Free Youth Development Virtual Workshop

The online blended learning workshop will run September 17 - October 1

How can library staff translate an understanding of how youth develop, their needs, and their assets, into effective library services for tweens and teens? Join Catherine Boddie, Teen Services Librarian at Arapahoe Libraries, and Beth Crist, Youth and Family Services Consultant at the State Library, this Sept-Oct, for a free, 3-week, online blended learning workshop exploring these topics and more.

Using content from the Transforming Teen Services project from YALSA (Young Adult Library Service Association), this workshop summarizes key child and youth development research and focuses on how to create library services that are appropriate for youth ages 8-18, encouraging rich discussion along the way. The workshop is appropriate for any public library staff members that work with tweens and teens. After taking this interactive workshop, participants will be able to:

  • Understand of the cultural concept of childhood in the United States.
  • Identify the various ages and stages of child and youth development, ages 8-18.
  • Design developmentally appropriate activities and learning environments.

The workshop is free but registration is required; participation will be limited to 25, on a first come, first served basis, with a waiting list. We do plan to offer the workshop again in the future. Register here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1dfLSjz-hWiUlmJhF1V6-HjzryO58MEWfMpZ6BrriQj4/

Um, just how will this blended learning workshop work?? The workshop will run September 17-October 1.  Participants will join together for live Zoom sessions each Friday from 2:00-3:00 (September 17 and 24 and October 1) for learning and discussions, and complete some work on your own–readings, watching videos, and sharing input on weekly topics–in between the live sessions. You can expect to spend about 2 hours per week on the course, including the 1 hour Zoom session. As the course attendance will be limited, we request that you be able to attend at least 2 of the 3 live Zoom sessions (and preferably the first session on September 17).

But wait, there’s more! This workshop is one of four through YALSA’s Transforming Teen Services; watch for additional blended learning modules in the coming months, to cover these topics: Education Equity, Connected Learning, and Computational Thinking.

Have questions? Contact Beth Crist at Crist_B@cde.state.co.us.

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