PROGRAMS/PROJECTS > The B.E.S.T. Initiative

The B.E.S.T. Initiative
(Building Exemplary Systems for Training)
As a regional site of the National Training Institute’s BEST initiative, we are part of a national effort to instill youth development approaches in organizations and communities and increase the professionalism of youth work.

BEST Newsletter

The BEST training and study includes:

Advancing Youth Development
A 28 to 32 hour BEST training curriculum to help youth workers apply youth development principles in their work

Career Studies Certificate in Youth Development
A 29-credit program offered through local community colleges

Youth Development Practitioner Apprenticeship Program
Registered apprenticeship program for youth workers to strengthen their competencies through classroom instruction and on the job training.

BEST Regional Delivery System
Seeding Professional Youth Development Training in Communities
We help localities establish youth worker training, apprenticeship programs and, ultimately, certificate programs through local community colleges. Once we identify an organization to coordinate the initiative locally, we offer technical assistance to help them take over training and establish apprenticeship and certificate programs.

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