The Advancing Youth Development program was developed to provide youth workers and administrators with the foundation needed to effectively develop and implement youth-development programs that provide experiences for youth based on a positive youth development approach. During the past year, the AYD Team in NYC conducted 10 sessions for approximately 250 youth development workers, administrators and supervisors. Over 90 percent of the NYC program participants reported an increased awareness of the importance and impact of positive youth development. Most participants indicated that they intend to incorporate these practices into their programs as appropriate.

While parents and schools play crucial roles in preparing youth for future roles in society, youth serving organizations also play a critical role. New York’s public schools graduate 42 percent of African-American and 36 percent of Latino students, compared to 81 percent of their white counterparts. Many students of color attend urban schools that lack the resources and expertise to effectively engage the students in learning.
Youth development organizations and afterschool settings provide an alternative environment through which youth may be motivated to learn and develop a positive sense of themselves based on their interests, the opportunities available, and the skills of the youth workers. Yet many youth workers do not have the skills and understanding of their potential to positively impact youth through their work. Given the need for multiple strategies and approaches to help youth develop the knowledge and skills to be productive, contributing members of society and develop to their full potential, it is of vital importance that youth workers fully understand the value of their work, know the key principles of positive youth development and develop the core competencies of effective youth work.

During the past program year, the Advancing Youth Development (AYD) Team in NYC conducted 10 sessions for approximately 200 youth development workers, administrators and supervisors. The sessions included the revised AYD core three-day training; the BASICS Workshop, a four-hour review of key concepts; the BASICS training of facilitators; and Strengthening Organizations through Youth Development, a full day training that strives to strengthen organizational commitment and practice for positive youth development, and several special workshops.

Over 90 percent of the NYC program participants reported an increased awareness of the importance and impact of positive youth development. Most participants indicated that they intend to incorporate these practices into their programs as appropriate.
The hard data from our AYD evaluation process is currently being compiled and analyzed by our statewide evaluator. While the disaggregated data for NYC is not currently available, the anecdotal data we have collected from our participants indicates they value the knowledge, skills and awareness they obtain as a result of their participation. Additionally, participants also identify the opportunity to network with colleagues in their field as another significant impact of the trainings. An indicator of the latter is the mailing lists that workshop participant routinely prepare and ask to have copied and distributed to one another to facilitate follow-up and remaining in contact beyond the workshop. Another indicator of the value placed on the training by participants is the number of returning participants to other AYD training offerings and numerous requests to provide in-house professional development on positive youth development at their respective sites. In 2007 we conducted in-house training for the ASPIRA organization and we are currently organizing trainings for other major youth organizations in NYC.

Strengthening skills of youth workers and administrators to effectively support the positive development of youth, our future citizens and workforce.