Training the “Wizards”: A Model for Building Self Efficacy and Peer Networks Among Urban Youth Workers

Abstract

This article presents a community's efforts to address the professional development needs of frontline youth workers. A coalition designed a 13-week Youth Worker Training Institute to increase youth workers' knowledge, skills, self-efficacy, and professional networks. After the Institute, participants reported feeling more skillful, connected to other youth workers, confident, professional, reflective, and being more powerful change agents. Based on results from this formative evaluation, we suggest that it was multiple teaching and learning strategies that promoted reflection, peer learning, and networking—that contributed to youth workers gaining knowledge and skills that in turn increased their confidence and sense of self-efficacy.

KEYWORDS:

• peer learning
• reflection
• self-efficacy
• youth worker professional development

Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank the anonymous reviewers for their helpful suggestions to strengthen this article and Lindsay Carpenter for her help with the literature review and data entry.