To answer the question, “What impact can a local system of youth worker professional development have on a youth-serving sector?” the Academy for Educational Development (AED) Center for School and Community Services (CSCS) conducted a two-year national review, evaluating the influence of the National Training Institute for Community Youth Work’s (NTI) national BEST Initiative on youth workers, youth-serving organizations, the National BEST Network.
The results of this BEST evaluation were released in 2002, and are available in two versions: a 54-page full report and a 20-page summary report. The full report documents, in detail, survey data and provides direct quotes from youth workers who completed AYD trainings. The summary report is a synopsis of this information
To obtain a printed copy of the full report and summary, please download, complete, and return NTI's Product Order Form. Or, you may download the summary report in PDF format or download the summary report in Microsoft Word format.
Key Findings
Impact on Youth Worker Practice
- Three-fourths of the 242 post-survey respondents indicated that the training had a “great deal” or “good amount” of impact on their practices.
- 90% of youth workers completing the post survey said the AYD training had an impact on their practice of identifying their own strengths and areas needing improvement.
- The study illustrated a shift in the practice paradigm from adult-centered to youth-centered programming. This shift was summarized by one youth worker who reported that he went from wanting to do programming for youth to trying to do programming with youth.
- Through the telephone interviews, 41 of the 43 youth workers reported that they felt the training had a positive impact on their work with youth.
Impact on Organizations
- According to a community stakeholder, one result of BEST is that, "Organizations now have the tools and resources to work with kids. They are better-managed agencies and there is a whole community awareness that youth have assets."
- When asked about the impact of the BEST Initiative on organizations, stakeholders agreed that the initiative helped foster networking and cross-agency collaboration. Specifically, "We now engage in more collaboration. There is a broadened perspective of organizations and a universal language."
- Over two-thirds of the youth worker survey respondents reported that the AYD training had an impact on their organization overall.
- In a log, one youth worker explained the result of the training on her organization - "It created a common vocabulary and concepts for co-workers. It serves as a base for working with the youth."
- The need for additional organizational supports was expressed by many youth workers, including one who wrote in his log, "In order to use what I have learned in the AYD training, I will need supportive supervision, cooperation and continuous training on youth development."
Impact on Professionalizing the Field
- Overwhelmingly, youth workers agreed that courses, certificates and degrees increase the professional status of youth worker because a lot of youth workers don’t get recognized at the same level as other professions related to young people.
- Among other suggestions for increasing the status of the field were: competitive salaries and benefits; networking; and public education. One specific suggestion was for, "Either a national network or a recognized spokesperson that could promote what youth work is and why it’s important."
