It discusses the characteristics of youth served by the programs, the programs' daily functioning, how youth workers construct and implement their roles, the nature of youth worker-youth relationships, and implementation issues. The study also reflects on the strengths and limitations of the programs and their role in the lives of the youth served. The study involved two to three in-depth interviews with each of 14 youth workers, interviews with a sample of 4 or 5 participating youth in each of the programs (24 youth interviews in all), and weekly observations over an 8-week to 10-week period in each of the five programs. The "drop-in" component was the core of all five youth programs studied. The drop-in rooms, which contain pool and/or ping-pong tables, a television, perhaps a music system, and some board games, are the main location for "hanging out." Scheduled activities include homework time and homework help, gym time and sports competition, and enrichment activities. Distinct elements in staff roles include individual monitoring, support, and counseling, as well as enforcing rules and setting limits. Findings show that although the programs seem to be doing a good job of providing a safe physical and psychological space for youth in the short term, youth participants are not challenged or encouraged to develop life goals and the resources needed to achieve those goals. Indeed, the programs indirectly seem to reinforce the youths' limited sense of their own possibilities and their narrow perception of the world. 9 notes and 19 references