Help

My organization isn't listed. Even though your organization is not listed, you can still participate in the program. More and more organizations are joining everyday. Just fill in the name of your organization on the registration form. What will you use my personal information for? We collect basic information about you (Name, City, State, Organization, Zip Code and Email) as a way to find out who is using our program, and to report back to sponsoring organizations. If you provide a mailing address we will use this only with your permission to send you updates and information on youth development learning opportunities in your area. Where did this course come from? What research did you use? Youth Work Matters is all about you! We've heard from lots of people that said they needed more background and support in youth development and we listened. This course comes from a successful program called Promoting Youth Development: A Community Approach. We use current research from the leaders in the youth development field (Karen Pittman, Andy Hahn, Jacqueline Eccles, Milbrey McLaughlin) and tried and tested research from the pioneers in the field (Gisela Konopka, Uri Bronfenbrenner). Why aren't youth involved? You may have noticed that youth aren't involved in this program. It's because this program is supporting youth workers. Sometimes you have to be able to step back from the people you work with and really think about what you are doing. Youth are certainly at the center of our work, but sometimes we need to think about our own approach and how that makes a difference too. What if I don't have anything to write about? Don't worry if you don't have all the answers. What is important is that you are thinking about these ideas. We don't always have to have an answer for everything. As you go through the lessons, you may want to come back and fill in an idea, or use blank spaces as reminders of what you want to work on. I'm not finished. Can I come back later? You don't have to finish the whole unit in one sitting! Every time you log in, the program will show you where you left off. Just remember that information doesn't save from each session, so you might have to re-enter information if you leave in the middle of a lesson. Can I go back to something I've already done? You can always go back and review the information. Anything that you've entered will not be saved. How can I talk to other people about this? There are several ways you can connect with others on the content and get questions answered. You can join an online discussion board and post messages for others to see, or you can meet with a group of people from your organization to talk about the ideas and questions you may have. Talk to your organization volunteer or staff development sponsor for more information. I passed. What do I do with the certificate? Congratulations! You are on your way to making a stronger impact on the lives of young people. You can use the certificate to show to your volunteer manager or staff development director that you have completed the course. You should keep this certificate in a file or portfolio of your accomplishments with youth. This will be helpful to you as you continue through your career or volunteer experiences.