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Achieve Boston's competency
framework represents an integration of the competencies for both after-school
and youth work. Eleven competency areas are further distinguished into
particular topics, and issues of inclusion and special needs are addressed
throughout the framework. Professional development opportunities (go to
catalog) address one or more of these topics.
Activities/Curriculum
Activities and curriculum builds upon the importance of a well-balanced
structure where activities promote life skills and enhance the physical,
cognitive, social, and emotional development of all children and youth,
including those with special needs.
| • |
Developmentally-appropriate
programming |
| • |
Balanced programming |
| • |
Science, literacy,
games, art, math, and multicultural activities |
| • |
Team building
and group dynamics |
| • |
Community service/service
learning |
| • |
Physical fitness |
| • |
Encouraging youth
participation |
| • |
Activity planning
– webbing, themes, structuring activities, project-based learning
|
| • |
Community resources |
| • |
Critical thinking
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Building
Caring Relationships/Behavior Guidance
Building caring relationships with children and youth includes promoting
teambuilding, active listening, and a variety of communication strategies.
Understanding acceptable and appropriate behaviors in a variety of situations
and cultural contexts is a learned skill. Children and youth develop this
understanding and feel more secure when consistent limits, appropriate
consequences, and realistic expectations of their behavior are clearly
and positively defined.
| • |
Establishing
strong relationships |
| • |
Establishing
trust |
| • |
Communication
skills |
| • |
Effective listening |
| • |
Youth-centered
programming |
| • |
Developmental
assets |
| • |
Resiliency –
protective and risk factors |
| • |
Team building |
| • |
Positive guidance
techniques |
| • |
How the program
environment and developmental needs affect children’s behavior |
| • |
Engaging families
in behavior
guidance |
| • |
Cultural relevancy |
| • |
Topics specific
for middle school-age youth |
| • |
Utilizing community
resources |
| • |
Peace making
activities |
| • |
Conflict resolution
and mediation |
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Top
Child
and Youth Development
To provide a program that meets the
multiple needs of children and youth,
practitioners must understand comprehensive child and youth development,
including developmental stages, children and youth with special needs, competencies,
and positive youth outcomes.
| • |
Physical, cognitive,
emotional, and social development – ages and stages |
| • |
Adolescent development
|
| • |
Youth outcomes
|
| • |
Children with
special needs |
| • |
Efficacy (e.g.,
aligning resources,
policies and practices to achieve
targeted outcomes, and creating
an environment that sets high
expectations for achievement) |
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Top
Safety/Health
and Nutrition
Understanding how to maintain personal health and safety, prevention information,
crisis intervention, CPR and First Aid.
| • |
Wellness and
exercise |
| • |
Nutrition |
| • |
Licensing |
| • |
Conflict Resolution
|
| • |
CPR, First Aid,
and universal precautions |
| • |
Crisis management |
| • |
Worker safety
|
| • |
Risk prevention
– HIV/AIDS, teen
pregnancy, abuse, drugs, alcohol, etc. |
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Top
Cultural
Competence
Understanding differences and inclusion principles and techniques.
| • |
Anti-bias and
culturally relevant
programming |
| • |
Multicultural
activities |
| • |
Cultural competencies |
| • |
Program outreach
to diverse
communities |
| • |
Inclusion |
| • |
Creating an environment
that reflects and honors diversity |
| • |
Identifying bias
and oppression |
| • |
GLBT issues |
| • |
“Isms”
– racism, sexism, classism, adultism, etc. |
| • |
Celebration of
diversity |
| • |
Sharing power |
| • |
Inclusive decision-making |
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Top
Environment
A carefully planned learning environment fosters children and youth’s
involvement and development in all areas. Such an environment includes physical
and human qualities that together promote self-esteem, social interaction,
and community values, and address physical and mental boundaries while promoting
cultural awareness and inclusion.
| • |
Space design
– facilities, décor |
| • |
Human/emotional
climate –
relationships, ownership, youth-friendly |
| • |
Age-appropriate
materials/supplies, furniture, equipment |
| • |
Print-rich environment
– using the environment to promote literacy |
| • |
Working in shared
space – unique challenges and strategies |
| • |
Activity planning
– themes, webbing, structuring activities |
| • |
Creating an inclusive
environment |
| • |
Boundaries, territory,
“turf” |
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Top
Families and Schools
Creating and sustaining relationships
with families, teachers, and other school personnel is essential to enhancing
the quality of after-school and youth services. Coordination and information
sharing among schools, families, and after-school providers/youth workers
helps to create
a supportive learning environment.
| Partnering with Families |
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| • |
Engaging families
– recognizing the multiple roles family members can play (e.g.,
volunteers, decision makers, board members, etc.) |
| • |
Family support
services – providing referrals and linking to community resources |
| • |
Communicating
with families |
| Partnering with Schools |
|
| • |
Building relationships
with school personnel |
| • |
Bridging the
in-school and out-of-school time gaps |
| • |
Understanding
school expectations |
| • |
Aligning out-of-school
time activities with frameworks and learning standards |
| • |
Understanding
MCAS |
| • |
Creating a communication
plan |
| • |
Full-service
schools – understanding what mechanisms are in place |
| • |
Understanding
education reform opportunities |
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Top
Professionalism
Understanding one’s role in the organization, professional boundaries,
and professional advancement.
| • |
Core competencies
|
| • |
Self-awareness |
| • |
Career development
|
| • |
Advocacy |
| • |
Leadership development |
| • |
Program management
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| • |
Supervision |
| • |
Ethics |
| • |
Boundaries |
| • |
Reporting and
referral |
| • |
Documentation
|
| • |
Professional
development portfolios |
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Top
Program
Management
Having an accountable practice of
program management enhances quality and promotes efficiency.
| • |
Policies and
procedures |
| • |
Supervision –
relationships with staff, team building |
| • |
Fiscal management
– budget and fundraising |
| • |
Leadership style |
| • |
Workforce issues
– staffing, recruitment and retention, professional development
of staff, coaching/mentoring,
hiring and firing, employee motivation |
| • |
Organizational
climate – team decision-making, power-sharing, teambuilding |
| • |
Conflict resolution |
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Program planning,
development, implementation, and evaluation |
| • |
Assessment and
outcomes |
| • |
Organizational
skills |
| • |
Program start-up |
| • |
Time and stress
management |
| • |
Meeting facilitation |
| • |
Building management |
| • |
Organizational
change/transition |
| • |
Marketing |
| • |
Computer literacy |
| • |
Board development |
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Top
Workers
as Community Resources
After-school and youth workers can serve
as a resource to children, youth, and families. They also must know how
to identify community resources and partner with other organizations to
most effectively
serve those in their programs.
| • |
Referrals |
| • |
Community assets |
| • |
Youth worker
networks |
| • |
Community mapping
– identifying community resources |
| • |
Collaboration
– building partnerships |
| • |
Advocacy –
among the general
public and among providers |
| • |
Youth employment
|
| • |
Community service |
| • |
Collaborating
with cultural and
civic institutions |
| • |
Linking with
funding opportunities |
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Top
Building
Leadership and Advocacy
After-school and youth workers serve as a connection between families, schools,
communities, children and youth. They can play a natural role as community
leaders speaking out on behalf of the importance of quality after-school
and youth services and can influence public policy by sharing their expertise.
They can also help children, youth, and parents or family members build
their own leadership and advocacy skills.
| • |
Social justice
issues |
| • |
Community mapping
and surveys |
| • |
Group dynamics
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Youth empowerment
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Youth on boards
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| • |
Peer leadership/education |
| • |
Involving youth
in social justice |
| • |
Media advocacy |
| • |
Facilitation
skills for youth |
| • |
Goal-setting |
| • |
Legislative and/or
budget advocacy |
| • |
Parent/provider
empowerment |
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Community organizing |
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Competency framework
(PDF or Word version)
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