ACT for Youth is committed to promoting the language of positive youth development (PYD) and integrating core PYD principles into the field of youth work. We aim to enhance the capacity, knowledge, and competencies of adults who work with and for young people, as well as their organizations.
Positive Youth Development 101 Training
The 10-hour training curriculum
Positive Youth Development 101 offers an orientation to positive youth development for new youth work professionals. The curriculum includes five sections:
- Theoretical Foundation of PYD and Adolescent Development
- Positive Youth Development Outcomes
- Youth Voice and Engagement
- Youth Development Programming
- Youth Worker Competencies
PYD 101 Online Courses
Positive Youth Development (PYD) 101 Online is a series of short, interactive courses intended to introduce PYD to new youth work professionals, volunteers, and advocates. The series can be used independently or to supplement the training curriculum listed above.
PYD Network Webinars
ACT for Youth sponsors occasional webinars for people interested in positive youth development. For announcements of upcoming webinars (and other PYD resources), please subscribe to the monthly newsletter
ACT for Youth Update. For more presentations and articles, see our
PYD publications.
PYD Web Series I: Foundations
Webinar Recording
Edited Transcript
PYD Web Series II: Positive Youth
Webinar Recording
PYD Web Series III: Youth Voice and Engagement
Webinar Recording
PYD Web Series IV: Youth Development
Webinar Recording
PYD Web Series V: Youth Work Ethics
Webinar Recording
Introducing the Supervisor's PYD Toolkit
Webinar Recording
How is COVID-19 Impacting the Emotional Well-Being of Adolescents?
Webinar Recording
Engaging Youth, Not Managing Youth!
Webinar Recording
Behavior Management Techniques
Building Developmental Relationships
Webinar Recording
Simple Interactions
Search Institute: Developmental Relationships Framework
Search Institute: Relationships First
Search Institute: The 4 S's Interview
Building Organizational Support for PYD
Webinar Recording
Hidden Biases
Webinar Recording
Motivation and Goals
Webinar Recording
YouTube: What is Self Determination Theory?
Strengthening Self-Regulation
Webinar Recording
SEL Toolkit: Self-Management
Mindfulness Activities
Character Lab: WOOP
Attention Please!
Webinar Recording
Responding to Hate Language
Webinar Recording
Warm-Up: Human Scavenger Hunt
Diversity Iceberg Activity
Diversity Bingo
Dot Activity
What Do Youth Workers Have to Know about the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)?
Webinar Recording
Fair Weather Ahead: Coping with Adolescent Stress
Webinar Recording
Core Competencies in Youth Work
What does it take to be a good youth worker? On this page, we introduce
core competency areas and discuss building expertise through "deliberate practice."
Facilitation Tips
The facilitation and implementation of program activities is essential to the work of youth professionals.
Facilitation Tips offers general presentation techniques and tips as well as warm-up activities and energizers.
Teaching Techniques
Common
teaching techniques such as brainstorming, small group activities, and role plays are discussed using behavioral checklists and video examples of good and weak facilitation.
Inclusiveness
On this page, we discuss the internal barriers youth work professionals may face when they seek to reach youth, and ways to become more
inclusive and culturally competent.
Self-Care for Youth Work Professionals
Professionals in the field of youth development are often deeply dedicated and personally invested in their work. It is this commitment to others that makes self-care essential for staff. The
Self-Care page suggests strategies and links to resources.
Social and Emotional Learning Toolkit
The Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) approach incorporates many
principles of youth development. Originally developed for school settings, SEL focuses on the facilitation and implementation of learning activities and programming, which can be easily transferred into other settings. The
SEL Toolkit provides a range of resources, strategies, and tools.
