Youth Communication New York Center Inc

Professional development: we train educators to use story-based curricula to strengthen youths' social-emotional learning skills (sel). These stories-developed by teens in our writing program- highlight sel skills defined by the collaborative for academic, social and emotional learning: self-awareness, social awareness, responsible decision-making, self- management, and relationship management. Our training enables them to create settings that foster engagement, nurture positive staff-youth relations, and make all students feel welcomed and valued. Staff also improve their facilitation skills: leading open-ended discussions, drawing out reluctant participants, active listening, etc. Last year, we trained over 1700 educators at schools, afterschool programs, foster care agencies, and other organizations. They worked with more than 25,000 youth. We launched our culturally responsive training program, mirrors and windows. It provides unique professional development, centered on youth voices, and concrete strategies to youth-facing adults to help them build supportive classrooms.