Workforce Publications provides research and resources that specifically address best practices and strategies for developing a valuable workforce.

Is There Common Ground?

The National Collaboration for Youth, Search Institute and American Camp Association have been exploring whether there is common ground between how we might prepare youth workers that work in faith-based and youth development organizations.  What has emerged is a remarkable degree of alignment around many professional development priorities with important exceptions that leave room for unique accents and learning across differences.  And, though there is widespread interest in collaborative learning across sectors, there are also significant barriers, ranging from priorities for youth workers, and most significantly, mistrust and misunderstanding across the sectors.  Is There Common Ground shares the learning from two web-based surveys, a series focus groups and a two-day consultation of thought leaders and recommendations for work that can be dome going forward.  Click here to download the report.

Preparing Staff to Work with Immigrant Youth

Preparing Staff to Work with Immigrant Youth provides the context of the immigrant youth experience and practical tips for hiring, developing and retainng staff to work with this population.  Youth organizations have both an opportunity and a responsibility to encourage and support the healthy development of the growing numbers of immigrant youth.   This publication is based on hands-on experience by national and local youth organizations who do this work effectively.   Click here to download the report.

Training Staff to Work with Immigrant Youth

This training module is a companion piece and contains activities that will support staff on several levels.  The first training activity, “Overview: Preparing Staff to Work with Immigrant Youth” is a PowerPoint presentation that summarizes the content of the report.  This presentation is an effective tool to use with your leaders, champions and board members to encourage an understanding of the importance of serving immigrant youth and the organizational implications.  All of the activities in the module address the knowledge skills and attitudes that frontline staff need to work effectively with immigrant youth.  Click here to download the training module and click here to download the PowerPoint presentation.

2005 Child Welfare League Salary Study

The CWLA 2005 Salary Study analyzes compensation and benefits data by region, agency budget, and agency type. This reliable resource compares salary information for similar positions among state and county public agencies and private agencies. This is a must-have tool for addressing the issues involved with recruiting, retaining, and rewarding a stable, competent workforce.  Click here to read the report.

TOOLS FOR FRONT-LINE YOUTH WORKER COMPETENCIES

National Standards for Youth Workers

The National Collaboration for Youth, a coalition of fifty national agencies, which together reach over 40 million youth annually, has established a common set of core competencies for paid and volunteer staff who work with youth. The intent of the Collaboration in developing the core competencies, which is based on similiar lists developed by individual agencies and others, was to identify those elements common to virtually all youth-serving agencies. The list of ten competencies applies to front-line youth development staff who may be fulltime or work as little as two hours a week. Each competency has several examples to guide organizations. 

The National Collaboration for Youth urges that the competencies be used as a basic tool, making necessary modifications in keeping with their organizational mission and purpose. This list of competencies is just one piece of what might be a multi-tier system for youth workers - experienced youth workers, coordinators, directors and administrators. Other tiers may include more depth in a number of areas i.e., work with the community, evaluation and resource development. To begin using the competencies today, click here or here

Frontline Youth Worker Observation Assessment Tool

The National Collaboration for Youth is pleased to release two new assessment tools to accompany the 10 competencies for front-line youth workers. The longer tool can be used in multiple ways, for example, as a training outline to assist trainers in describing an organization's expectations for youth worker behavior and attitudes.  The second tool is short - designed to be carried around and used on the job.

View the long version of the Observation Assessment Tool by clicking here.

View the short version of the Observation Assessment Tool by clicking here.

Preparing Staff to Involve Youth and Families

The three training modules below provide individual activities or full day trainings on each National Collaboration for Youth approved competency area for front-line youth workers (paid and volunteer).  Each includes activities that address the staff knowledge, attitudes and skills that are needed in this area and are intended to be an additional resource for program directors, trainers, and others who are responsible for the staff development of youth workers.

Click on the below links to download each training module.

Involves and Empowers Youth

Cares for, Involves and Works with Families and Community

Communicates and Develops Positive Relationships with Youth