An adult youth service professional interacts with a young person.

Competency Area 2: Communication with Youth

This competency area focuses on the knowledge, skills, and abilities that youth service professionals need to successfully interact with and develop supportive relationships with youth, including youth with disabilities. Click on individual competencies listed below for learning objectives, professional development activities, and resources for that specific competency or scroll down to read them all. Note: The letter “D” indicates a competency specific to youth with disabilities.

List of Competencies

2.1 Respect and caring for all youth, including the ability to be open minded and nonjudgmental, develop trusting relationships, and maintain awareness of diversity and youth culture

2.1 Respect and caring for all youth, including the ability to be open minded and non-judgmental, develop trusting relationships, and maintain awareness of diversity and youth culture

Learning Objectives

  • 2.1 Explore, identify, and describe your personal bias and awareness related to youth diversity, cultural, and gender issues

Selected Activities

Demonstration of Learning – Show What You Know!

  • Successful completion of case study scenarios

Resources Developed by NCWD/Youth and Partners

Other Resources

2.2 Ability to recognize and address need for intervention (e.g. drug or alcohol abuse, domestic abuse or violence, and depression)

2.2 Ability to recognize and address need for intervention (e.g. drug or alcohol abuse, domestic abuse or violence, and depression)

Learning Objectives

  • 2.2.1 Describe several reasons for enacting youth intervention strategies for related issues such as drug or alcohol abuse, domestic abuse or violence, and depression
  • 2.2.2 List steps involved in carrying out your recommended intervention process for related issues such as drug or alcohol abuse, domestic abuse or violence, and depression
  • 2.2.3 List valuable resources for effective intervention strategies

Selected Activities

  • Develop a behavioral warning signs checklist
  • Develop a resource list including local, state, and national resources
  • Explore Online Screening Tools

Demonstration of Learning – Show What You Know!

  • Develop and maintain an updated resource list related to intervention resources for the various issues including local, state, and national resources
  • Successful completion of case study

Resources Developed by NCWD/Youth and Partners

Other Resources

2.3 Ability to advocate for, motivate, recruit, and engage youth

2.3 Ability to advocate for, motivate, recruit, and engage youth

Learning Objectives

  • 2.3.1 List and describe successful strategies to help advocate for youth
  • 2.3.2 List and describe successful strategies to help motivate youth
  • 2.3.3 List and describe successful strategies to help recruit youth
  • 2.3.4 List and describe successful strategies to help engage youth

Selected Activities

Demonstration of Learning – Show What You Know!

  • Prepare a matrix that describes program possibilities for your organization which would address ideas to help advocate for, motivate, recruit and/or engage youth

Resources Developed by NCWD/Youth and Partners

Other Resources

 

2.4D Knowledge of issues and trends affecting youth with disabilities (e.g. low expectations, attitudinal or environmental barriers, need for social integration)

2.4.D Knowledge of issues and trends affecting youth with disabilities (e.g. low expectations, attitudinal or environmental barriers, need for social integration)

Learning Objectives

  • 2.4.D List and describe issues and trends that affect youth with disabilities as it applies to your organization

Selected Activities

  • Research what disabilities issues and trends that particularly affect your community or region

Demonstration of Learning – Show What You Know!

  • Prepare a matrix that describes program possibilities for your organization including ideas to help address issues/barriers and current trends affecting youth with disabilities

Resources Developed by NCWD/Youth and Partners

Other Resources

2.5D Understanding of disability awareness, sensitivity, and culture

2.5.D Understanding of disability awareness, sensitivity, and culture

Learning Objectives

  • 2.5.D Explore, list, and describe your personal bias and understanding related to youth disability awareness, sensitivity, and culture

Selected Activities

Demonstration of Learning – Show What You Know!

  • Review a videotape of yourself or employers presenting an educational or interpretive program, and make note of any bias you notice. For each type of bias you identify, write a statement on the potential impact of that bias on the individual, and develop an alternative teaching strategy to mitigate the bias

Resources Developed by NCWD/Youth and Partners

Other Resources

 

2.6D Understanding of how to communicate with youth with various physical, sensory, psychiatric, and cognitive disabilities

 2.6.D Understanding of how to communicate with youth with various physical, sensory, psychiatric, and cognitive disabilities

Learning Objectives

  • 2.6.D.1 List and describe a variety of ways to increase communication with youth with various physical, sensory, psychiatric, and cognitive disabilities

Selected Activities

Demonstration of Learning – Show What You Know!

  • Develop a guide for communicating with youth with various activities; train colleagues

Resources Developed by NCWD/Youth and Partners

Other Resources