BEST Training Institute

The BEST Training Institute is the professional development component of the BEST Initiative.  This Training Institute helps meet the youth work field’s need for training in best practices based on positive, healthy outcomes for young people. It also supports the recognition of youth work as a profession.

The trainings employ a facilitative training approach that blends participatory learning and interactive and experiential exercises while connecting concepts to practice.  Training opportunities available are:

• Youth Worker Certificate Training: This eight-session, 32-hour training is based on the nationally recognized Advancing Youth Development curriculum.  This training provides youth workers with grounding in the youth development approach.  They are introduced to an appropriate common language for discussing youth development, and provided with information about locally identified core competencies, childhood and adolescent development, cultural competence, gender and cultural sensitivity, positive youth outcomes, youth stereotyping, healthy relationships and boundaries, youth workers as community resources, and other critical issues.
• Youth Work Supervisor Training: This four-session, 16-hour training focuses on supervision and program management in youth work.  It addresses the roles and responsibilities of supervisors, communication, work relationships, program management, and the specific supervision of youth workers within a youth development framework.
• Supporting Girls: Gender Sensitivity Training: This four-session, 16-hour training provides youth workers with effective strategies and activities for teaching co-ed adolescent groups about gender issues, especially those relating to self-esteem and relationships.  The training focuses on differing social development patterns for adolescent boys and girls, the impact of teaching/leadership styles on girls, and effective methods for empowering adolescent girls and assuring that they sustain a strong sense of self in the critical early adolescent years, especially in the context of co-ed groups.
• Supporting Boys: Healthy Relationships for Boys Training:  This two-session, 8-hour training provides youth workers with effective strategies and activities on how to integrate the youth development approach into programming that supports boys.  The training encourages participants to explore strategies for understanding the mental health of boys and how to connect boys to resources.  The training will help participants bring activities back to their programs that introduce boys to critical thought around gender, stereotypes and their positive skill development and outcomes.
• Youth Development Approach to Violence Prevention: This four-session, 16-hour training provides youth workers with some effective strategies on violence prevention, such as conflict resolution, and peace building activities. This training also teaches participants how to support young people’s leadership and advocacy skills and how to collaborate with other youth programs interested in these issues.
• Youth Development and Mental Health: Beyond Disorder, Into Wellness:  This four-session, 16-hour training provides youth workers with a culturally competent lens for thinking about mental health and wellness from a youth development perspective.  Participants will obtain a basic understanding of some mental health disorders, with specific focus on depression, anxiety disorder and post traumatic stress disorder.
• *NEW OFFERING*  Supporting Youth Leadership in Health Promotion: This two-session, 12-hour training is designed to explore the Inseparable Goals of youth development and health promotion. This training is interactive and employs discussion, activities, role-plays and case studies in supporting youth workers in learning the youth development approach and about youth-adult collaboration.  This training particularly focuses on engaging youth in public health promotion work, addressing challenges and strategizing practical applications.
• Youth Work Intensive Conference: This two-day conference for youth workers focuses on skill development, information sharing and networking.  BEST brings together training providers and leading youth work practitioners to present a variety of workshops that address the day-to-day challenges of the profession.

Additionally, BEST offers shorter and customized trainings including: Youth Development 101, How to Supervise Youth, Working with Middle School Youth, Positive Behavior Management, Engaging Youth in Prevention Programming, etc.

For more information on our shorter, customized trainings, please contact Daisy P. Ortega by phone at 617-279-2240 x 209 or by email.

Upcoming Events

News

11th Annual Youth Work Intensive

Dec 21, 2011 --- Dates announced for the 11th Annual Youth Work Intensive: March 13th and 14th.

Youth Conference Helps Teens Better Manage Relationships

Jun 14, 2011 --- At their second annual meeting, youth at the Massachusetts Peer Leadership Institute focused on what lies at the heart of so many issues teens face: managing relationships.

10th Annual Youth Work Intensive Held

Mar 19, 2011 --- "It doesn't belong to me. It doesn't belong to you. It belongs to those who use it," said Saroeum Phoung, a former gang member, in teaching fellow youth workers about the ancient tradition of the peacemaking circle.

2011 Youthie Winners Announced

Mar 17, 2011 --- The 2011 Youthies were awarded at the 10th Annual Youth Work Intensive on March 16th. Check here for a complete list of the winners!

Poll

Health Resources in Action
95 Berkeley Street Boston, MA 02116
Phone 617-451-0049 | TTY 617-451-0007 | Fax 617-451-0062