Professional Development

This dynamic training will help you do your best work with youth. You will learn about the 5 Principles of Positive Youth Development: (1) Promote a Sense of Physical, Social, and Emotional Safety; (2) Encourage Relationship Building; (3) Foster Meaningful Youth Participation; (4) Provide Opportunities for Building Purpose; and (5) Engage Youth in Learning Experiences that Build Valuable and Healthy ...

This training explores the connection between early brain development and lifelong health. It examines the four concepts of development created by the Harvard Center for the Developing Child: Brain architecture forms early in life and influences lifelong learning, behavior, and health. Stable, caring relationships and “serve and return” interactions shape brain architecture. Toxic stress in early childhood can disrupt healthy ...

The Youth Program Quality Assessment (YPQA) is a valuable tool for evaluating the quality of your youth program. It helps you identify both strengths and areas for improvement. With the YPQA, you will assess your program in four key areas: (1) safety, (2) supportiveness, (3) peer-to-peer and peer-to-adult interactions, and (4) youth engagement. You will receive the assessment tool, a ...

The Social and Emotional Learning Program Quality Assessment (SEL PQA) is an efficient, effective, research-validated observational tool for assessing adult youth leader practices that support social and emotional learning. Intended for use in programs serving young people in grades K-12, the instrument builds on the research-validated Youth PQA and over ten years of observational measure development. It also incorporates insights ...

The purpose of this session is to equip practitioners with practical, research-based strategies to foster positive student behavior and create a structured, supportive learning environment. Participants will learn how to establish clear routines, manage smooth transitions, and proactively minimize disruptions. This session is designed to build confidence and consistency in behavior management, helping educators create classrooms where students can thrive. ...

How do you best support a young person? How do you help them cultivate key mindsets and develop essential skills? How can you help them connect with people and opportunities that expand their lives and enrich their experiences? Whew! It’s a huge order. Ideas start here. From this interactive workshop, you will walk away with new tools and field-tested activities ...

This training explores Positive Childhood Experiences (PCEs) and their impact on lifelong health and mental health. It is a very hopeful, strength-centered message. It intends to move the conversation beyond Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and Trauma to how we can build stronger communities together. We discuss how to make positive mental health and promote resilience within our community. Facilitator: Alexis ...