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The Institute for Youth Development offers free workshops to support youth development professionals that serve District of Columbia youth.

Please complete the form below to request a workshop. Request should be scheduled at least six weeks in advance.

Youth Development Series

The Youth Development Training Series is a series of two and a half hour courses that are foundational for anyone working with youth. The series highlights the need for youth workers to use an asset-based approach when working with youth and focus on the goals of preparation and development rather than prevention, deterrence and deficit reduction. These interactive and hands-on courses provide participants with practical skills that are geared towards improving the quality of interactions with youth.

Introduction to Youth Development

Learn about the principles and concepts of youth development. Participants will explore current research regarding the impact of adolescent brain development on the formation of personal identity. This workshop is a prerequisite for all other workshops in the Youth Development series.

Developmental Youth Outcomes

Youth need positive developmental experiences. Participants will learn how to integrate a specific focus on developmental outcomes into programs and organizations and be able to articulate the implications of defining youth outcomes using the developmental approach. Participants will learn about the effects of brain development within developmental youth outcomes.

Services, Opportunities and Supports (SOS)

Youth workers provide opportunities, supports, and services to children and youth to reach developmental outcomes. Learn the differences between these and methods to create positive environments that encourage youth development. Participants will explore current adolescent brain research to identify strategies that are effective in remediating health risk behaviors and supporting positive developmental outcomes.

Core Competencies of Youth Workers

Core Competencies are the knowledge, skills, and personal attributes youth workers need to work effectively with young people. Participants will examine the core competencies needed in quality youth development programs.

Cultural Assumptions from Adultism to Caring

Participants will be able to identify common cultural assumptions about young people and how these assumptions play out in practice. Participants will be able to identify five forms of adultism that affect young people on a daily basis and identify alternative “caring” behaviors to counteract adultism.

Best Practices of Youth Development

Participants will identify and assess best practices that reflect exemplary youth work and the understanding of youth engagement. Participants will develop strategies for increasing youth participation that fosters the youth’s growth in emotional, spiritual, empathy, compassion, and sense of community.  Participants will understand the differences between youth as objects, recipients and/or as resources, and learn how and when to elevate youth participation.

Youth Work Method Series

The David P. Weikart Center for Youth Program Quality Youth Work Methods Training Series is part of the Youth Program Quality Intervention (YPQI). The series of two and a half hour workshops offers powerful strategies for working with young people, bringing together over fifty years of experience and the latest research in positive youth development. These interactive and hands-on courses provide participants with practical skills that are geared to improve the quality of interactions with youth.

Introduction to the Active-Participatory Approach

Youth programs can be optimized for youth needs, motivation, and engagement through an Active-Participatory Approach. The Youth Work series was designed to address these goals in a youth-centered approach.

Active Learning

Giving youth materials is just the beginning; participants are introduced to strategies for incorporating active learning that helps create more powerful learning opportunities for youth.

Ask-Listen-Encourage

This workshop introduces communication techniques that help you build more supportive, youth-centered relationships. Participants learn how to ask effective questions, to listen actively to youth, and offer youth encouragement rather than praise.

Building Community

Building an emotionally safe community of peers and adults is essential for youth to learn and develop as individuals. This interactive workshop will introduce participants to a variety of activities designed to support the community building process.

Cooperative Learning

Cooperative learning is an excellent way to nurture youth leadership, build community, and keep things fun. This interactive workshop will equip participants with grouping strategies and ways to think about building cooperative learning into any program offering.

Homework Help

Make homework help time effective by helping youth get organized; by providing an atmosphere that helps youth focus on their work; and by building a supportive relationship with youth.

Planning and Reflection

Participants learn a powerful and easy method that promotes youth engagement in planning, implementing, and evaluating activities and projects.

Reframing Conflict

Participants are introduced to a step-by-step model for reframing conflict as well as general principles for conflict resolution.

Structure and Clear Limits

Youth need structure and clear limits in order to feel safe. Participants analyze the level of structure in their programs and practice identifying and maintaining clear limits.

Youth Voice

Research shows that quality programs incorporate youth input at both activity and organizational levels. This workshop will emphasize the importance of offering real choices and meaningful participation to youth, and nurturing youth leadership.

Other Workshops Available

Youth Mental Health First Aid

Youth Mental Health First Aid USA is an eight and a half hour public education program which introduces participants to the unique risk factors and warning signs of mental health problems in adolescents, builds understanding of the importance of early intervention, and teaches individuals how to help an adolescent in crisis or experiencing a mental health challenge. Mental Health First Aid uses role-playing and simulations to demonstrate how to assess a mental health crisis; select interventions and provide initial help; and connect young people to professional, peer, social, and self-help care.


Nonviolent Crisis Intervention

The Nonviolent Crisis Intervention program is a safe and effective behavior management system designed to help human service professionals provide the best care, welfare, safety, and security of disruptive, assaultive, and out-of-control individuals-even and especially during their most violent moments.

Requested Workshop Date:

Workshop Location:

The workshop is offered free to the organization who provides OST Programming to D.C. children and youth. 

  • Ten is the minimum number of participants required to host a workshop; if we do not reach the minimum number the workshop may be cancelled.
  • All participants from my organization will register for the workshop at least two weeks before the date of the workshop.
  • Contact will communicate any changes to the date, time, location or number of expected participants to The Institute for Youth Development upon learning of any changes.
  • All participants are expected to complete an evaluation of the workshop.
  • The Institute for Youth Development provides this workshop with D.C. Government funds, and  requires all participants attending the workshop to serve District of Columbia youth.
  • The Institute for Youth Development is not able to provide snacks or beverages for attendees. I understand that I may provide snacks and beverages at my own cost.