Education & Nonprofit

Whether you are running an after-school program for elementary school students or a non-profit organization serving thousands, the principles of Youth Development, and Human Development, greatly impact your organization and the individuals you serve and work with. In the many years that YDN has operated we have created trainings that can help you identify areas of growth in staff to staff relationships, skill and strengths development, and organizational culture and climate.

Why work with YDN?

Strengthen your organization and program
Create a better culture and climate for staff, students, and program participants
Develop staff and participant’s through a strengths-based lens
Create a culturally relevant environment
Train staff or participants in the Youth Development Approach
Learn to host engaging live or virtual programs and meetings
Evaluate one or multiple program’s success
Identify organizational mission, vision, and core values
Support in designing new programs or offerings
Create a common language through understanding strengths
Create hope, compassion, trust, and stability throughout your campuses and programs

Services

Strengths-Based Development for Education & Non-Profit

The CliftonStrengths Assessment tool unlocks a world of possibilities for you, your staff, and your students or participants. The YDN team offers a variety of trainings and activities that can help you explore and develop these new areas. From Strengths Based Leadership Academies and Camps to One-on-One Strengths Coaching Sessions the YDN team has a Strengths Development course for any size group or organization.

Youth Service Trainings

The Youth Development Framework is essential for any individual or organization that works either directly or indirectly with youth. We offer trainings that will guide you through the framework and its importance, these trainings can range from a 1-day introduction course to a 3-day Youth Development Institute. We also offer trainings that build stronger relationships, and practice emotional and cultural safety for your colleagues and the youth you might work with.

Facilitation Workshops

Whether youth are delivering peer to peer facilitation or your staff needs training based on how to keep meetings fun and engaging, the YDN team has workshops that provide tips and tools for leading trainings and courses. Facilitation skills can help youth leaders, managers, and program staff so that they can “move the room” and make sure your message gets across in a fun and impactful way.

Other Services Offered

The YDN team also offers a variety of other trainings and services. These services include Program Quality Assessments, Core Values Trainings, Lego Serious Play sessions, approaching interpersonal relationships (like parenting) through strengths, Youth Centered Leadership Camps and Creating Systems of Equity and Justice. Each service can be combined with others or customized to fit your organization’s needs.

Take the first step in developing your team!

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Resources

Why Invest In Youth Development Brief

What happens when we invest in Youth Development? Policies and practices that expand the quality and quantity of youth programming create opportunities that should be central to every youth experience.

Employee Engagement

Research done by Gallup shows that workplaces that focus on employees short comings and weaknesses are far less engaging than those who focus on the strengths and talents of their employees. This lack of engagement leads to a decrease in productivity in the work place and ultimately leads to a loss of impact.

The Practice of Culturally Relevant Education

This research synthesis by Brittany Aronson and Judson Laughter gives examples of research connecting Culturally Relevant Education to positive student outcomes across content areas.

Other Research

If you cannot find what you are looking for, check out our Resources and Research page cultivated by the YDN Team specifically for our Education and Nonprofit partners.

I was the quiet one who couldn’t even stand up in front of the class to do a presentation. My hands would shake, my whole body would shake, my voice would crack, and now I’m standing in front of hundreds of people and leading them and it’s just crazy to think back at that person I was and to see the growth that I’ve had because of the support of YDN.

by Jennyann Gallo - Youth Facilitator

I feel fortunate to have experienced this training so early in the development of our Fire Fighter Youth Academy Program. This will be a valuable tool to help us ensure we are delivering quality learning while having fun with youth.