Sandra Sosa Becomes first Bilingual AYD Trainer in Chicago

One hundred and one youth workers were honored for completing Advancing Youth Development (AYD) and Supervising Youth Development Practice (SYDP) during a graduation ceremony on March 31, 2011 at the Gary Comer Youth Center, 7200 S. Ingleside in Chicago. AYD and SYDP are two professional development programs offered as part of a partnership between Chicago Area Project (CAP) and the Chicago Department of Family Support Services in Chicago and CAP and the Grand Victoria Foundation in the south suburbs. The graduates from several community, governmental, and educational agencies throughout the City of Chicago joined more than 4800 youth workers in Chicago and the suburbs who have enhanced their skills through CAPs professional development programs.

Graduates included 13 youth works who are the first to complete CAP’s new Supervising Youth Development Practice (SYDP) program. SYDP is a national recognized 15 hour curriculum that trains supervisors and managers of youth worker sin the principles and practices of youth development, as well as the “BEST PRACTICES” in the supervision of youth development work. BEST stands for: Building Exemplary Systems for Training Youth Worker.

Keynote speaker at the graduation ceremony was Elaine Johnson who is recognized as the national spokesperson for investing resources that offer high quality coordinated training and education opportunities for youth-serving professionals. Ms. Johnson is the Senior Fellow for Youth Development Affairs at the Academy for Educational Development (AED), and has served as Founder and Director of the AED National Training Institute for Community Youth Work where she created and led the expansion of the National BEST Network from 7 local intermediaries to more than 40 local, state, and regional organizations that deliver training and educational programs for youth workers and supervisors.

Johnson’s “Stay Hungry and Stay Foolish” statement was inspired by Steve Jobs from Apple. She told the youth worker grads that “stay hungry,” for them, means study, moral growth, keeping their skills, knowing their business, and understanding how to be a team player. “Stay foolish” means knowing how top laugh at yourself and developing a respectful sense of humor about life.”

Other speakers at the graduation included Alderman John A. Pope (10thWard), Andrew F. Fernández, Director of Youth Services, Department of Family Support Services, Annette Kelly, President and Founder, For Our Ultimate Success, and Sandra Sosa, student voice and new AYD facilitator. Sosa announced that she had just become the first and only bilingual AYD trainer on Chicago and urged all Spanish-speaking youth workers to take Advancing Youth Development.

Since 2002, more than 4800 youth workers have graduated from accredited professional development programs managed by Chicago Area Project. “It is important for the city, it is important for the state and it is important for the country,” stated Whittaker, “to understand that we are moving into a different direction in terms of our care and concern for our young folks. Chicago is leading the way by uplifting the spirits and uplifting the credentials of youth workers not only in Chicago and Illinois, but this model is being replicated throughout the country. The hope is that in 10 years this will become standard all across the county.”

AYD is an introductory national youth development curriculum offered in 18 cities throughout the U.S. and the first step on the route to becoming a professional youth worker. The youth workers benefit by obtaining a professional credential and by moving into the higher education system. Young people benefit from the comprehensive training received by the youth workers with whom they interact.

Each student in the professional development curriculum starts with AYD, a 28-hour curriculum from the National Training Institute for Community Youth Work at the Academy for Educational Development in Washington D.C. The next step is enrollment in SYDP.

AYD classes are held at various locations throughout Chicago.

For information on future AYD and SYDP classes call Joy Hernandez at 312-588-3845.