Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Availability

Open Access Thesis

Keywords

African American students--Iowa--Waterloo--Attitudes; Minorities--Vocational guidance--Iowa--Waterloo; Minorities--Vocational guidance; Iowa--Waterloo;

Abstract

Young Leaders in Action, a career-related organization for high school sophomore and junior high school students, has had little success attracting African American males as participants.

The purpose of the study was to describe the attitudes of African American sophomore and junior high school males regarding participation in career-related organizations such as Young Leaders in Action. The study was to help identify barriers to participation as perceived by waterloo East and West Public High School sophomore and junior African America males. The study investigated student attitude of participation and leadership.

Based on the proposition that the recruiting process of career-related organizations for African American males is ineffective, the following hypothesis was developed: the program recruiting process may be culturally unappealing to African American males.

The population was 87 African American sophomore and junior males from Waterloo East and Waterloo West High Schools. The results of the chi square (p. 05) was no difference in the attitudes between the students at the two schools pertaining to participation in career-related organizations.

Results of this study failed to support the hypothesis that the major barrier to participation was the recruitment and application process and materials. The African American males in the study provided several reasons for not participating and suggestions to increase participation of African American males in career-related organizations. There was a high level of awareness (87.2%), and interest (70.4%) in career-related organizations. However, 73.5% do not participate. Two major reasons for non-participation were work and finances. Unfortunately, approximately 52% did not respond to the item requesting suggestions to assist career-related organizations in the recruitment of African American males.

Year of Submission

1992

Degree Name

Master of Arts

Department

Department of Health, Recreation, and Community Services

Department

School of Health, Physical Education, and Leisure Services

First Advisor

Robert Long

Comments

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Date Original

1992

Object Description

1 PDF file (127 pages)

Language

en

File Format

application/pdf

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