Children & Youth Investment Trust Corporation

DC Best

Youth Development Assessment Tool For Youth-Serving Programs

This assessment tool is an opportunity for youth to give feedback to organizations on how well they are developing young participants’ skills and talents. It provides organizations with youth perspective on a program’s strengths and weaknesses in youth development.

The Assessment tool is available as either a Microsoft Word document or an Adobe .pdf.

The Trust Corporation is pleased to offer an exciting professional development opportunity for DC Youth Workers! Beginning in the fall of 1999, the National Training Institute for Community Youth Work began offering the AYD course to DC youth workers based on a curriculum developed by the Academy for Educational Development. Since then, nearly 300 youth workers, representing over 90 DC youth-serving organizations, have participated in the course.

What is Youth Development?

Youth Development is the process by which all young people seek ways to meet their basic physical and social needs, and build the competencies necessary to succeed in adolescence and adulthood.

Youth Development Principles

All young people will seek to meet their fundamental needs. If we do not provide young people with the necessary opportunities and supports, they will go elsewhere to meet their needs.

The goal is not to fix youth, but to develop them and challenge them to achieve their highest potential.

Caring adults do not simply show affection for young people; they (1) challenge youth to achieve their potential, and (2) provide youth with a full range of supports necessary to succeed.

The Advancing Youth Development Course
The 30-hour training program addresses these key youth development components:

Developmental Youth Outcomes
What are the goals for young people? How do we support them in reaching those goals? What is the youth development approach?

Cultural Assumptions
How and what are the barriers that "we adults" bring to our work with youth? How can we practice caring behaviors?

Core Competencies of Youth Workers
What are the attributes, skills, and knowledge of an exemplary youth worker?

Best Practices
What are the supports and opportunities that youth need for development?

Youth Participation
What are the levels of youth participation? How do we promote the meaningful participation of every youth?

Practice, Review & Celebration
How do we use what we have learned to increase our effectiveness with youth?

A.Y.D. graduates have commented:

"I have been going to trainings for 25 years - this is the first one that is actually about what I do!"

"I really needed a 'wake up' call - now I know how to use my knowledge and experience!"

"I enjoyed networking with other participants - lots of new ideas!"

"Everyone who works with youth should take this course!"

Session Information
The 30-hour training program includes both didactic and highly interactive facilitation strategies.

2008 Training Calendar

AYD Youth Worker Training
February 5th, 7th, 12th, 14th, 19th, 21st, & 26th
AYD Supervisor’s Training
March 10th, 12th, & 14th
NYC (“Gang”) Training
March 24th, 26th, & 28th
AYD Youth Worker Training
April 1st, 3rd, 8th, 10th, 15th, 17th, & 22nd
NYC (“Gang”) Training
May 12th, 14th, 16th
College Interns
June 2nd, 3rd, 4th
AYD Summer Grantee One Day Overview
June 24th
AYD Youth Worker Training
October 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th
NYC (“Gang”) Training
November 6th & 7th
AYD Sup Training
November 18th & 19th
AYD Reunion
December 12th

For more information, contract Patrica Evans at pevans@cyitc.org or 202.347.4441.

Contact Information
For more information contact: Mustafaa Madyun
DC Children and Youth Investment Trust Corporation
1400 16th Street, NW
Suite 500
Washington, DC 20036

Tel: 202-347-4441
Fax: 202-347-3256