Professionalism in Youth Development Work What Youth Workers

Professionalism in Youth Development Work: What Youth Workers and Teachers Can Learn from Each Other Monica R. Howell howe 0096@umn. edu

The Problem: Silos £Disconnect between areas of youths’ lives ¤School – Home – Community £Disconnect between services to youth ¤Education – Caring – Social and personal development £Who are the adults in different areas of kids’ lives? ¤Teachers, administrators, staff members – Family – Friends, neighbors, youth workers

The Problem: Professionalism £Formal educators – teachers, administrators ¤Bachelor’s degree required at minimum ¤Certification/licensure required ¤“Highly qualified” requirements must be met £Informal educators – youth workers ¤Degree and certification/licensure requirements vary widely by profession or role, e. g. : ¥Social workers must have bachelor’s degree at minimum plus certification/licensure ¥Camp counselors may not even have high school diploma

Teachers £Recognized as professionals £Widely respected for knowledge, skills, abilities ¤Content knowledge ¤Child development knowledge ¤Curriculum, instructional material design skills ¤Instructional delivery skills ¤Classroom management skills

Challenges Teachers Face £Lack of time and community connections ¤May not be able to address non-school needs or interests of youth £School constraints ¤Achievement and testing demands ¤Large classrooms with variety of student needs £Lack of training and experience ¤Adult-youth relationship-building ¤Youth voice and participation

Youth Workers £Not always recognized as professionals £May not be respected for knowledge, skills, abilities ¤Content knowledge (depending on program) ¤Youth development knowledge ¤Recreation, informal development activity skills ¤Instructional delivery skills ¤Relationship-building skills ¤May be more able to focus on whole child

Challenges Youth Workers Face £Discomfort or unfamiliarity with academic research £Discomfort with enacting authority £Keeping adequate distance between adults and youth £Understanding child development at different ages £Increased pressures to make out-of-school time programs more traditionally academic

Recommendations £For teachers ¤Continual, collaborative, practical on-the-job professional learning relating to youth development and relationship-building £For youth workers ¤Increased and more formalized professionalism for many jobs/roles ¤Consensus on youth development definitions, research base, core competencies

References £ £ £ £ Bodilly, S. , & Beckett, M. K. (2005). Making out-of-school time matter: Evidence for an action agenda. Prepared for the Wallace Foundation. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation. Accessed January 18, 2009 from http: //www. wallacefoundation. org/Promo. Docs/Making. Outof. School. Time. Matter. pdf Bowie, L. , & Bronte-Tinkew, J. (2006). The importance of professional development for youth workers. Accessed January 18, 2009 from http: //www. childtrends. org/Files//Child_Trends-2007 -06_15_RB_Pro. Devel. pdf Campbell, P. B. , & Carson, R. (2007). Youth development institute: Community education pathways to success (CEPS): Implementing CEPS: The first year evaluation report. Accessed January 18, 2009 from www. campbellkibler. com/2007%20 CEPS%20%20 final%20 evaluation%20 report. pdf Children Now. (2008). Effectively expanding California’s after school system: Overcoming the workforce supply obstacle. Accessed January 18, 2009 from http: //publications. childrennow. org/publications/education/afterschool_brief_2008. cfm Deutsch, N. (2009). More than safe spaces: Adolescent development and relationship building in after-school settings. Presentation given January 23, 2009 at the University of Minnesota. Video available at http: //www. extension. umn. edu/Applied. Youth. Research/inquirytoimpact/deutsch. html#video Hyland, T. (1996). Professionalism, ethics and work-based learning. British Journal of Educational Studies, 44(2), 168 -180. Accessed January 17, 2009 from http: //www. jstor. org/stable/3121730 Johnson, E. , Rothstein, F. , & Gajdosik, J. (2004). The intermediary role in youth worker professional development: Successes and challenges. New Directions for Youth Development, 104, 51 -64. Retrieved January 18, 2009 from Academic Search Premier database. Minnesota Department of Education. (2008). “Highly qualified” teacher require. -MN state plan. Accessed April 24, 2009 from http: //www. education. state. mn. us/MDE/Teacher_Support/Educator_Licensing/Highly_Qualified_Teacher_Require_MN_State_Plan/index. html Nicholson, H. J. , Houchin, S. , & Stegall, B. (2004). Professional development in national organizations: Insights from Girls Incorporated. New Directions for Youth Development, 104, 65 -73. Retrieved January 17, 2009 from Academic Search Premier database. Noam, G. G. (2008). A new day for youth: Creating sustainable quality in out-of-school time. Accessed January 18, 2009 from www. wallacefoundation. org/wallace/whitepaper_noam. pdf Quinn, J. (2004). Professional development in the youth development field: Issues, trends, opportunities, and challenges. New Directions for Youth Development, 104, 13 -24. Retrieved January 17, 2009 from Academic Search Premier database. Rosie, A. (1996). “Pagan knowledge”: A case study of post-modern theorising and youth work training. British Educational Research Journal, 22(3), 331 -346. Accessed January 17, 2009 from http: //www. jstor. org/stable/1501424 Starr, E. , Gannett, E. , & Garza, P. , with Goldstein, S. , & Yohalem, N. (2008). Clear policies for career pathways: Lessons learned. Accessed January 18, 2009 from www. forumforyouthinvestment. org/files/Next%20 Gen%20 Lessons%20 Learned%20 Final. pdf Vile, J. D. , Russell, C. A. , Miller, T. D. , & Reisner, E. R. (2008). College opportunities for after-school workers: Report on the first-year implementation of the Center for Afterschool Excellence certificate programs. Accessed January 18, 2009 from http: //www. afterschoolexcellence. org/content/document/detail/2195/