Professional Development

This training expands upon the evidence and research supporting the practice of a daily circle in summer camp programming. Participants will learn about how to incorporate SEL into opening circle structure, why these few minutes are so important for setting the tone for the rest of the day, and how to build consistency in your... Read more »

Youth Mental Health First Aid teaches you how to identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental illness and substance use disorders in youth. This training gives adults who work with youth the skills they need to reach out and provide initial support to children and adolescents (ages 12-18) who may be developing a mental... Read more »

We all have emotional hot buttons that cause us to show up as less than our best. Once we see and recognize these triggers, we can regain control over them. One important part of the process is to understand what sets us off. When we add clear action steps for what to do in these... Read more »

Every behavior starts with a feeling. This workshop offers practical solutions and strategies to navigate the landscape of strong emotions—how they can present in unusual ways, and how we can support youth when they’re in the thick of what they’re feeling. In this workshop, discover...

To feel seen and acknowledged by adults, is vital to the positive development of children. When young people feel valued and respected, they are much more likely to trust, which deepens any exchange. In this workshop, we explore the empowering skills of acknowledgement and validation (along with their opposites), examining the potential impact of each.... Read more »

It is human and deeply rooted in us all to want to belong. Not surprisingly then, that when we first step into a new group, it is our differences that often bubble to the surface, sometimes manifesting difficult emotions and behaviors. Spotting this kind of pattern is part of how we show up fully for... Read more »

Please join us for a session that will help you learn how to use the Program Quality Assessment (PQA) tools and understand the process of creating program improvement goals that, when implemented, will increase program quality.

This introductory workshop is designed to meet the needs of new afterschool professionals. Participants will explore the foundational elements of afterschool programming, while becoming familiar with key tools and resources to support their success. The session will also highlight pathways for building a meaningful and sustainable career in the afterschool field and offer practical strategies... Read more »

Active learning and youth voice involve much more than giving out some materials and listening respectively. In this workshop we'll cover active learning by explaining the role it plays in the experiential learning cycle and helping participants create more powerful learning opportunities for youth. We'll also cover youth voice by building your understanding of what... Read more »