Replicate the Teen Outreach Program (TOP)

TOP’s unique approach youth development includes:

• An engaging curriculum
• Weekly peer group meetings
• Opportunities for skill-building, including goal setting, communication, emotion management, teamwork, and problem solving
• Positive adult guidance and support
• Opportunities for teens to sharpen their newfound skills during community service learning

The TOP curriculum is divided into three books: “Building my Skills,” “Learning about Myself” and “Connecting with Others” to help teens build a foundation of healthy behaviors, life skills, and a sense of purpose. Each book includes lessons that support the developmental levels of teens from 6th to 12th grade: Foundational-level, Intermediate-Level, and Advanced. The curriculum also includes an accompanying Facilitator’s Guide.

TOP Curriculum topics include:

• Healthy relationships, including how to advocate for oneself
• Communication and assertiveness
• Critical thinking and external influences
• Goal-setting
• Decision making and personal reflection
• Exploring personal values
• Health, wellness, and self-understanding
• Community service learning

The flexibility of TOP allows for implementation and integration into a variety of settings, including:

• In schools
• After-school
• Through community-based organizations
• In systems or institutional settings, including residential treatment, foster care, or juvenile justice

As one of Wyman’s most successful, scalable, and evidence-based programs, TOP helps teens acquire the skills needed for positive outcomes and successful transitions into adulthood.

Wyman’s National Network of partners and providers deliver TOP with fidelity to teens nationwide through a comprehensive replication partnership approach.

When organizations partner with Wyman to replicate TOP in their own communities, they receive intensive program training and start-up assistance. Once underway, Wyman provides support through periodic program reviews and audits, access to a proprietary data collection and monitoring system, and ongoing technical help. The continued engagement with Wyman helps ensure each partner successfully implements a high-quality program.

In partnering with Wyman, organizations become a member of a National Network delivering TOP – a community of practice through which they interact with peers who are also committed to delivering excellence.

Exploring TOP Implementation

Our ‘fidelity with flexibility’ model helps our partners adapt TOP to a variety of environments while achieving impressive outcomes.

Requirements for implementation:

• The partner creates and uses a written Quality Assurance Plan (QAP), which is updated annually.
• Ensure clubs are guided by facilitators who have completed TOP training.
• Maintain a ratio of at least 1 TOP facilitator per 25 teens (1:25). Many facilitators prefer a ratio of 1:10, 1:15, or 2:25.
• TOP Clubs are planned to include weekly peer group meetings throughout the program cycle.
  • Club Program Cycle should be no less than 32 weeks.
  • 100% of Clubs deliver a minimum of 25 meetings during a club program cycle.
• TOP Clubs are planned to include sufficient support and opportunities for teens to achieve the required 20 hours of Community Service Learning (CSL).
  • 75% of teens who have completed TOP complete at least 20 hours of CSL during the club program cycle.
• TOP Clubs are planned to include at least 12 lessons from the TOP Curriculum.

TOP can be adapted to fit the unique needs of special populations, like youth in foster care, and settings such as residential facilities. Prior discussion and approval from Wyman is required.

Our Research & Learning Team reviews and approves TOP adaptation applications based on several factors, including whether they are responsive to young people’s needs and likely to maximize outcomes for young people.

If you are interested in adapting TOP, please contact us.

Training

• Wyman’s intensive “Train the Trainer” model teaches delivery of the Teen Outreach Program with fidelity. It supports a partner’s ability to develop deeper skills in training staff and monitoring and coaching for quality. It also provides overall strategies and approaches for delivering a high-quality, holistic Positive Youth Development (PYD) program.
  
• Annual Facilitator Institutes and Coordinator Learning Exchange opportunities deepen partners’ expertise and practice.
• Monthly e-newsletters share programmatic updates, tips, funding opportunities, and partner spotlights.

Delivery & Evaluation

• The TOP Curriculum focuses on three core content areas that work together as protective factors, reducing the impact of risk and promoting positive youth development. Each core content area has a corresponding book. Students study: Building my Skills, Learning about Myself, and Connecting with Others.
• The proprietary data collection system, Wyman Connect, enables partners to easily monitor program progress, generate instant reports for program evaluation and quality monitoring, support grant writing efforts, and other related purposes.
• Teen pre- and post-surveys are included, as well as access to reports to measure program impact.

Coaching for Quality

• Wyman’s National Network Team provides expert support and technical assistance via phone calls and webinars throughout the year, as well as audits and feedback of the program in-action if requested.
• Annual program reviews help partners identify and address issues quickly, and ensure continuous quality improvement at the point of program delivery.
• Replication partners connect directly to Wyman representatives. They benefit by receiving updates to curriculum, sharing lessons learned and program delivery tips, accessing information on funding sources and other resources, and downloading a library of useful materials to support implementation.
• National Network partners are part of a community of practice through which they interact with peers who are committed to delivering excellence. As a result, they learn from their participation in the National Network and develop workable solutions to issues and challenges through their interactions with their peers across the country.