Professional Development

As a champion of lifelong learning for everyone, and an advocate for paid professional development (PD) opportunities for all OST staff, GRASA supports PD in a number of ways:

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February Youth Work Summit

Our February Youth Work Summit, held each year during RCSD’s February recess, provides an opportunity for both frontline staff and supervisors/managers, centered on a theme or current trend. Presenters submit their offerings through an application process, and sessions are relevant, engaging and hands-on. This annual all-day event, complete with a light breakfast and lunch, is provided to attendees at no cost and always receives great feedback from participants.

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Local Trainers and Coaches

GRASA uses a cadre of local trainers and coaches to deliver pre-packaged curricula across our region. The David P. Weikart Center for Youth Program Quality provides Training-of-Trainers for their Youth Work Methods series (with topics such as Building Community, Ask-Listen-Encourage and Structure and Clear Limits) and GRASA turnkeys these workshops into the community.

Outside Training Opportunities

GRASA reviews and refers partners to outside training opportunities, especially those that provide quality training in areas required by regulators like the New York State Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS). 

 
 
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Coordinator of Professional Development

Through GRASA’s Coordinator of Professional Development, programs have access to a variety of sessions that support learning in STEM/STEAM, SEL, Play, Humor, Diversity and Inclusion, and more. Workshops are delivered on-site, as part of a special event or staff meeting, or virtually, to accommodate distance learners

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Custom Programs

Finally, if our current topic roster doesn’t meet your needs, GRASA can customize a topic, or develop one from scratch, to better align with your training goals and objectives.