Together for Hope - COVID-19 Response for Youth

As people enter the back room of LAYC’s Kaplan building, slight hesitation to participate lingers. Quietness fills the room. Like the first day of school, everyone feels nervous about connecting with new people. Despite the nerves, the first in-person Positive Youth Development (PYD) staff cohort since the pandemic now resumed in April!

Throughout the following five weeks of training, participants overcame any wariness to create an inseparable bond that allowed everyone to learn from each other. The sense of team became so strong that during the graduation ceremony, some participants said they didn’t want the program to end. Another commented that the training even “helped them build confidence.” All of this creates a bond that is the perfect ingredient for LAYC’s “Salsa.”

What makes salsa perfect? One person might add garden-ripe tomatoes, or another might on adding red onions to the mix. But what makes salsa so unique is that everyone brings their own special ingredient to the table. At the LAYC Training Academy, we are not making real salsa but instead reinforcing our team’s values and commitment to creating safe spaces to work alongside diverse youth.

So, what about PYD Salsa? PYD, or Positive Youth Development, is a core component of our organizational culture and guides our staff’s interaction with youth. Specifically, PYD is a strength-based approach that 1) places value on young people regardless of their situation and 2) emphasizes fully preparing young people to succeed and contribute to their futures now. Imagine an environment where every staff member engages young people with this approach in mind. That’s what this comeback cohort set out to do. That’s what makes our “salsa” so irresistible.

For 11 years, LAYC leadership and staff have been applying PYD’s approach to today’s generation. The approach is built upon five training modules covering diverse topics that enhance participants understanding of issues that affect youth today, such as the impact social media has on young people. After discussing the topic, trainers pose scenario-based questions to participants. In teams, participants collaboratively problem-solve and propose viable solutions on how to address the issue. All of the topics conclude with an emphasis on creating safe spaces and building positive relationships with youth.

After the success of the most recent cohort of 23 new PYD training graduates, we are gradually sharing the “salsa” with the rest of our staff. Mike Leon, Director of LAYC Training Academy, plans to build on the solid PYD Salsa curriculum for future sessions with the goal of having all staff trained to ensure youth encounter safe spaces at all LAYC sites. He also hopes to create an online learning community where PYD graduates can exchange ideas that boost positive youth development. These additional ingredients, after all, make for a more unique salsa.

Links:

• https://www.layc-dc.org/blog/diversity-and-interconnection-recipe-for-laycs-perfect-salsa