Thanks to all conference attendees for a great day!
Resource Links are listed below in the corresponding workshop description.
AGENDA
8AM: Breakfast and Registration begins
8:30AM-9:45AM: Keynote by Adora Svitak “Authentic Youth Engagement”
Our keynote speaker, Adora Svitak, began as a prolific short story writer and blogger at age seven and is now (at age 17) a published author of three books, an internationally acclaimed speaker, and an advocate for causes that include literacy, youth empowerment, and feminism. Click here to watch her TED talk from 2010, “What Adults Can Learn From Kids.” You can also read more about Adora by visiting her website at www.adorasvitak.com.
Click here to read more about Adora.
9:50AM-11:05AM: Session One
Not Your High School Cafeteria: 10 Lessons From a Youth Driven Space (John Weiss and Will Ross)
Youth Driven Space (YDS), developed by the Neutral Zone in Ann Arbor, is based on one simple innovation – involving youth in running their own programs and involving them in organizational/governance decisions. This session will help participants understand the YDS components and examine 10 strategies/practices to grow or sustain a YDS.
Not Your High School Cafeteria Power Point Deck
Structure and Clear Limits (Melanie Claxton)
How do you prevent chaos in a youth environment without stifling youth’s positive energy? Youth need structure and clear limits in order to feel safe. This interactive workshop helps participants analyze the level of structure in their programs and practice identifying and maintaining clear limits.
Structure and Clear Limits Power Point Deck
Intro to Active Participatory Approach, part one (Tiara Whitfield)
Youth programs can be optimized for youth needs, motivation, and engagement. The Active-Participatory Approach to youth work was designed to address these goals. This youth-centered approach is the foundation for the Youth Works Methods Series. The Youth Works Methods are based in positive youth development research, and designed to create a safe, supportive, and productive environment for youth.
Intro to Active Participatory Approach Power Point Deck
Quality Campaign Orientation (Stephanie Bechel)
If your organization is interested in becoming a Quality Campaign Member, or if your organization’s two-year membership in the Quality Campaign is ending soon, this orientation is for you! During the orientation we will review the steps to complete the Quality Self Assessment process and become a Quality Campaign Member.
Creating Positive Environments (Mila Yochum)
This workshop will provide participants practical strategies and practice to create a safe positive environment that support youth development and strengthen relationships. Research has shown the 5c’s of Positive Youth Development (PYD) and positive mindsets affect student success. Many workshops provide the theory and approach of PYD; participants will practice positive youth development through role playing, practice delivering authentic praise by identifying strengths, reflect on and build awareness of their own practice.
Creating Positive Environments Power Point Deck
11:10AM-12:25PM: Session Two
Youth Voice, part one (Melanie Claxton)
Are you providing young people with authentic, meaningful choice throughout your program? Does your program reflect the input of the youth involved? 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 and focus on providing choice within activities and opportunities with youth input within the youth program itself.
Youth Voice Power Point Deck
Online Portfolios and Career Planning (Jackie Foor and Mary Kay Babyak)
Participants will learn about STEMPremier, a free, online tool designed to help youth create digital portfolios. This tool can be used by program staff to help them better know and engage with their youth and youth can use STEMPremier to connect to post-secondary education and employment opportunities.
Intro to Active Participatory Approach, part two (Tiara Whitfield)
Youth programs can be optimized for youth needs, motivation, and engagement. The Active-Participatory Approach to youth work was designed to address these goals. This youth-centered approach is the foundation for the Youth Works Methods Series. The Youth Works Methods are based in positive youth development research, and designed to create a safe, supportive, and productive environment for youth.
Evoking Youth Voice to Positively Impact Their Health and Wellness (Lauren Chanadet)
Motivational interviewing is a method that works on facilitating and engaging intrinsic motivation in order to change behavior. In this session we will review basic interviewing techniques that can be used to help students get motivated to not only complete their academic work, but also participate in physical activity and stress management. This interactive session will also provide fitness and stress management activity suggestions.
Evoking Youth Voice Power Point Deck
12:30PM-1:10PM: Lunch & Networking
1:15PM-2:30PM: Session Three
Youth Voice, part two (Melanie Claxton)
Are you providing young people with authentic, meaningful choice throughout your program? Does your program reflect the input of the youth involved? 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 and focus on providing choice within activities and opportunities with youth input within the youth program itself.
Vocational Rehabilitation and the Process of Transition from High School (Sarah Vogel and Brett Glavey)
The Office of Vocational Rehabilitation provides vocational rehabilitation service for eligible individuals with disabilities. The new Early Reach Initiative, a pre-employment transition outreach and education program, aims to help prepare youth for the world of work and adulthood. Information will be provided about OVR’s services and how the initiative works to complement existing transition and pre-employment programs in schools and agencies through a variety of free educational workshops and trainings.
No Worksheet Zone: Taking the Activity Off the Page (Lenora Felder)
In this hands-on workshop, OST providers will be introduced to the “No Worksheet Zone” approach to active learning in OST. This approach encourages providers to create intentional, hands-on activities that allow youth to become active partners in their learning experience.
No Worksheet Zone Power Point Deck
Motivate by Listening: A Simple Idea to Keep Your Team Engaged (Aaron Romans)
A youth worker’s job is meaningful, important and often rewarding. It’s also exhausting, frustrating and stressful. In this tough environment, how can we keep everybody motivated? Let’s start by changing how we communicate. Using Motivational Interviewing as a basis, this training will explain how positive conversations, with an emphasis on listening, can keep your team motivated and engaged in their work.