Overview

OUT-OF-SCHOOL TIME PROGRAMS: YOUTH WORKERS AS LEADERS

 Changing behavior through positive leadership

Ramapo recognizes the challenges of working in out-of-school time settings and offers professional development for youth workers to increase effective behavior management skills, structure engaging programs, engage youth with a wide range of needs, and create consistent community standards for after school and summer camp staff. 

Our behavior management approach focuses on:

• Preventing avoidable problems.
• Employing a range of techniques to deal with the disruptions that do occur.

Workshops

Ramapo workshops emphasize skills that enable practitioners to change behavior by leading positively, building relationships, teaching strategically, structuring situations and intervening actively when required. 

Core Introductory Workshop:

• Youth Workers as Leaders: Managing Difficult Behavior (Pre-requisite for all intermediate trainings)

Customized Intermediate Workshops*:

• Strategies for Avoiding and De-escalating Conflict Situations
• Building Communities of Engagement and Participation for Middle School Programs
• Supervising Inexperienced Staff
• Structuring Programs to Meet Students' Identified Needs

Coaching for Youth Service Directors

Ramapo coaching provides youth service program directors with a toolbox of management resources and practical solutions.  Our approach is twofold:

1. Focus on skills that enable managers to implement change.
2. Learn practical strategies for effectively supervising underperforming staff, structuring disorganized programs, and managing difficult behavior.

Professional Development Outcomes and Results

At the conclusion of a Ramapo Training program, youth workers will be able to:

• Articulate a wide range of effective skills and strategies for managing children's disruptive, disturbing and angry behaviors. 
• Model positive leadership by successfully managing children's behavior.
• Build positive working relationships with all children, including those considered particularly disruptive. 
• Intervene actively and assertively when required.
• Anticipate and avoid the factors that trigger disruptive behavior.
• Recognize their strengths and weaknesses as behavior managers.