Core Competencies
"Core competencies are the knowledge, skills, and personal attributes youth workers need to work effectively with young people."
– Academy for Educational Development

Identifying core competencies is an important step in building a comprehensive professional development system for youth workers. Core competencies are the foundation of structured professional development programs and some higher education programs. They can also help individuals examine their own skills and knowledge and identify areas of need for further development.

Youth workers can build and strengthen core competencies in a number of ways, including:

The BEST Initiative is an example of a systemic approach to professional development that focuses on specific strategies for gaining the skills and knowledge youth workers need.

Competency frameworks
Competency frameworks align knowledge, skills, and attributes into categories and can assist youth workers in identifying their areas of strength and areas of need. Following are two examples:

Core Competencies for National Youth–Serving Agencies Source: AED/Center for Youth Development and Policy Research, 1996		Boston School-Age Child Care and Youth Worker Basic Competencies, 1999 Source: Sub-Committee for Children and Families of the Boston Coalition
Area 1: Youth Workers as Supports for Youth, Families and Colleagues Area 2: Youth Workers as Resources to Youth Area 3: Youth Workers as Resources to Organizations Area 4: Youth Workers as Resources to Communities Download complete framework		Area 1: Professionalism Area 2: Diversity Area 3: Stages of Development for Children and Youth Area 4: Managing Behavior Area 5: Structuring Activities Area 6: Safety Issues Area 7: Child Care and youth workers as community resources Area 8: Building caring relationships Download complete framework

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