International Thank a Youth Worker Day

May 2, 2024 is international Thank a Youth Worker Day.

There are many ways to thank a Youth Worker. What will YOU DO?

Join CYCCB and the Association for Child and Youth Care Practice in celebrating and honoring the millions of CYCs across the world who nurture and support the billions of young people and families in our care.

For more information and ideas, visit https://www.acycp.org/thank-a-youth-worker-day/ .

WHO ARE YOUTH WORKERS?

Youth Worker is a general term for those individuals who work with or on behalf of children, youth, and families in our community. It is another way to express the idea of CYC (Child and Youth Care Practitioner). This includes early childhood, home school and public school teachers, afterschool workers, juvenile justice staff and police officers, CASA volunteers, residential care workers, youth pastors, foster parents, disabilities program staff, recreation and sports leaders, child welfare workers, and many others. 

Together, they make up the Child and Youth Care Profession, the largest human services workforce with over 6 million members in the United States.

What CYCs Say ...

Slide 1

For the first time workers see themselves as professionals ... it’s a worldview changer when you realize you are part of an international movement instead of simply a sitter in a part time job.

Slide 2

CYCCB research shows that CYCs who successfully complete certification requirements are 2.7 times more likely to be viewed as top performers (Curry, et al., 2011).

Slide 3

One of the benefits of certification is increased motivation and a sense of accomplishment. Having to demonstrate my competence made me appreciate what I know in a new way.

Slide 4

The portfolio made me work. I really had to investigate the person that I am as a practitioner. It wasn’t something that you could just turn in, you had to do research; you had to think.

Slide 5

Before going through certification I don’t think my supervisors were really taking time to think about what I do and how competent I am. Certification gave an opportunity for my supervisor to identify my value by answering the questions from the application forms.

Slide 6

A benefit of certification is being part of something bigger. Being certified, I joined a large group of others who are working to raise standards of practice.

Slide 7

When I passed the test, I was ecstatic. It’s a good feeling to know that you have learned A LOT.

Slide 8

Certification gives you another way to define your skill set. Having certification gives you the ability to advocate for yourself.

Slide 9

A benefit of certification is increased recognition of the importance of advocacy for certification both within and outside the field. Certified CYC practitioners are our own best advocates.

Slide 10

Passing the exam definitely gave me confidence that I know what I’m doing. Being compared with so many others who do the same thing I do let me know where I stand in relationship to them.

Slide 11

It’s not just one or two steps and you’re done; it’s a lot of hard work… and it means something to be this capable.

Slide 12

Completing the certification process took self-motivation. No one can do the work for you.

Slide 13

Letting workers see themselves as professionals is a morale enhancer. It lets them know that you take them seriously as professionals and you want them to have a relevant credential.

Slide 14

In our organization we met in groups to get our applications completed. It was inspiring to see the support that we got from our agency and from each other.

Slide 15

Going through the certification process helped me become more reflective and increased my ability to conceptualize the good work that I do.

Slide 16

There are still people out there who think of youth workers as ‘glorified babysitters’. Certification helps address this misconception.

Slide 17

Completing certification is viewed as a signal of the seriousness of one’s commitment to professional youth work. It also brings attention from supervisors and administrators to workers’ skill sets.

Slide 18

Many practitioners involved in the certification process recognize that they are now “part of something bigger.” There is a profession of child and youth work and it exists as part of a world movement.

Slide 19

I think the certification process was really valuable in assessing what I do well and areas where I can reevaluate and do things differently.

Slide 20

It made me more efficient. When you’re more mindful about what you do and you know the meaning behind it, you’re able to be more planful and consistent.

Slide 21

Taking standardized tests is hard for me, you know? But passing it was an amazing validation of what I know and use everyday.

Slide 22

The need for advocacy to promote CYC certification and increase awareness of its importance within the field is often mentioned as an important goal of certification.

Slide 23

It was nice for me personally to see all of the trainings and courses I have taken being put toward something that can lead to making the child care field more important overall…it’s the bigger picture.

Slide 24

It’s given me insight into how serious people are in this profession about competence.

Slide 25

Self-motivation and a passion for the work are identified as key factors in being a competent practitioner.

Slide 26

Children and youth comprise approximately 25% of the U.S. population. The combined child and youth work workforce is estimated to be as high as six million (Annie E. Casey Foundation, 2003). It is the largest human services workforce in the US.

Slide 27

Certification has allowed me to be more aware of what is going on in other areas of child and youth work.

Slide 28

The certification process helped me to create and maintain affiliation with member-based associations which offer networking opportunities and a sense of community.

Slide 29

Certification is a signal of one’s commitment to professional youth work.

Slide 30

Why can almost anyone go into afterschool or daycare? There should be a benchmark of common knowledge and ability. That is what certification is!

Slide 31

Certification helps to assure the community that we know what we’re doing and that we care to do it well. As a parent myself, I want to be sure that the people working with my children are the most qualified available.

Slide 32

The CYC Certification Preparation Workbook really helped me. It had the answers I was looking for when i was going through the application and testing process.

Global Movement

Child & Youth Care Workers are leading global change.

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CYC Relational Care

Relationships are the Foundation

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Answers to all your certification questions

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