After the great success of launching the BEST systems in 20 major cities, the pressing question became How can youth workers in smaller communities also participate in BEST professional development programs?
The answer is the BEST Regional Delivery Systems (RDS) funded by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. Through RDS, youth workers, youth program supervisors, and agency directors in over a dozen more communities now have access to the AYD training and other BEST programs and resources to support their work with young people.
Midwest BEST Region
In piloting the RDS model in 2002, YouthNet of Greater Kansas City (YouthNet) in partnership with NTI, developed the Midwest BEST Regional Delivery System with eight communities in five states:
- Des Moines (IA)
- Hutchinson (KS)
- Kansas City (KS)
- Lincoln (NE)
- Quad Cities [Davenport and Bettendorf (IA) and Rock Island and Moline (IL)]
- St. Louis (MO)
- Topeka (KS)
- Wichita (KS)
As regional intermediary, YouthNet:
- Defined their region through careful assessment and selection activities
- Delivered AYD programs in each community
- Provided technical assistance to the selected lead organization from each community on coordinating AYD training programs, recruiting and selecting youth workers, establishing advisory committees, and - coordinating professional networking opportunities for youth workers
Since launching Midwest BEST in July 2002, YouthNet has delivered nearly many AYD trainings in the region. As a result, Midwest BEST has a critical mass of youth workers who are AYD graduates and an accomplished facilitator cadre who have been trained through NTI’s National Training of Facilitators’ Program. YouthNet has worked with the communities to build local capacity to implement and sustain BEST programs for their youth workers.
Replication
Since 2004 NTI has worked with two additional BEST sites, Alternatives, Inc. in Hampton, VA and the Greater Philadelphia of Settlements, to replicate the Regional Delivery Systems in their communities. NTI provided technical assistance, training of facilitators programs, and support for sustainability.
Hampton Roads Region includes:
- Chesapeake
- Virginia Beach
- Portsmouth
- Isle of Wight
- Surry County
- the towns of Franklin and Smithfield
There was a range of organizations in these communities that collaborated to launch BEST that included representatives from local governments, faith based coalitions, parks and recreation departments, community based organizations, juvenile justice programs, and the public schools. Since January 2004, AYD has been delivered to scores of youth workers and supervisors in these communities. The evaluations from graduates indicate that 97% of the participants increased their knowledge of youth development and their willingness to apply the principles to their work with youth.
BEST Communities of Pennsylvania and New Jersey Region
The Greater Philadelphia of Settlements selected the communities of
- Reading, PA
- Camden, NJ
The Community Prevention Partnership of Berks County is the lead organization for Reading; Camden City Youth Services is the lead organization for Camden; and the Community, Youth, and Women’s Alliance is the lead organization for Coatesville. To support their participation in the BEST Communities, these lead organizations brought together a diverse group of community leaders representing local affiliates of the national youth -serving organizations, mayors offices on youth, community based organizations, Catholic Charities, and juvenile justice organizations. Although these communities are small, they have already trained a number of youth workers in the AYD Curriculum. The findings from the participant evaluations indicate that 90% reported the training as excellent.
