come to the Rec. A majority wanted to see higher attendance and suggested strategies to attract newcomers. Advertising was a key approach. Signs, flyers, banners, and door-to-door outreach were strategies to create better awareness of RC opportunities. New planned events and programs were another: One of the most important things for a RC to offer is new things. Another worker added, were a baseball and football RC, not a soccer and softball, if we could build
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some interest in other sports *more kids would come+. An additional proposal offered was to have a Youth Advisory Board to implement the young peoples input into the RCs everyday activities. In order to create a more comfortable environment for the underrepresented groups such as Somalis, Hmong and Latino/Mexicans, RC staff suggested hiring workers with these backgrounds. If able to implement even a few of these, RC staff is hopeful for increases in size and composition of the young people using the facility. The staff wants further changes. Because of its large volume of members, Jimmy Lee is already outgrowing its newly constructed facility. One commonly named need is for more parking. When we have large events for tournaments, *there is no hope+. And even if we dont, with basketball games and swimming lessons, the lot is full. Inside the building a problem is the ridiculous heat in the concession stands during working hours. Putting in a window or increasing ventilation within the room could alleviate this discomfort. Aside from facility improvements, staff also wants to see heightened communications and relationships between the RC and external organizations. Midway baseball and other RCs were candidates for future exchanges and cooperation. Collaboration in upcoming events and tournaments could maximize the resources available. If the Jimmy Lee RC closed in the near future, many evident and impactful changes would be seen, staff believe. With the RC no longer an option, young people would turn to the streets, parks, other RCs, and each others houses after school. One worker states, however, that theyre not going to join the Y its expensive. Since few places offer the same programs at such affordable prices, families would be left with few options. Schools would also suffer; gym classes and many sports teams would lose their venue of choice. Of all the groups that would be hurt, young people would suffer the most. By limiting young peoples opportunities to participate in healthy and fit activities, they would be more likely to turn to destructive decisions and commit more crime, staff believe. As one worker recognized, statistically, kids who go to organized activities after school get into less trouble. In addition those who rely on the RC for a safe environment not only lose this, but also are exposed to the environment of the streets.
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Overall In analyzing the overall experience of the Jimmy Lee RC, the facility and program options were highly impressive. Jimmy Lee has a number of programs that span ages and interests. One staff said, Weve got activities for young kids all the way through seniors. Jimmy Lee also meets community interests, wants and needs by providing meeting spaces for church services, fields and courts for sports tournaments, and an option for school gym credit. These diversified programming choices, as well as its variety of young people, create a well-rounded recreation and informal learning environment. The RC is in good standing; it is safe and clean. This RC is a great place for young people to go after school. Theres at least a place thats safe, that they can be safe, says one worker. Another, states The younger kids who need some place to go have at least some supervision. The advantages that Jimmy Lee provides are a great contribution to its community. Unfortunately, this RC has not met its potential, we believe. Although the RC indeed provides an essential service to many in its community, it seems to have created a double edged sword among staff members because its very large numbers make it difficult for them to form personal bonds with many young people. In addition, we believe, staff required dress, especially when worn by staff that are silent and behind the desk, is off-putting. Staff rarely extended a welcoming greeting to those who enter the Rec and seemingly often ignored their presence. Though not unfriendly, RC staff do not seem to go out of their way to create an atmosphere of invitation and individual engagement. Another issue at Jimmy Lee is the extensive fees for some of the programs. While scholarships are available, the workers admit that many young people do not know about these financial aids. This can be fixed. Jimmy Lee is a vibrant space for young people, a place for safe play and informal learning used by many after school. It is this very activity that can be seen as a source of the seemingly limited youthwork relationships between some staff and young people as observed and found in the interviews. This should be addressed if Jimmy Lee is to meet its
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potential as a community recreation center, which we believe is a place for healthy youth development.

Arlington Rec Center The second location visited was Arlington. Once again we began by walking the neighborhood. Here, the atmosphere feel to us more poor and dangerous. A worker agrees: Clearly theres a lot of poverty and neglected children to be frank. Financial struggles are an everyday reality for many residents; foreclosed homes are a physical presence. There is stealing and prostitution, bringing a visible police presence. A source of community tension is its racial diversity: Black (not African immigrants), Hmong/Asian, White, Hispanic/Latino/a and Mongol Americans. Group members tend to stick together, a worker said: You dont see the interaction between races like you should in 2011. To some workers the neighborhood is sad and depressing, while others have a more positive view. One worker says that its a good neighborhood, *but has+ its ups and downs. Another agrees to seeing improvements and attests to strong interrelations among youth; theres a lot of kids, and a lot of em know each other really well, theyre really interconnected. The interplay of these realities is the context for Arlington Rec Center and its young people. The Arlington RC has worked to meet the interests, wants and needs of its young people. Its small gymnasium, a poor playing space, is used for basketball. The building has two additional public rooms: the entry, a general space for visitors to hang out, do group activities and the like, along with a small staff office. To provide both younger and older young people adequate amount of playing time, Arlington has designated age-specific gym hours. 5:30-8:00 is assigned to teenagers and young adults. According to one worker, this age splitting allows the younger ones are getting a chance to be kids. In the summer, Arlington offers additional sports and structured programs. Youth can play football outside and many come for free lunches. Weather permitting; there are always teens outside the building and in the park across the street.
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Arlington has come a very long way in the last two years, from a little used space to a vibrant center of teen life and this is seen in the deep, meaningful and appropriate relationships between young people and staff. This has, in turn, resulted in monumental changes in the lives of young people. When a young person first starts coming, the majority only show respect for the rules of the place so as to play basketball and hang out with friends. Beginning there, the young people engage and are engaged by staff: Over time, the kids seemed to be more respectful to us as a staff, not because of authority but because of gaining respect. Once that respect is firm, young peoples behaviors change, resulting in fewer fights, threats and gang banging. Also different over time are decreases in swearing and more appropriate behavior between youth and staff. Dress too has changed, it is now more cleaned up. At first may young people were defensive and self-centered. After trust is firm, demeanor becomes more open and accepting: They make really good use out of these centers, says one worker. The RC acts as an extended family. Although many youth depend on this rather small facility, the staff is still eager to see more and different groups of young people attend. All five workers unanimously agreed to wanting a higher turnout. They offered strategies: because of the oral culture found in this community, the most effective approach, according to the staff, is word of mouth. Almost all the young people that attend do so because they know a friend or family member that already goes. By encouraging others to spread the word about its ethos, tone, and offerings more new youth will be come. Arlington staff want to change the image of Arlington as belong*ing+ to the African American kids. To reach out to underrepresented young persons in groups such as Hmong, Latino/Hispanic, and Caucasian, staff recommended extending offerings that met their interests, wants and needs. As one worker said, an us (staff workers) going to them approach would help these young people feel more welcome. Another strategy that staff thought would help recruit was to form stronger ties with other organizations within the community, such as the library: *There+ used to be [a relationship], but trust between the library got beaten down by kids.
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Rebuilding this relationship would be mutually beneficial, allowing the pooling of resources. An optimistic staff member says, Theres a lot of things they would do together. They have a big basement, [we] could do work readiness classes [and] workshops. Another says, They *could+ put flyers up here, we *could+ put flyers up there. If the Rec and library workers exchanged contacts, names, and communication, troubleshooting could exist across locations. Since the same kids go there, an open relationship could prove very effective. Others claim that working together could even make large strides in fighting crime. Welcoming these changes, Arlington employees hope to see better relations with the library in the near future. All of this will be possible, both during the transition time when Arlington will be torn down, and later when both agencies will be in the same building. There are many additional changes staff would like to see in order to improve the facility as a whole. They want to develop a more welcoming environment. One worker recalls his first experiences there; It felt like I was walking into a correctional facility. Agreeing, one worker said, Aesthetically, it would be nice to have something a little more bright and welcoming. The biggest obstacle is its space and this will soon change. For now, a worker says that what is needed is better staff communication. With most workers being part-time, it is a struggle to get everyone to be in the same place at the same time, making staff meetings rare. Talking with and training one another, as well as troubleshooting issues still needs to be worked on. Because it is actively and fully used, the disappearance of the Rec would produce devastating consequences for the young people in the community. Regularly, the young people wait out front for us to open the doors. Without Arlington, young people would be forced to hang out in the streets, libraries, parks, and schools: they barely *go+ home, says one worker. Lots cant go home even if they want to. Likely results of closing would be more fights and crime, according to staff.

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Overall Reflecting on our experience at Arlington Rec Center, we realized that first impressions are deceiving. When arriving, we were taken aback by the state of the facility one gymnasium and two small rooms seemed like hardly enough to support a whole community. The walls were barren, and there was little color. The furniture was scarce and in fragile condition. While conducting interviews, one chair even broke under a Research Intern. However, after taking a deeper look into the impact of this Rec Center, we realized it wasnt the material aspects that have enabled it to be a driving force in its community: You dont need a lot of money, facilities, things- it needs to have a warm feeling, as one staff member puts it. When each young person enters, (s)he are greeted by name. At Arlington, its not about being a number among many, but having an identity. The emphasis at this Rec Center is not on the equipment or the programming, but rather building relationships and enhancing communication between Rec workers and young people Having the privilege of being Research Interns, we were also exposed to young peoples testimonials of what the Rec Center has done for them. To one: The Girls Group *at the RC+ taught me how to really express feelings. If I wasnt here at the RC, I wouldnt be so nice. Not only did the individual come to be a more positive person, she also recognized her development. She stands for many-this place works! We completely agree with one Arlington staff member who said, I think the relationships make such a big difference in their lives. Arlingotn Rec Center is an essential service to its community, a safe and fun place for play and informal learning.

Conclusion After visiting these two Rec Centers, we found the contrasts profound. Jimmy Lee has many resources, but lacks staff interpersonal relationships with the young people. Arlington, in contrast, has minimal physical resources, yet staff relationships with the young people are exceptionally rich.
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The two Rec Centers can be contrasted to the benefit of both, in some areas, and also to the detriment of both in other areas. Changes are coming to the Arlington facility and it is hope that staff in the new facility will maintain their high level of youth work competence. At Jimmy Lee, staff competence in doing day-today youthwork can be enhanced. This we urge.

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APPENDIX A- Research Method/Sample

Research Method Ms. Kathy Korums interest and concerns about Rec Centers and their place in local youth service systems, along with libraries, the police, and others, was the basis for students designing survey instruments and pre-testing them with Jamar Shaw and Steve Randall of Park and Rec. The students were given I.D.s identifying them as Research Interns. They set up interviews at the two Rec Center sites Arlington and Jimmy Lee and completed a non-random, snowball sample of Rec youth and Rec workers.

Sample Most of the young people were African-American, with young men mostly at Arlington and young women at Jimmy Lee. This design is intended to show both the potential and the actual study sample categories for young people. It remains to be completed. The age/sex/race sample can be found in Figures 1.1 and 1.2 on the following page.

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Figure 1.1
African-American/Black Age 9-10 11-12 13-14 15-16 17-18 19-20 21-22 Male 0 2 3 7 6 1 1 No Gender 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 Female 1 4 2 4 0 0 0 Male 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Caucasian/White No Gender 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Female 0 0 2 1 0 0 0 Male 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Asian No Gender 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Female 0 0 1 0 0 0 0

Figure 1.2
Mixed Race Age 9-10 11-12 13-14 15-16 17-18 19-20 21-22 Male 1 0 2 2 0 1 0 No Gender 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Female 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 Male 0 2 2 0 1 0 0 No Race Provided No Gender 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 Female 0 1 1 2 1 0 0 Male 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Other No Gender 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Female 0 0 1 0 0 0 0

Race/Ethnicity at Both Rec Centers

Other No Race Provided Mixed Race Asian Caucasian/White African-American/Black 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 1 3 34 35 40 1 11 10

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Figure 2.0 Jimmy Lee Arlington Both Recs Figure 2.1 Male 14 17 31 No Gender 0 4 4 Female 18 7 25

Both Recs

Male No Gender Female

Jimmy Lee
Male No Gender Female

Arlington
Male No Gender Female

Figure 2.2

Figure 2.3

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APPENDIX B- Survey Instrument

Page #/Survey Instrument 31-32: Rec Youth Instrument 33-34: Rec Staff Instrument 35-36: Library Staff Instrument 37-38: Library Youth Instrument 39-40: School Staff/Administration Instrument 41-42- Police Instrument 43-44: Firefighter Instrument 45-46: Business Instrument 47-53: Rec Youth Note Taking Instrument

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University of Minnesota St. Paul Parks & Recreation Neighborhood Research Youth Questionnaire Introductory: Hey, my name is (your name) and Im here to ask students some questions about the Rec Center. Im a research intern from the University of Minnesota. We are doing a project for St. Paul Parks and Rec with some of the RC in St. Paul. Could I ask you some of my questions? Consent: No right or wrong answers, completely your opinion Don't have to answer any question you don't want to Can stop at any time Your name will not be used, no one will know what you answered Is it okay that my partner will be taking down notes? Basic Information 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. What is your sex/gender? How old are you? What would you say your race/ethnicity is? What school do you go to? What neighborhood do you live in? How long have you been coming to this Rec Center? How did you find out about the Rec Center or stuff that happens here?

What is the significance of the RC in the life of the community? 8. Where do you spend your time after school? On the weekends? a. What do you do at those places? b. Do you learn anything from doing those things? c. Are there other places youre not going to? i. Why not? 9. Why do you go to the RC? 10. How often do you and your friends come to the RC? a. Is there anything the RC could do to get more kids to come more often? b. What are some other ways for the RC to get more young people to come more often? What is the place of the RC in the lives of young people? 11. How do you get to the RC? a. Is it a safe way to get there?
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i. If not, what makes it unsafe? 12. Do you consider the RC a safe place? a. In what ways? 13. Do you think the staff people here know your name or anything about you? a. Are there staff people at the RC that you could see yourself hanging out with? i. How come? b. If you had a problem, would you talk to the staff people? c. Do you think they treat you fairly? What could be done to improve the RC? 14. How could the RC advertise or reach out to more young people? 15. What do you like about the RC? a. Okay, so imagine someone gave you a million dollars and told you that you could use it to change anything you wanted at the RC in order to make it perfect. How would you spend the money? What do young people learn at the RC that they dont learn at school? 16. Do you think your opinions are valued at the RC? a. What about at school? 17. How do you use what youve learned at the RC in your everyday life? 18. How do you use what youve learned at school in your everyday life? 19. Lets pretend that they just closed the RC, there is no more money to keep it open. What could you do after school? a. If the RC was close permanently, how might you be different? Last Question 20. Ive been asking all the questions, do you have any questions for me? Anything else you want to say? [Closing Statement]

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University of Minnesota St. Paul Parks & Recreation Neighborhood Research Rec Staff Questionnaire Introductory: Hey, my name is (your name) and Im here to ask staff some questions about the Rec Center. I am a research intern from the University of Minnesota. We are doing a project with Saint Paul Parks and Rec with some of the RC in St. Paul. Could I ask you some questions? Consent: No right or wrong answers, completely your opinion Don't have to answer any question you don't want to Can stop at any time All answers will be anonymous/your name will not be used Is it okay that my partner will be taking notes? Conversation starter: -What can you tell me about this neighborhood? -How would you describe the boundaries of this neighborhood? How might the youth describe it? -Which group makes up the largest part of the neighborhood? (Next? Next? Etc.) 1. What different groups do you think make up the neighborhood as a whole? a. Do all those groups come to the RC? b. How could you reach out to the under (or un) represented groups? c. Do different groups participate in different activities while at the RC? 2. Do you want more kids to come? a. What strategies could you imagine that would get more of these kids to come? 3. If you could change one thing about this RC, what would it be? 4. Think about some kids who come to the RC on a regular basis, paying attention to how they were when they first started and how they are now, do you think that the RC has had any influence on them or changed them in any way? a. Are there any specific skills or attitudes that youve seen them learn here? 5. Young people always learn things that adults and kids see as negative. Could you name some of these things that are learned at the RC? 6. Where do young people in this neighborhood hangout after school?

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7. If the RC was closed tomorrow, who would be affected? a. Where would the young people who come here now go? i. What would they do there? 8. One of the purposes of this research is to find out how young people in the neighborhood make use of the resources available to them, one of which is the RC, another were researching is the library. Do you see the library and RC working together? a. How might that look? 9. Ive asked you all these questions. Is there a question youd like to ask me? **Ask if theyd feel comfortable answering some demographic questions for our research purposes, let them know that it is their choice because we understand that they may not want to share identifying information, etc. Basic Information 10. Do you mind me asking how old you are? 11. What is your race/ethnicity? (Be conscious of how this question is asked!) 12. How long have you worked here? a. What is your job title? b. Full or part time? c. Have you worked at any other St. Paul RC? For how long? d. Have you worked at any other Park and Rec Centers? (Ex. Minneapolis) How long?

[Closing Statement]

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University of Minnesota St. Paul Parks & Recreation Neighborhood Research Library Staff Questionnaire Introductory: Hey, my name is (your name) and Im here to ask staff some questions about the Rec Center. I am a research intern from the University of Minnesota. We are doing a project with Saint Paul Parks and Rec with some of the RC and other youth programs in St. Paul. Could I ask you some questions? Consent: No right or wrong answers, completely your opinion Don't have to answer any question you don't want to Can stop at any time All answers will be anonymous/your name will not be used Is it okay that my partner will be taking notes? Conversation starter: -What can you tell me about this neighborhood? -How would you describe the boundaries of this neighborhood? How might the youth describe it? -Which group makes up the largest part of the neighborhood? (Next? Next? Etc.) 1. What different groups do you think make up the neighborhood as a whole? a. Do all those groups come to the library? b. How could you reach out to the under (or un) represented groups? c. Do different groups participate in different actiities while at the library? 2. Do you want more kids to come? a. What strategies could you imagine that would get more of these kids to come? 3. If you could change one thing about this library, what would it be? 4. Think about some kids who come to the library on a regular basis, paying attention to how they were when they first started coming and how they are now, do you think that the library has had any influence on them or changed them in any way? a. Are there any specific skills or attitudes that youve seen them learn here? 5. Young people always learn things that adults and kids see as negative. Could you name some of these things that are learned at the library? 6. Where do young people in this neighborhood hangout after school?

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7. If the library was closed tomorrow, who would be affected? a. Where would the young people who come here now go? i. What would they do there? 8. One of the purposes of this research is to find out how young people in the neighborhood make use of the resources available to them, one of which is the library, another were researching is the RC. Do you see the library and RC working together? a. How might that look? 9. Ive asked you all these questions. Is there a question youd like to ask me? **Ask if theyd feel comfortable answering some demographic questions for our research purposes, let them know that it is their choice because we understand that they may not want to share identifying information, etc. Basic Information 10. Do you mind me asking how old you are? 11. What is your race/ethnicity? (Be conscious of how this question is asked!) 12. How long have you worked here? a. What is your job title? b. Full or part time? c. Have you worked at any other St. Paul libraries? For how long? d. Have you worked at any other libraries? (Ex. Minneapolis) How long?

[Closing Statement]

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University of Minnesota St. Paul Parks & Recreation Neighborhood Research Youth/Library Questionnaire Introductory: Hey, my name is (your name) and Im here to ask students some questions about the Rec Center. Im a research intern from the University of Minnesota. We are doing a project for St. Paul Parks and Rec with some of the RC in St. Paul. Could I ask you some of my questions? Consent: No right or wrong answers, completely your opinion Don't have to answer any question you don't want to Can stop at any time Your name will not be used, no one will know what you answered Is it okay that my partner will be taking down notes? Basic Information 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. What is your sex/gender? How old are you? What would you say your race/ethnicity is? What school do you go to? What neighborhood do you live in? How long have you been coming to this library? How did you find out about the library or stuff that happens here?

8. How do you get to the library? 9. Who do you go to the library with? 10. What do you do at the library? a. What do you learn at the library? 11. Who usually hangs out at the library? 12. What time do you go to the library? a. How long do you stay at the library? b. How do you decide when to leave? c. What would make you leave sooner? d. What could keep you here longer? 13. Usually, when you leave the library, where do you go? a. How do you get there? 14. Do you feel comfortable at the library? a. Safe? b. Welcome?
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15. What makes the library comfortable for you? 16. Is there enough for you to do? 17. How do the workers treat you? 18. Is there someone there to welcome you? Someone you know? 19. Do the workers connect with you? a. How do they do it? Real or fake? 20. If the library was to close, where would you go? 21. If you have a problem, would you talk to a staff person at the library? Last Question 22. Ive been asking all the questions, do you have any questions for me? Anything else you want to say? [Closing Statement]

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University of Minnesota St. Paul Parks & Recreation Neighborhood Research School Staff/Admin Questionnaire Introductory: Hey, my name is (your name) and Im here to ask staff some questions about the Rec Center. I am a research intern from the University of Minnesota. We are doing a project for Saint Paul Parks and Rec with some of the RC in St. Paul. Could I ask you some questions? Consent: No right or wrong answers, completely your opinion Don't have to answer any question you don't want to Can stop at any time All answers will be anonymous/your name will not be used Is it okay that my partner will be taking down notes?

Basic Information 1. Do you mind me asking how old you are? 2. What race/ethnicity do you identify as? (Be conscious of how this question is asked!) The Interview 3. How long have you worked here? a. What is your job title? b. Full or part time? c. Have you worked at any other St. Paul schools? For how long? 4. Where do you think students go after school? a. Do you ever hear students talk about the RC? 5. Are you familiar with the RC? a. What do you know about them? 6. What is the schools relationship with the RC? a. Should the relationship be improved? b. If so, how? 7. What kind of after school programs does the school offer? a. How would you categorize them? b. What do you think are the benefits of after school programs and RC programs? c. Do you think these programs are more valuable than what the RC provides? 8. Which after school programs do the students have to pay for versus the ones that are free? a. How important is the cost of the program? b. Do you think there should be a sliding scale fee program?
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9. Do you think most students at your school know about the RC? a. Who do you think doesnt know? b. Do you think the school has the responsibility to raise awareness about RC programs? i. If so, what might your role be in raising awareness? 10. Ive asked you all these questions, is there anything youd like to ask me?

[Closing Statement]

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University of Minnesota St. Paul Parks & Recreation Neighborhood Research Police Questionnaire Introductory: Hey, my name is (your name) and Im here to ask staff some questions about the Rec Center. I am a research intern from the University of Minnesota. We are doing a project with Saint Paul Parks and Rec that includes a variety of neighborhood organizations. Could I ask you some questions? Consent: No right or wrong answers, completely your opinion Don't have to answer any question you don't want to Can stop at any time All answers will be anonymous/your name will not be used Is it okay that my partner will be taking notes? Conversation starter: -What can you tell me about this neighborhood? -How would you describe the boundaries of this neighborhood? How might the youth describe it? -Which group makes up the largest part of the neighborhood? (Next? Next? Etc.) 1. What do you typically do on an average day? a. Car, desk, etc. 2. How long have you been a police officer? 3. How long have you been at this precinct? 4. Have you ever worked with teen gangs? 5. Have you ever worked with teens in trouble? 6. Do you have any special interest or training in working with teenagers? 7. How would you characterize the teens in this neighborhood? 8. Some of the kids in the neighborhood are good kids, some are bad kids. a. What do the good kids do? b. What do the bad kids do? 9. Where do the good kids hang out? 10. Where do the bad kids hang out? 11. What do you think the RC does for the good kids? 12. What do you think the RC does for the bad kids?
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13. What do you think kids learn at the RC that they dont learn at school? 14. If they got rid of the RC, what difference would it make to the kids doing well? a. What difference would it make to the kids not doing well? 15. If the RC disappeared, what impact would it have on the community? 16. Ive asked you all these questions. Is there a question youd like to ask me? **Ask if theyd feel comfortable answering some demographic questions for our research purposes, let them know that it is their choice because we understand that they may not want to share identifying information, etc. Basic Information 17. Do you mind me asking how old you are? 18. What is your race/ethnicity? (Be conscious of how this question is asked!) 19. How long have you worked here? a. What is your job title? b. Full or part time?

[Closing Statement]

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University of Minnesota St. Paul Parks & Recreation Neighborhood Research Fire Fighter Questionnaire Introductory: Hey, my name is (your name) and Im here to ask staff some questions about the Rec Center. I am a research intern from the University of Minnesota. We are doing a project with Saint Paul Parks and Rec that includes a variety of neighborhood organizations. Could I ask you some questions? Consent: No right or wrong answers, completely your opinion Don't have to answer any question you don't want to Can stop at any time All answers will be anonymous/your name will not be used Is it okay that my partner will be taking notes? Conversation starter: -What can you tell me about this neighborhood? -How would you describe the boundaries of this neighborhood? How might the youth describe it? -Which group makes up the largest part of the neighborhood? (Next? Next? Etc.)

1. How long have you been a fire fighter? 2. How long have you been at this station? 3. Have you ever worked with teen gangs? 4. Have you ever worked with teens in trouble? 5. Do you have any special interest or training in working with teenagers? 6. How would you characterize the teens in this neighborhood? 7. Some of the kids in the neighborhood are good kids, some are bad kids. a. What do the good kids do? b. What do the bad kids do? 8. Where do the good kids hang out? 9. Where do the bad kids hang out? 10. What do you think the RC does for the good kids? 11. What do you think the RC does for the bad kids? 12. What do you think kids learn at the RC that they dont learn at school?
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13. If they got rid of the RC, what difference would it make to the kids doing well? a. What difference would it make to the kids not doing well? 14. If the RC disappeared, what impact would it have on the community? 15. Ive asked you all these questions. Is there a question youd like to ask me? **Ask if theyd feel comfortable answering some demographic questions for our research purposes, let them know that it is their choice because we understand that they may not want to share identifying information, etc. Basic Information 16. Do you mind me asking how old you are? 17. What is your race/ethnicity? (Be conscious of how this question is asked!) 18. How long have you worked here? a. What is your job title? b. Full or part time?

[Closing Statement]

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University of Minnesota St. Paul Parks & Recreation Neighborhood Research Business Questionnaire Introductory: Hey, my name is (your name) and Im here to ask staff some questions about the Rec Center. I am a research intern from the University of Minnesota. We are doing a project with Saint Paul Parks and Rec that includes a variety of neighborhood organizations. Could I ask you some questions? Consent: No right or wrong answers, completely your opinion Don't have to answer any question you don't want to Can stop at any time All answers will be anonymous/your name will not be used Is it okay that my partner will be taking notes? Conversation starter: -What can you tell me about this neighborhood? -How would you describe the boundaries of this neighborhood? How might the youth describe it? -Which group makes up the largest part of the neighborhood? (Next? Next? Etc.)

1. Do you know if there is a RC in this community? 2. What do you think happens at the RC? 3. Do you know who uses the RC? 4. What benefits do you think the RC brings to the community? 5. What do you think kids learn at the RC? 6. How would you characterize the teens in this neighborhood? 7. If the RC disappeared what do you think would happen within the youth community? a. Do you think it would impact your business? i. If so, how? 8. Ive asked you all these questions. Is there a question youd like to ask me? **Ask if theyd feel comfortable answering some demographic questions for our research purposes, let them know that it is their choice because we understand that they may not want to share identifying information, etc. Basic Information 9. Do you mind me asking how old you are? 10. What is your race/ethnicity? (Be conscious of how this question is asked!)
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11. How long have you worked here? a. What is your job title? b. Full or part time?

[Closing Statement]

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