Improving outcomes in young people experiencing homelessness with My Strengths Training for Life™ (MST4Life™): A qualitative realist evaluation

• Published in: Children and youth services review 2021-02, Vol.121, p.105793, Article 105793
• Main Authors: Parry, Benjamin J., Quinton, Mary L., Holland, Mark J.G., Thompson, Janice L., Cumming, Jennifer
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent development; Behavior change; Community life; Development programs; Health disparities; Health services; Homeless people; Housing; Intervention; Life skills; Outdoor adventure education; Positive youth development; Psychosocial development; Psychosocial factors; Psychosocial intervention; Realist evaluation; Self control; Self regulation; Self-determination theory; Social development; Training; Young people experiencing homelessness; Youth
• ISSN: 0190-7409; 1873-7765
• DOI: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2020.105793

•Youth homeless services require more effective interventions to address multiple and complex support needs.•Understanding how and why interventions for young people experiencing homelessness are perceived to be effective is a vital contribution.•MST4Life™ is a community- and outdoors-based, positive youth development programme that works collaboratively with a housing service to improve health and well-being in young people aged 16–24.•Perceptions of multiple stakeholders suggest MST4Life™ provides a theory-informed and strengths-based approach to promoting skill-based, well-being, psychosocial, and motivational outcomes.•Programmes in the youth homeless sector could benefit from implementing psychologically informed environments and transfer settings, such as Outdoor Adventure Education courses. Young people experiencing homelessness often have multiple and complex support needs, and subsequently face various health inequalities. In the United Kingdom, housing services recognise the need for more effective intervention strategies. In response to this issue, My Strengths Training for Life™ (MST4Life™) is a community- and outdoors-based, positive youth development programme that aims to promote meaningful change for young people experiencing homelessness (aged 16–24). Capturing the experiences of programme participants, housing service staff and outdoor instructors, a realist evaluation was conducted to understand how, why, and for whom the programme is effective. Findings indicate that MST4Life™ is an effective intervention for fostering psychosocial development, intentional self-regulation, and longer-term positive behavioural change. Central to the success of the programme is a consistent theory-informed approach, a strengths-based life skills programme, and an appropriate transfer setting. The societal, theoretical and programme specific implications of these findings are discussed.