The Catskill Chronicle

LIBERTY – On September 22 and 23 over twenty Sullivan County youth workers participated in the Advancing Youth Development (AYD) training at Cornell Cooperative Extension of Sullivan County. The professionals who took the training are engaged in youth work throughout the county with agencies such as the Boys and Girls Clubs, Sullivan ARC, the Center for Workforce Development, Teen Link to Community, Hudson River Healthcare, the Dispute Resolution Center, EPIC Parent Centers, and the Foster Parent Association. The Sullivan County AYD Instructors who taught the course are Carl Graham – Director of the Sullivan County Youth Advocate program, Carolyn Massey – Project Director for the Sullivan County CARECORPS/Communities that Care program, Walter Stein – CACHE Director, and Melissa Stickle – Sullivan County Community Services Coordinator. Amanda Speer – Family and Youth Development Team Coordinator for Cornell Cooperative Extension hosted the program.

The Advancing Youth Development program was developed to provide youth workers and administrators with the foundation needed to effectively develop and implement youth-development programs that provide experiences for youth based on a positive youth development approach. Given the need for multiple strategies and approaches to help youth develop the knowledge and skills to be productive, contributing members of society and develop to their full potential, it is of vital importance that youth workers fully understand the value of their work, know the key principles of positive youth development and develop the core competencies of effective youth work.

Participants included: Zaida Chasi, Carmen Limbert, Ramona Texidor, Ralph Guerrero, Tom Fetterman, Jr., Jillian Rahm, Melissa Figueroa, Adam Rodriguez, Yary L. Chimelis, Kim Hill-James, Barbi Neuman-Marty, Patricia Ocasio, Robin LaFountain, Peter Duncan, Leslie Hernandez, Cookie McKinney, Kaitlin Coray, Sheldon Paul, Lawrence Ricciarelli, Clara Hendrickson, Shauna Murry, Johamy Vega, and William Lewis. Also, pictured in the leading photo are the AYD facilitators and host, Kathy Kreiter from the Dispute Resolution Center and Bill Fioravanti from Boys & Girls Clubs.