The ABCs of Youth Work - A national workforce study
NTI and the BEST Network are collaborating with the Forum for Youth Investment on an exciting new project called the “ABCs of Youth Work: Assessing What it Takes to Attract, Develop, and Sustain Youth Workers.”
This national effort will produce a snapshot of the workforce in the youth development field. This study will also serve as a pilot for a more in depth national study that will help to shape policies and practices that address recruitment and retention issues in these fields and give the youth work profession increased national visibility and recognition as a viable career option for those interested in working with America’s young people.
The findings from the ABCs of Youth Work study will answer questions such as:
- What does the youth development workforce look like in terms of tenure, core job responsibilities, benefits, and professional development opportunities?
- How is this workforce supported by their organizations?
- What needs to be done to improve the recruitment and retention of youth workers?
The BEST sites participating in this study are
- The Afterschool Institute (Baltimore, MD)
- Alternatives, Inc. (Hampton, VA)
- The Jacksonville Children’s Commission (Jacksonville, FL)
- The Children and Youth Investment Trust Corporation (Washington, DC)
- YouthNet of Greater Kansas City (Kansas City, MO)
- San Diego Workforce Investment Board (San Diego, CA)
- San Diego City College (San Diego, CA)
- The Consultation Center (New Haven, CT)
A Next Generation Youth Work National Advisory Group was formed to guide the national study. Elaine Johnson, NTI’s Director, serves on that group with representatives from other key national youth development organizations such as the National Collaboration for Youth, National Institute on Out-of-School Time, the National Afterschool Association, and the Forum for Youth Investment.
