Michael Young
Extension Educator, 4-H Youth Development

Michael Young works as an  Extension Educator, 4-H Youth Development in Rockingham County where he coordinates clubs, volunteers, and events.

Michael Young has worked in the field of experiential education and counseling for over 15 years. 

Before taking his current position with UNH Cooperative Extension, Mike focused on educational program evaluation and improvement, while working on a PhD in education at UNH. This  included: developing a web-based practice research network involving over 25 different residential treatment facilities across North America; facilitating and analyzing an Appreciative Inquiry at an alternative school in Massachusetts; and convening the international 2007 Adventure Therapy Best Practices Conference.

Prior to this, Mike worked as an outdoor experiential educator, counselor, and administrator, at a variety of programs across the US and abroad.  This experience included six years as the program director for North Star Adeventure, a community-based therapeutic adventure program serving special-needs and at risk families in Massachusetts.

Mike is an avid outdoorsman and lives in Kittery, ME, with his wife Karen and his two children: Macy and Evan.

• Using Appreciative Inquiry for organizational development at educational programs

• Client outcomes at residential treatment centers, therapaeutic boarding schools, and outdoor/wilderness programs

• University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH: PhD, ABD, Education, 2005-2008

• Harvard University, Graduate School of Education, Cambridge, MA: Master of Education, 1999-2000

• Brown University, Providence, RI: Bachelor of Arts, American History, 1990-1994 (Semester abroad at the University of Queensland, Australia, 1993)

• National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs/University of New Hampshire, AZ/NH: Research Coordinator, 2007-2009

• North Star Adventure, Rowley, MA: Director, 2001-2007; Assistant Director, 2000-2001; Experiential Counselor, 1998-1999

• Longacre Expeditions, Newport, PA: Course Director, Summers 1997-1998; Trip Leader, Summers 1995-1996

• Penikese Island School, Woods Hole, MA: Shift Leader/Residential Counselor, 1996-1998

• Homeward Bound, Brewster, MA: Outdoor Behavioral Health Instructor, 1995-1996

• North Woods Resource Center, Camp Widjiwagan (YMCA), Ely, MN: Intern Naturalist, Fall 1994

• Sailing Centers & Summer Camp in MA and CA: Sailing/Watersports Instructor, Coach, and Camp Counselor, Summers 1990-1992, 1995

• Association of Experiential Education

• American Educational Research Association

• National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs

• Positive Youth Development

• Experiential Education

• Outdoor/Adventure Education

• Program Evaluation

• Appreciative Inquiry

• Young, M., & Gass, M. (2009 - in press). Preliminary Data from the NATSAP Research and Evaluation Network: Client Characteristics at Admission. Journal of Therapeutic Schools and Program, 3(1).

• Young, M., & Gass, M. (2008). Current Descriptions of National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs (NATSAP) Members. Journal of Therapeutic Schools and Programs, 2(2).

• Gass, M., & Young, M. (2007). Dealing with Issues of Program Effectiveness, Cost Benefit Analysis, and Treatment Fidelity: The Development of the NATSAP Research and Evaluation Network. Journal of Therapeutic Schools and Programs, 2(1)

• Russell, K. C., Gass, M. A., & Young, M. (in review). The psychometric properties of an instrument to assess social skill development in adolescents. Journal of Experiential Education

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