Getting Ready to Work With Youth

Learn three essential tips for effectively working with youth aged 5–18, laying the foundation for deeper engagement.

This course is a short introduction, and each of the tips is part of a longer course from our Change Up Learning library.

Full Course Description

Prepare for success with our Getting Ready to Work With Youth Online Course. This 45-minute course is designed for educators, youth workers, and administrators working with young people ages 5-18. Learn three key tips to create engaging, inclusive, and supportive environments for youth. Develop an asset-based mindset, create dynamic activities, and ensure inclusivity for all participants. By the end, you’ll have practical strategies to integrate student voice and meet the diverse needs of youth. Enroll today to build a positive and engaging experience for every young person.

This course will take approximately 30 minutes to complete.

This course satisfies these child care training requirements:

School's Out Washington Quality Improvement Standards

1. Being welcomed into safe spaces that center their own cultures and communities
2. Having positive, meaningful relationships with program staff and youth
3. Participating in activities that encourage self-expression and inspire them to discover their passions
5. Having a common language and shared expectations that are aligned with research and best practices for positive youth development and social emotional learning
6. Identifying their own strengths and recognizing areas for growth
7. Building awareness of structural inequities, including the impact systemic barriers have on young people
8. Implementing strategies and practices that are culturally responsive and attuned to the diverse identities and cultures of the young people, families, and communities served

Department of Children, Youth & Families: Child Care Provider Training Requirements

2. Learning environment and curriculum
6. Interactions with children/youth
8. Professional development and leadership
11. Other training as appropriate

Core Knowledge and Competencies

1. Child and Youth Growth and Development
4. Learning Environment and Curriculum

Afterschool Standards

1. Human Relationships
3. Programming and Activities

Early Childhood - Continuing Education

1. Child Development
2. Child Guidance

Afterschool Program Quality Institute

2. Relationships and Connections
3. Programming
4. Youth Participation and Engagement

Early Care and Education Knowledge Base

1. Child Development
4. Teaching and engagement

Guiding Principles for Quality OST Programs

1. Safe & Supportive Environment
3. Skill Building
4. Positive & Empowering Relationships
5. Youth Voice & Leadership
7. Inclusion & Access
8. Cultural Responsiveness
9. Quality Staff
11. Collaborative Relationships

Child Care Training Regulations

1. Child Development
23. Guidelines for volunteers, (partner staff, auxiliary staff, business managers)

Guidelines for Afterschool, Summer, and Youth Development Programs

1. Relationships
3. Programming and Activities
4. Youth Leadership and Engagement
6. Cultural Competency, Responsiveness, and Inclusion
7. Assessment, Planning, and Program Improvement
8. Staff and Professional Development

ECE Competencies

1. Child Development and Learning
3. Relationships, Interactions, and Guidance
10. Leadership in Early Childhood Education

Quality Standards for Expanded Learning

1. Safe and Supportive Environment
2. Active and Engaged Learning
3. Skill Building
4. Youth Voice and Leadership
7. Quality Staff

Early Care & Education Professional Development Content Areas

1. Child Development and Learning in Context
4. Developmentally, Culturally, and Linguistically Appropriate Teaching Practices
6. Professionalism as an Early Childhood Educator

Program Content

2. Interpersonal Relations

Afterschool Program Standards

Program Content

Early Care and Education Professional Competency Goals for Staff

1. Child development, including discipline, guidance, nutrition, injury control and safety

Afterschool & Youth Development Standards

1. Programming & Youth Development
3. Environment & Climate
4. Relationships
6. Staffing & Professional Development
7. Organizational Practices

Early Care and Education Professional Competency Goals for Directors

d. Developmentally appropriate practices
e. Professional and leadership development
f. Advocacy for the Center, Parents, children and Staff

Workforce Knowledge and Competencies

1. Child Growth and Development (CGD)
2. Alignment with CDELS
2. Learning Environment and Curriculum (LEC)
3. Positive Interactions (PI)
5. Child Observation and Assessment (COA)

Standards for Quality Afterschool Programs

1. Safe and Appropriate Program Environments and Facilities
2. Ongoing Training and Staff Development
4. Positive Youth Development

Department of Human Services Division of Child Care and Early Childhood Education Child Care Licensing Unit

16. Basic child development

Competencies for Early Childhood Educators and Administrators

1. Child growth and development, and learning or courses that align with the competency domains of child growth and development
7. Program planning and development
8. Teaching practices

OST Quality Guidelines

3. Human Relationships
5. Staff Qualifications and Training
6. Youth Development and Engagement

Standards of Early Learning and Development

1. Childhood Development
3. Quality Child Care and Licensing

Afterschool Quality Standards

2. Staff and Youth Relationships
3. Youth Participation, Learning, and Engagement
5. Programming and Alignment with Regular School Day Learning
6. Administration and Organizational Development
7. Staffing and Professional Development

Early Learning and Development Standards

1. Early Childhood Education and Child Development

After School Network

1. Relationships — Interactions and Engagement
3. Environment
6. Staffing/Professional Development

Afterschool Network Quality Standards

1. Environment
2. Relationships
4. Programming

Early Childhood Professional Learning Categories

1. Learning Communities
7. Outcomes

Network for Youth Success Quality Self-Assessment (QSA) Tool

1. Environment & Climate
2. Administration & Organization
3. Relationships
4. Staffing & Professional Development
5. Programming & Activities
6. Establishes Strong Links to the School Day
7. Youth Participation & Engagement to Care
9. Program Sustainability & Growth

NYC DYCD Core Competencies for Youth Work Professionals

1. Knowledge of the principles and practices of child and youth development and ability to use this knowledge to achieve the goals of the program.
3. Ability to promote an inclusive, welcoming, and respectful environment that embraces diversity.
6. Ability to promote responsible and healthy decision-making among all participants.
7. Ability to develop leadership, team-building and self-advocacy skills among participants.
8. Ability to behave professionally.

School Age Child Care

3. Child Day Care Program Development

Career Development

1. Ethics and professionalism in child care

Child Growth and Development

2. Interpersonal Relationships
4. Program Environment
6. Social/emotional development
7. Challenging behaviors

Child Growth and Development

2. Interpersonal Relationships
4. Program Environment
6. Social/emotional development
7. Challenging behaviors

Ohio Department of Job and Family Services: Child Care Center Professional Development Training Topics

Career Development
Child Growth and Development

Quality Guidelines for Ohio's Afterschool Programs

Child Growth and Development

Afterschool Network Quality Standards

1. Foster positive relationships between program participants and staff
2. Offer a blend of academic and developmental skill-building activities
4. Promote high levels of student engagement
5. Provide appropriate levels of structure as well as opportunities for autonomy and choice

Afterschool Network

1. Guidance toward healthy relationships
6. Learning environment
7. Program planning and evaluation

Child Care Training & Education

Standard 3: Staff Qualifications and Professional Development

After School Program Quality Standards and Indicators

1. Health, Safety and the Environment
2. Relationships
4. Staffing and Professional Development

Early Learning and Development Standards

2. Social and Emotional Development

Building Blocks for Out-of-School Time Quality

1. Intentional Program Design
2. Supportive Relationships & Environments
3. Youth Voice, Leadership, and Engagement
4. Responsiveness to Culture & Identity
5. Community, School and Family Engagement
6. Organizational and Leadership Management
7. Ongoing Staff Support and Volunteer Development

Early Learning eGuidelines Competencies

4. Preparing for and Including Young Children in the Child Care Setting
d. Preparing for and Including Young Children in the Child Care Setting

Program Quality Practices

1. Physical Environment, Curriculum, and Program Activities
3. Relationships
4. Child and Youth Engagement

Afterschool Network Best Practices

1. Prepared Staff
3. Alignment with School Day
4. Promotion of Varied Youth Engagement
7. Sustained Student Attendance and Access

Core Competencies for Early Childhood Practitioners

5. Learning environments and curriculum
6. Interactions with children
7. Program planning, development and evaluation

Afterschool Alliance Best Practices

1. Prepared Staff
2. Intentional Programming
3. Alignment with School Day
4. Promotion of Varied Youth Engagement
7. Sustained Student Attendance and Access

All Staff Annual Training

3. Child Guidance

Director Annual Training

4. Child Guidance

Early Learning Staff Professional Development Areas

All Staff Annual Training
Director Annual Training

Quality Afterschool Guidelines

1. Quality Environments
2. Supporting Children and Youth
4. Safe Environments
6. Quality Staff

Hawaii OST Quality Guidelines

1a. Pilina (Relationships) between Staff and Youth
2a. Youth Learning and Development

Virginia Partnership for Out-of-School Time Quality Standards

1. Relationships, Culture & Diversity
2. Staffing, Volunteers & Professional Development
3. Leadership & Management
5. Active & Engaged Learning
6. Linkages to the School-Day & SOL Standards
8. Environment (Indoor & Outdoor Spaces)

Core Knowledge and Competencies for Early Childhood Professionals

2. Child and youth development

West Virginia Afterschool Program Quality Standards

2. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
5. Indoor and Outdoor Environments
6. Intentional Relationships
7. Leadership and Professionalism
8. Activities

Teachers of Early Childhood Education Subject Matter Standards

2. Developmentally appropriate learning experiences
5. Historical and contemporary development of early childhood education

Ignite Afterschool

2. Supportive Relationships and Environments
3. Youth Voice and Leadership
4. Responsiveness to Culture and Identity
6. Organizational Management, Staff Support and Youth Safety

MOST (Michigan Out-of-School Time) Standards of Quality

2. Human Relationships
5. Program Activities

Core Knowledge Areas from the Michigan Core Knowledge and Core Competencies for the Early Care and Education Workforce

5. Teaching and learning
7. Interactions and guidance

National Afterschool Association Competencies

2. Learning Environment and Curriculum
4. Interactions with Children and Youth
5. Youth Engagement

Department of Early Education & Care Standards

2. Planning Programs and Environments for Young Children
4. Child and Classroom Management
5. Advanced or Specialized Early Childhood Education or Development

Pennsylvania Statewide Afterschool Youth Development Network (PSAYDN) Statement of Quality in Afterschool

2. Positive Connections

Standards for Quality Afterschool Programs

2. Program Management and Staff
3. Communication and Interaction
4. Program Structure and Activities
6. Program Environment

Department of Children and Families (Annual In-Service Training)

19. Age-appropriate lesson planning
23. Other course areas relating to child care or child care management

Afterschool Program Quality Guidelines

2. Programming
3. Relationships
5. Professional Development

Goals for Program Management and Delivery

2. Qualified and Diverse Staff

Goals for Program Connections

4. Positive Participant and Staff Interactions
6. Consistent Participant Attendance

Goals for Program Participants

7. Greater Personal Responsibility
8. Improved Academics Achievement

Child Care Facilities: Staff Development Topics

c. Positive ways to support children's social and emotional development

North Carolina Center for Afterschool Programs (NCCAP)

Goals for Program Connections
Goals for Program Management and Delivery
Goals for Program Participants

Quality Standards for OST Programs

2: Relationships and Interactions

Department of Social Services, Child Care Services (CCS): Pathway to Professional Development

3. Guidance and behavior management
11. Learning environments
12. Age-appropriate activities and planning

Afterschool & Out-of-School Time Professional Network

3. Human Relationships
5. Programming and Activities

Department of Children & Families: Staff Training Requirements for Childcare Centers

vi. Creating a classroom environment

Core Competencies for Early Childhood Professionals

3. Learning Environments
10. Guidance

Afterschool Alliance's Quality Standards

3. Positive ways to support children’s social and emotional development
6. Maintaining a commitment to professionalism
7. Observing and recording children’s behavior

Child Care Centers Professional Growth and Development Training Requirements

3. Positive ways to support children’s social and emotional development (includes guidance and discipline)
6. Maintaining a commitment to professionalism
7. Observing and recording children’s behavior

Texas Partnership for Out-of-School Time (TXPOST) Standards of High Quality