Learning outcomes involve a young person’s development of abilities, processes, and skills. They are shaped by previous knowledge and experiences and interactions with others. Learning is a continuous and contextual process; outcomes can result through formal learning opportunities such as school, through informal everyday experiences such as play, or through non-formal opportunities such as youth programs. The learning process matters; when young people are meaningfully involved in their own learning, they have stronger learning outcomes. Having meaningful learning experiences is important for adolescents to thrive.

Learning outcomes that appear in research studies are often related to mental abilities in formal education settings because these are easier to measure. However, there is a multitude of different learning outcomes from other contexts that, while harder to measure, have a deep impact on young people’s lives. There is more work to be done to identify the broad range of learning outcomes from youth programs.