Learn valuable concepts and new skills based on leading-edge research and best practices relevant across the entire field of child and youth care services. & Prepare for the Families First Act transition to community-based, family-focused care. The Child & Youth Care: Foundations Course introduces practitioners to basic concepts and skills in professional child and youth…
Steve Bewsey Steve Bewsey is a Certified Child & Youth Care Practitioner who has completed 45 years of service with foster and homeless youth in residential treatment, street outreach, emergency shelter, transitional living, and supportive housing programs. Steve has provided consultation and training to over a hundred youth serving agencies and has trained thousands of…
Frank is the Academy’s Executive Director, author of the Child and Youth Care: Foundations Course, co-author of the Youth Thrive™: Protective and Promotive Factors for Healthy Development and Well-Being training, and a contributing editor of the Families Thrive: Protective and Promotive Factors to Enhance Thriving for All Children, Youth, & Families training.
Jeananne is a CYC Practitioner at the Professional Level and has a passion for professional development. With over 20 years in the field, her background includes work in residential facilities, substance abuse centers, and various after school settings. She has direct service and administrative experience. She is an instructor for the American Heart Association, Safe…
Hector is a clinical child & youth care practitioner who has provided practical learning opportunities to people of all ages and in various roles and settings. He has an extensive history of cultivating and leading teams to excel under very challenging conditions. Hector is currently in private practice in Maine. Hector began work as a child…
James Freeman, MA, CYC-P is the director of training at Casa Pacifica Centers for Children and Families in southern California. He has over two decades of direct experience in out-of-school, education, family camping, residential, and community based programs and has served as an international child and youth care consultant with a background in organizational development…
Jerriann Chandler-Ochoa is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and graduate from the School of Psychology at Fuller Theological Seminary. She has worked in mental health for over 19 years in various settings ranging from schools to group homes to community mental health. At Hathaway-Sycamores Child and Family Services in Los Angeles, California, she has…
Sister Madeleine is a national and international trainer and consultant. She has a BS degree in Education from Duquesne University and an MA in Child Development and Child Care from the University of Pittsburgh where she received the Special Department Alumni Award in 2008. Sister is a member of the religious congregation of the Sisters…
Tammy Hopper currently serves as the Chief Strategic Initiatives Officer for the National Safe Place Network. She has almost 30 years of experience working with and on behalf of youth via direct care, supervisory and clinical roles. As a youth care professional dedicated to positive systems change, Tammy has served as a lead advocate and…
Tanner has been developing and managing programs for children, adolescents and families for over 15 years. He received his B.S. in Education from East Texas Baptist University in Marshall, Texas. Throughout his time working with youth and family services, Tanner has developed a passion for breaking down barriers that hinder learning and success. As the…
Mark Wolf Mark Wolf served as the Training Director for the Runaway and Homeless Youth Training and Technical Assistance Center (RHYTTAC) from 2012 – 2018 when RHYTTAC was a program of the National Safe Place Network. Prior to his work at RHYTTAC, Mark served as the Director of the K-Town Youth Empowerment Network for Tennessee…
Kim Frierson earned her BA in Psychology from the University of Kentucky, her Master of Science in Social Work from the University of Louisville, and a Doctor of Social Work from Tulane University and is a certified Child and Youth Care practitioner with over 15 years of experience in youth services. In addition to her…
Stacy Meadows is a Certified Social Worker in the state of Kentucky. She has an MSSW from the University of Louisville and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Social Work from Spalding University. She completed the Public Child Welfare Certification Program and then worked for the local Department for Community Based Service conducting intake and…
Katie Carter is the Director of Research, Education, and Public Policy at National Safe Place Network, where she coordinates training opportunities and services for member agencies. She holds a Masters of Public Affairs from Indiana University’s School of Public and Environmental Affairs and spent five years at a state-level youth advocacy organization, leading efforts on…
Eric Tadatada provides technical assistance via telephone, on-site or on-line to Runaway and Homeless Youth grantees for RHYTTAC. In addition he assists with the preparation of reports for Federal Project Officers as well as presenting and planning Technical Assistance clinics. He has supervised and worked in youth programming for 21 years. This experience includes basic…
Shauna Brooks found her rightful place as a social worker after fifteen years of project management experience in the information technology field. She started her first job as a youth care worker with the Florence Crittenton Agency (FCA) in 2010 while enrolled in the College of Social Work bachelor’s program at the University of Tennessee…
April Carthorn is the membership manager and a training & technical assistance specialist at National Safe Place Network. April brings over 30 years of education and on-the-ground work experience on behalf of youth, young adults and their families that includes runaway & homeless youth, child welfare and education systems. She is driven by empathy for…
Michelle Hurley, CSW, CYC-P, has passionately advocated for youth since 2011 and currently serves as the Program Advocate for National Safe Place Network (NSPN), providing training, technical assistance, and program support for youth organizations across the United States. Michelle is deeply committed to striving toward NSPN’s vision of a world where all youth are safe…
Mrs. Elizabeth Smith Miller is a business and communications professional who has been personally and professionally connected to the youth and family services field for more than 27 years. She is a licensed foster parent and an adoptive parent who is actively engaged in the child welfare community. Smith Miller has lived experience which helps…
Opeyemi is the Executive Director of the Global Support for Kids Initiative (GSK Initiative), a community-based non-profit and non-governmental organization with headquarter in Nigeria. He is a current Board member and International Advisor to the Association for Child and Youth Care Practice (ACYCP), also the Principal Partner/CEO of Hope Diamond Int’l Resources Ltd, a professional…
Mallory has been in youth work for over 15 years. Before receiving her Master’s of Art in Teaching, she had always been drawn to opportunities to interact with children and youth. Her path has led her to working in daycares and summer camps, designing curriculum and events as a program manager with the Girl Scouts…
During my time at The University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee, a spark of passion for child and youth care was ignited when I began volunteering as a mentor for an after school leadership program. After earning my Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy I became a Teen Leadership Coordinator and have since held many positions including;…
Maddie attended Ursinus College, where she majored in Peace and Social Justice Studies and participated in Bonner Leaders (a leadership and civic engagement program that focused on community service). She has had years of volunteer experience working at summer camps and after-school programs with younger children throughout college and high school, but she found her…
George Weatherford has been working with youth and families since somewhat reluctantly volunteering at drop-in center for LGBTQ+ youth in the 1990s in Seattle. He has worked since then in school programs, after school programs, camps, spiritually based youth programs and more. He also has a Masters degree from the Peaceable Schools Program at Lesley…
Robert is a Regional Program Manager with AYS Inc. overseeing before and after care programs in 9 charter and parochial schools. Robert has worked in youth care and education settings for 16+ years, working with youth of all levels. As an out of school time specialist, Robert has dedicated his career to the professionalization of…
Latoya Bernice is the founder and Executive Director of One Accord Global Inc. and House Mother of the Sanctuary Centre, a therapeutic group home in Charlotte, NC. Gilbert took special interest in studies in which exposure to the outdoors could decrease behavioral, social, and relational problems in youth. Upon completion of an intensive master’s program…
Christen is a proud Youth Worker who has spent the last 15 years of her career in Out-of-School-Time Programming. Her time in afterschool has been spent in community-based outreach programs, leading international service learning trips, managing traditional center-based afterschool programs, and releasing her inner child during summer camp! She truly believes that the greatest gift…
Erin Shanayda Erin Shanayda is the Training Director at the YMCA of Greater Indianapolis. She is a proud Certified Youth Care Practitioner and has been working with youth for 10 years. Erin has served in many capacities in the youth field including Before and After School Site Director, Summer Day Camp Coordinator, and Program Director…
Mona Abrams is currently employed with Aviva Family and Children’s Services as a residential counselor for the last 12 years. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminal Justice from University of Southern California. Mona enjoys boxing and working out in her free time. She is passionate in regards to working with adolescent females…
Henrietta is the Training and Organizational Specialist at Aviva Family and Children’s Center in Los Angeles, California. She bring 20+ years of experience as a consultant and learning facilitator. She has extensive experience in designing and facilitating soft skills training programs in: leadership and management skills, communication, coaching, conflict management, and performance appraisal.
My name is Keetha M. Colson and I am a CYC practitioner. I have worked in the field of social services for 16 years. I always had the desire to listen to others and try to help them figure out the best way to solve their problems. I decided to go to school and obtain…
Jennifer began her career in afterschool as an Americorps member with the I Have a Dream Foundation in 1998. Following her year of service, she joined Sarah Heinz House, a Boys & Girls Club, as the Girls’ Program Director and was responsible for girls’ programming, resident camp, and the Keystone Club, a leadership development group…
Sharon Schweninger has been working and playing with children for over 40 years in a variety of settings including public school classrooms, after school programs, child development centers, Scout troops, parent support groups, and church groups. Being a lifelong learner, Sharon has earned a M Ed with many post graduate credits in child and youth-related…
Tone Reyes is a Training Specialist at Casa Pacifica Centers for Children and Families. He holds an associate degree in criminal justice and is a licensed group home administrator by the California Department of Social Services. He is a co-author of the Safe Environments for Learning and GrowthTM curriculum and chief designer of Seaville, Casa Pacifica’s multi-sensory de-escalation room.…
Lynn has been working within the Child Welfare field for the past 21 years. She has been a Certified Child Welfare Trainer for the State of Florida for 10 years and holds certifications as a Child Protection Professional as well as a Supervising for Excellence Trainer. She is a certified Model Approach to Partnership and…
Elizabeth has developed and implemented curricula and programs for children, youth, and youth care providers which focus on personal growth, self-discipline, and character development. She emphasizes the use of the arts, athletics, life skills, mentoring, team building, and the service learning. She has taught youth and youth care providers for 32 years. Elizabeth is an approved trainer…
Angie is currently the Personnel Director of Cane River Children’s Services, a residential treatment facility for adolescent females in Natchitoches, Louisiana, where she has served as the primary trainer to Direct Care staff for over 12 years. She has had over 25 years experience in the field of Youth Services, and is a member of the…
Tamela ‘Tammi’ Aidt is currently the Manager of Social Services at Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. From 2007-2010 Tammi served as the Vice-President of the Therapeutic Foster Care division for the Louisiana Association of Child Care Agencies.
What do you do when your Charter High School students want to become youth workers? That was the problem faced by Dannyelle Austin, Chief Program Officer at YouthBuild Philly. Their inner-city charter school was offering vocational training leading to jobs in early childhood education, but her students wanted more. How could they qualify for jobs in afterschool, employment, juvenile justice, mental health, and recreation programs geared for adolescents and young adults?
A special event in conjunction with the National Symposium on Juvenile Services DENVER Oct 30 – Nov 1, 2016 Concurrent to the National Symposium on Juvenile Services, the National Partnership for Juvenile Services (NPJS) is pleased to offer a special 3-day learning opportunity, Youth ThriveTM Intensive Training: Promoting Thriving and Sexual Health in Juvenile Justice…
Chelsea Krise is the Training Coordinator at Five Acres in Altadena, California which promotes safety, well-being and permanency for children and their families by building on their strengths and empowering them within communities. Chelsea holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Child Development with a minor in Psychology from California State University, Chico and is…
The Child & Youth Care: Foundations Course Training of Trainers (TOT) is designed to prepare practitioners to teach both the live and virtual Child & Youth Care: Foundations Course as part of an in-agency professional development program, vocational high school or college program, or as an instructor in a regional training collaboration. Students will… Attend the CYC:…
The Center for the Study of Social Policy (CSSP) supported the development of a Training of Trainers (TOT) curriculum co-created by the National Resource Center for Youth Services (NRCYS) and the Academy for Competent Youth Work. The Academy offers this curriculum in collaboration with CSSP as part of the Youth Thrive Training Collaborative (YTTC) that…
Training for trainers of the Meaningful Use of Daily Life Event (DLE) course is typically offered on the day following the course. Using this approach allows many people to complete the core course taught by a Senior Trainer while a smaller group can become trainers to support expansion of local training capacity. The Academy…
The Academy has joined with the Bolster Collaborative, Phillips Programs, and Youth Catalytics to form a national collaboration to help the Center for the Study of Social Policy (CSSP) implement its Youth ThriveTM Framework across the US. The newly formed group, called the Youth Thrive Training Collaborative (YTTC), is pooling its expertise and community development…
In January 2016 the Academy announced the official launch of the new Child & Youth Care: Foundations Course. The new course, based on the highly successful CYC: Basic Course, is a fully updated version that reduces the total in-class time by two days and incorporates newly developed on-line modules that allow the Ethics for CYC…
The Academy was recently mentioned in a review by the Brevard Family Partnership for the YouthThrive Training held there recently. For the full review, go to http://brevardfp.org/news-and-articles/the-center-for-the-study-of-social-policy-training-for-trainers-review/ We are very excited about being part of carrying this new Framework forward.
Research conducted by The Center for Social Policy Study has identified a set of key competencies that have been shown to help young people increase protective and promotive factors while reducing risk factors. Research shows that these supports help young people move beyond trauma to become more resilient in addressing their developmental needs. This course…
Families Thrive integrates the Center for the Study of Social Policy’s (CSSP) Strengthening Families™ and Youth Thrive™ training into one comprehensive learning experience. Families Thrive devotes a module to each of the protective and promotive factors – knowledge of child development, social connections, cognitive & social/emotional competence, concrete supports in times of need, and resilience – and teaches practical techniques…
Human services research shows that the effectiveness of staff training can be significantly increased when implemented as part of an overall organizational change effort. Helping supervisors and managers develop plans for supporting staff learning before, during, and following training is key to increasing the impact of training on organization services and outcomes. This training will…
The Purposeful Use of Daily Life Events (DLE) is designed to help those who engage directly with young people and their families become more effective in their daily interactions. Through a focus on everyday events and how these events connect to the overall goals established with young people and/or families, the direct care practitioner adopts a more holistic approach in her/his interventions.