My client expressed frustration with the turnover of volunteer mentors. Volunteers leaving the program cited challenges with developing relationships as the reason for going. 

Working together, we identified three crucial behaviors necessary to develop trust with at-risk youth. Providing practical initial training and increasing volunteer retention will help this vital community outreach organization grow.

I recommended an on-demand scenario-based eLearning experience for volunteer mentors. Convenient training opportunities help attract and keep volunteers. Scenario-based eLearning provides authentic, low-risk interactions with youth and timely on-screen advice. Learners have the opportunity to learn from their decisions and have a second chance without consequence. 

While designing “Creating Trust with At-Risk Youth,” I drew on:

• My experience creating targeted professional development.

• Instructional design theory from Cathy Moore’s book, “Map It: The Hands-on Guide to Strategic Training Design.”

• Subject matter expert and potential user feedback.

With input from my subject matter expert, I researched and identified actions adult mentors can take to build trust with at-risk youth. We focused on identifying actual volunteer and teenager behaviors instead of concepts and theories. I used MindMeister to create an action map to help narrow our focus to three essential behaviors that help build trust with at-risk youth. 

I focused on realistic interactions and outcomes while writing the script for this eLearning project. I identified common mistakes adults make while interacting with youth and incorporated those into the story. For each scenario, I leaned on my experience with middle- and high-school students for story character tone and expression. I included an on-demand coach to help guide volunteer mentors during the eLearning experience. I incorporated feedback from my client throughout the writing and storyboard editing process. 

I used Milanote to create a mood board and then developed a style guide after choosing font styles and color swatches. I looked at images of teenagers for style guide inspiration. Multiple versions of wireframes and mockups in PowerPoint resulted in pleasing visual graphics. I played around with placing characters and speech bubbles in various layout locations. I aimed to make interactions between the adult volunteer and the at-risk teenager as realistic as possible using placement, depth, and animation. 

I used my storyboard introduction and first scenario to create an interactive prototype in Articulate Storyline 360. I used hotspots and looping animation to direct navigation, fade-to-black to imply a passage of time, and lightbox slides for my on-demand coach. I collected multiple rounds of feedback from test users and made adjustments to streamline navigation and clarify content. 

Using my interactive prototype, I collected feedback from my subject matter expert and people working with at-risk youth. Their feedback helped me fine-tune my final product's navigation, readability, and layout. Incorporating SAM Instructional Design theory while creating the final product, I reimagined two negative consequence slides on the fly, reinforcing the idea of making an incorrect choice by using a brick wall for the slide background. My client loved the new layout. I used Storyline’s timeline, animation, and triggers to create an interactive, realistic story experience.

“Creating Trust with At-Risk Youth” was well-received by my subject matter expert and others working with at-risk youth.

My biggest takeaway from this project is that I can create compelling, relevant eLearning on a tight budget. I found workarounds, reimagined scenarios, and sought creative alternatives to create a product I am proud of.

Referencing Cathy Moore’s “Map It: The Hands-on Guide to Strategic Training Design” throughout the project’s creation helped me focus on supporting volunteers with the information they need to make choices based on real-life consequences. 

Asking the right questions and finding the best training solution will result in measurable performance improvement and return on training investment.

Testimonial from SME:

“This project will be a perfect platform for our mentors to receive training at their leisure. Many mentors have engaged in mentoring or other volunteer activities with youth before, but now we can address more culturally responsive challenges in an illustrated manner that allows the mentors to feel immersed. When they choose the wrong answer, it allows the mentor to see the effects of their choice, unlike other training programs that just let you know you got the answer wrong.” - Adrienne Jensen