Clark University and Councilman King Celebrate Youth Worker Training Institute 2016 Graduation

Tuesday, April 26, 2016

GoLocalWorcester News Team

Councilman King, Keynote Speaker

The HOPE Coalition, with Clark University, will be sponsoring the 12th annual Youth Worker Training Institute Luncheon Graduation Ceremony.

This year's keynote speaker for this year's graduation will be Khrystian King, recently elected City of Worcester Councilor At-Large. King has been an advocate for Worcester’s children, youth and families his entire life - beginning as a student leader of an anti-drug program at Holy Name. Ever since losing three friends to gun violence, King has dedicated his career to helping local families rise beyond poverty and violence - from his work in child protection to his nearly 20 years leading the Crompton Park Summer Basketball program.

A first generation American, King graduated from Wheaton College with a degree in Sociology and Psychology, and went on to receive a Master’s Degree in Social Work from Simmons College and a Public Management & Leadership Certificate from the Sawyer Business School at Suffolk University.

Other featured speakers include, YWTI participants Scott Dowling from the city of Worcester’s Youth Opportunities Office and Cassie Giardina from Cultural Exchange through Soccer. In addition to the participants, the trainers for the Institute sessions, the supervisors and executive directors of participating agencies are also invited.

The celebratory luncheon will be held from 11 a.m. – noon on Monday, May 2, at the Boys and Girls Club of Worcester, 65 Tainter Street. This year 28 graduates at a range of organization in the community including: Dynamy Youth Academy, Latino Education Institute, Positive Directions, Straight Ahead Ministries, Worcester Community Action Council, Boys & Girls Club, Cultural Exchange through Soccer, Worcester Youth Opportunities Office, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central MA, YOU, Inc., Girls Inc., and AIDS Project Worcester.

Clark University, a partner

The Youth Worker Training Institute is a 15-week educational program to increase the knowledge and develop the skills of youth workers. This year marks our fourth year partnering with Clark University. Students are engaged in the YWTI as the primary component of their course, Fundamentals of Youth Work, taught by Jennifer Safford-Farquharson. This is one of the required courses in Clark’s Youth Work Practice Certificate Program. http://www.clarku.edu/programs/certificate-youth-work-practice

The addition of students as participants has provided an opportunity for newer, less experienced students to apprentice some of Worcester’s seasoned Youth Workers. UMass Memorial Health Care and Clark University funded the Youth Worker Training Institute.

Youth workers play an enormously important role in the lives of young people. Youth workers are role models, mentors, friends, big sisters and brothers, teachers, and sometimes even surrogate parents. Increasing the skills of youth workers is an important step towards reducing risky behavior in youth and ensuring that young people lead happy, healthy, productive, and safe lives.

With the leadership of Dr. Laurie Ross, the HOPE Coalition was created in October 2000 through a federal grant. HOPE’s mission is to reduce youth violence and substance abuse and to promote positive mental health and youth voice through a youth-adult partnership in the city of Worcester. The Youth Worker Training Institute is one of HOPE’s three programs. The other two are a peer leadership program and a youth-designed mental health program. http://hopecoalitionworcester.org/blog/

HOPE consists of seventeen organizations, including the seven YouthNet agencies (Boys and Girls Club, Centro Las Americas, Friendly House, Girls Inc, YMCA, YOU, Inc, and the YWCA), Edward M. Kennedy Community Health Center, MSPCC, UMass Memorial Health Care (lead agency), the Worcester Youth Center, Community HealthLink, Oak Hill CDC, Worcester Community Connections Coalition, the City of Worcester and the Worcester Public Schools. Twenty peer leaders representing these organizations meet weekly to lead the planning process.

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