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Youth Development Network

The Youth Development Network was created in 2000 initially to support a broad cross section of youth providers in the Sacramento area with training and networking activities focused on promoting youth development research and practices. We continue this focus through our vision, to see that young people will achieve personal and academic success, be connected to adults and their community, have a positive vision of their future and grow up to be healthy, productive and civic-minded adults. Our mission is to strengthen the ability of individuals, organizations and the community to foster holistic development of young people. As part of the REACH Technical Assistance Team, we are available to the REACH coalitions to support their work in aligning systems, organizations and practices with the youth development approach.

Our team includes the following members:

Bina Lefkovitz, Co-Executive Director
Adrian Ruiz, Co-Executive Director
Andy Paul, Youth Development Trainer-Specialist
Scott Mautte, Youth Development Trainer-Specialist
Summer Thommen, Youth Development Trainer-Specialist

Phone: (916) 228-2227
Fax: (916) 228-2356
www.ydnetwork.org

We provide youth/adult trainings, on-site coaching, various assessment tools, PowerPoint presentations and connections to other community resources to help coalitions expand opportunities and improve quality of services to youth. We also support coalitions in strengthening their capacity to engage youth in the work of the coalition. REACH coalitions have access to our monthly YDN updates that provide information on community and YDN trainings, grants, jobs and events that impact youth services. Some TA is for REACH sites only and others are community-wide trainings and TA that REACH sites can participate in along with other community providers.

Some of the specific areas of TA include, but are not limited to:

  • Adult Training and Professional Development Opportunities:

    • Youth Development Overview- 2-6 hours
    • Youth Development in-depth practice change training- 4-10 days
    • Youth Engagement trainings- setting up youth leadership
    • Group Facilitation
    • Diversity
    • Conflict Mediation
    • Program Improvement and Organizational Assessments
    • Youth as Civic Activists and Change Agents
    • Service Learning
  • Youth Training Opportunities:
    • Peer Education Programs
    • Peer Mediators
    • Youth as Change Agents
    • Basic Tools for Youth Advisory Board Members