Nebraska School-Age and Youth Development Core

Competencies

Webinar by:Michelle Krehbiel

Kim Larson

January 18, 2011

Goal of Competencies

Nebraska’s School-Age and Youth Development Professional Core Competencies are voluntary, and designed to promote professionalism in the field of youth development.

Vision for Core Competencies

All children and youth in Nebraska have caregivers, youth development workers, and teachers who are well prepared, knowledgeable, and possess the necessary tools to help the children and youth, with whom they work, reach their full potential.

Document Link

Nebraska School-Age and Youth Development Core Competencies are located at:

http://www.nebraskaclcnetwork.org/resources/quality.html

Core Competencies Are Based on These Premises:

Youth require a supportive environment in which to develop.

Cultural diversity impacts child and youth development.

Quality out-of-school programs support connections between school day, afterschool, and home.

In Other Words…..

The core competencies are about creating a quality school-age and youth worker.

Core Competencies Apply to All

Core competencies provide a broad categorization of knowledge and skills that apply across all roles in the school-age and youth development field.

Definitions in the Document

School-age includes youth between five and ten years of age.

Youth includes young adults between 11 and 18 years of age.

Youth development is the process that all young people go through on the way to adulthood, and includes those between 11-18 years of age.

A Team of Professionals in the Field Developed the Core

Competencies

Core Competencies Leadership Team

Core Competencies Writing Team

Core Competencies Review Team

Core Competencies and 21st CCLC Program Goals

The core competency document addresses two of the three 21st CCLC program goals:

Increase social benefits and positive behavioral changes.

Increase family and community engagement in supporting student’s education.

But NOT… Improve student learning performance in one or

more core academic areas.

LOOKING AT THE DOCUMENT

Nebraska’s Core Competency Levels

The Core Competencies are divided into three levels of skills.

Entry Intermediate Advanced

The levels build upon each other.

Professionals may be at different levels within the core knowledge areas depending on their background experience and training.

Definition of Levels

Entry Level: Skills needed by those new to the field.

Intermediate level: Skills you would expect to see after two to three years of working in the field.

Advanced level: Skills you would see in someone in the field for three or more years, who is knowledgeable about the research, best practices, and effective services.

How the Levels Work The skills and knowledge needed increase with

each level.

A person might be at one level in one competency area, and at another level in another competency area.

Ideally People who are at level 2 should be able to do

everything in levels 1 and 2.

Core Competency Areas

Nebraska’s School-Age and Youth Development Professional Core Competencies are divided into six areas of core knowledge and skills.

Growth and development Health, safety, and nutrition Relationships Learning Professionalism Administration

Core Knowledge Area A: Growth and Development

Knowledge of physical, cognitive, social and emotional development of youth.

Core Knowledge Area B:Health, Safety, and Nutrition

Ensures that professionals promote… healthy eating safe and active lifestyles safe materials, facilities, and equipment

Knowledge of federal and state compliance regulations pertaining to working with youth.

Core Knowledge Area C:Relationships

Builds respectful relationships with youth, families, and staff.

Core Knowledge Area D:Learning

Creates a safe and enriching learning environment with an array of opportunities for learning.

Core Knowledge Area E:Professionalism

Demonstrates professional and ethical conduct and a lifelong commitment to learning.

Core Knowledge Area F:Administration

Implements a program in a manner that reflects research-based practices, a commitment to continuous quality improvement, sound financial practices, and visionary leadership.

Ways a Program Director Could Use the Core Competencies…

Assist in describing job skills of staff.

Promote professional growth. Self-reflection Staff evaluation

Specific levels of training/education for individual jobs.

Example: Assist in Describing Job Skills of Staff

Example: Promote Professional Growth

Example: Specific Levels of Training/education for Individual Jobs.

Brainstorming

What are some ways that you could

envision using the Nebraska School-Age and Youth Development Competencies in your program?

Questions about the Competencies

Contact Information

Kim Larson21st Century Community Learning

CentersCoordinator of Professional

Developmentkim.larson@nebraska.gov

402-471-4824

Additional Positive Youth Development Staff Training

By: UNL Extension 4-H Youth Development Office For: Afterschool staffTopics covered:

Positive youth development (2 hours) Youth as leaders (2 hours) Youth as teachers (2 hours) Service learning (2 hours)

Cost: NoneTimeline: Training must be completed by May 31, 2010

Contact: Michelle KrehbielUNL Extension 4-H Youth Developmentmkrehbiel2@unl.edu402-472-9020