
Competency Area 1: Knowledge of the Field
This competency area focuses on the role, core responsibilities, and foundational knowledge of the youth service professional. Topics covered include key concepts of workforce development, theories of youth development, youth rights and laws, disability history and laws, professional ethics and boundaries, and professional development needs. 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
1.1 Knowledge of youth development theory, adolescent and human development
1.1 Knowledge of youth development theory, adolescent and human development
Learning Objectives
- 1.1.1 Identify, describe, and critique youth development theories and models, such as Forum for Youth Investment’s Five areas of Youth Development, Search Institute “Assets” Theory, National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth’s Five Areas of Youth Development and Leadership, KohIberg’s theory of Moral Reasoning, and Erikson and Piaget’s theory of Cognitive Development
- 1.1.2 Describe adolescent and human development in terms of physical, cognitive, emotional, social, and behavioral factors and developmental systems theory
Selected Activities
Utilize the materials and activities in the NCWD/Youth’s Adolescent Development: Introducing the Basics. Lessons include:
- Psychological Development
- Moral Reasoning
- Youth Development Theories & Models 1
- Youth Development Theories & Models 2
- Sexual Maturation of the Female and Male Adolescent
Demonstration of Learning – Show What You Know!
- Successful completion of activities in the Adolescent Development: Introducing the Basics or in other curricula that review youth/adolescent development.
Resources Developed by NCWD/Youth and Partners
- NCWD/Youth. (2005). Adult Learning Theory: Extended Reference List.
- NCWD/Youth. Guideposts for Success.
- NCWD/Youth. Training Presentation: Overview of Youth Development and Leadership. View as a PDF.
- NCWD/Youth. (2004). Youth Development & Leadership: Background Paper. Written by A. Edelman, P. Gill, K. Comerford, M. Larson & R. Hare.
- NCWD/Youth. Digging Deeper: Five Areas of Youth Development/Youth Leadership.
- NCWD/Youth InfoBrief, Issue 11. (2005). Youth Development and Leadership in Programs. Written by P. Gill.
- NCWD/Youth Jump Start. Youth Development & Leadership Jump Start.
Other Resources
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- ACT for Youth. (2006). Positive Youth Development Resource Manual.
- American Psychological Association. (2002). Developing Adolescents: A Reference for Professionals.
- Eccles, J., & Gootman, J.A. (Eds.). (2002). Community programs to promote youth development. Washington, DC: National Academy Press./ National Research Council and Institute of Medicine.
- ETR’s Resource Center for Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention (n.d.). Theories and Approaches.
- Funders’ Collaborative on Youth Organizing. (2000). An Emerging Model for Working with Youth: Community Organizing + Youth Development = Youth Organizing.
- Murphey, D. (2000). What works: Promoting positive youth development in your community. Waterbury, VT: Vermont Agency of Human Services, Planning Division.
- Resnick, M. (2008). Best Bets for Improving the Odds for Optimum Youth Development. In Kathleen Kovner Kline. (2008). Authoritative communities: the scientific case for nurturing the whole child. [This article is only accessible from Google Books.]
- Search Institute. Developmental Assets.
- Walker, J. & Dunham, T. (2002). Understanding Youth Development Work. Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota Center for 4-H Youth Development.
1.2 Understanding of youth rights and laws including labor, curfew, and attendance
1.2 Understanding of youth rights and laws including labor, curfew, and attendance
Learning Objectives
- 1.2.1 List your state or locality’s youth laws related to age, curfew, wages, attendance, type of work, etc.
Selected Activities
- Complete the Restaurant Employer Assessment Tool
- Complete the Grocery Employer Assessment Tool
- Complete the Social Security Law Web Quest
- Create a Scavenger Hunt or Web Quest related to youth rights and laws including labor, curfew, and attendance [ Activity Instructions ]
Demonstration of Learning – Show What You Know!
- Successful completion of a FAQ Brochure.
- Successfully complete Scavenger Hunt or Web Quest
Resources Developed by NCWD/Youth and Partners
- National Consortium on Leadership & Disability for Youth (NCLD/Youth). (2007). A Guide to Legislative Advocacy for Youth with Disabilities. Written by R. Hare. [Also available in Spanish.]
- NCWD/Youth. Disability Legislation.
- NCWD/Youth InfoBrief, Issue 3. (2002). How Young People Can Benefit from One-Stop Centers.
- NCWD/Youth InfoBrief, Issue 10. (2004). IDEA Revised: Special Education Law Enacted.
- NCWD/Youth InfoBrief, Issue 4. (2003). Serving Youth with Disabilities Under the Workforce Investment Act of 1998: The Basics.
Other Resources
- Legal Information Institute. Laws of the Fifty States, District of Columbia and Puerto Rico Governing the Emancipation of Minors. Cornell University Law School.
- National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities. (2010). Disability & Education Laws.
- Tribal Law and Policy Institute.
- U. S. Department of Health & Human Services, Administration for Children & Families. Child Welfare Information Gateway Educators’ Toolkit – Policy.
- U. S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Youth@Work.
- U. S. Department of Labor. Youth & Labor: State Labor Laws.
1.3 Knowledge of self as a youth development worker, including professional ethics and boundaries, confidentiality, and professional development needs and opportunities
1.3 Knowledge of self as a youth development worker, including professional ethics and boundaries, confidentiality, and professional development needs and opportunities
Learning Objectives
- 1.3.1 Locate and list your specific organization’s code of ethics and policies
- 1.3.2 Develop a list of relevant professional development opportunities available
Selected Activities
- Activity 1 of the Texas Workforce Commission Youth Program Initiative. [ Activity 1 ]
- Read through NSDTA Ethical Standards Section (pg.16) Compliance and Noncompliance examples and develop five of your own examples.
- Complete the ethics scenario. [ Ethics Scenario Activity ]
Demonstration of Learning – Show What You Know!
- Develop a list of professional organizations and relevant journals/resources to stay current
- Develop a matrix of professional development needs with a matrix of professional development opportunities
Resources Developed by NCWD/Youth and Partners
- NCWD/Youth. (2006). KSA Assessment for Youth Service Professionals.
- NCWD/Youth. (2006). Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Professional Development Plan.
- NCWD/Youth. KSA Professional Development Assessment for Organizations and Systems.
- NCWD/Youth InfoBrief, Issue 19. (2006). The Workforce Development System & the Professional Development of Youth Service Professionals: Why Professional Development?.
- NCWD/Youth Jump Start. (2006). KSAs (Knowledge, Skills and Abilities) for Youth Professionals Jump Start.
- National Association of Workforce Development Professionals (NAWDP). (2002). Code of Professional Ethics & Practices.
- NAWDP. Certified Workforce Development Professional.
Other Resources
- Innovation Center for Community and Youth Development/The Tides Center. At the Table. [List of professional development resources specific to youth involvement.]
- Mattingly, M. Code of Ethics: Standards for Practice of North American Child & Youth Care Professionals. University of Pittsburgh.
- National Youth Development Learning Network. (2004). Worker Competencies.
1.4D Understanding of the values and history of the disability field
1.4D Understanding of the values and history of the disability field
Learning Objectives
- 1.4.D.1 Describe the values and history of the disability field as it applies to your organizational setting
Selected Activities
- Create a historical timeline listing relevant disability regulations that impact your work situations
- Create a graphic organizer or concept map (examples are at http://www.graphic.org/goindex.html) related to the history of the disability field
Demonstration of Learning – Show What You Know!
- Successfully complete historical exploration activity [ Historical Exploration Activity ]
Resources Developed by NCWD/Youth and Partners
- National Consortium on Leadership & Disability for Youth (NCLD/Youth) (2007). Disability History Timeline: Resource and Discussion Guide
- NCLD/Youth. (2008). Disability Knowledge and Identity Self-Assessment, and Disability Knowledge and Identity Self-Assessment Key [Both documents are available in English and Spanish.]
Other Resources
- Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) National Network. ADA Resources & Publications. [This is a network of 10 Regional ADA National Network Centers throughout the U.S. that provide personalized, local assistance to ensure that the ADA is implemented wherever possible.]
- Center on Human Policy. Disabilities Studies Information and Resources, and Reports and Resources on Community Inclusion. Syracuse University.
- Museum of DisABILITY History.
- National Public Radio. Beyond Affliction: The Disability History Project. (1998). [This is a four hour documentary radio series about the shared experience of people with disabilities and their families since the beginning of the 19th century.]
- Smithsonian National Museums of American History. (2000). The Disability Rights Movement.
- Social Security Administration. Legislative History of Social Security.
- Springer, C. (Ed.). (1999). Toward Inclusion: Meeting the Needs of Persons with Disabilities in the U.S. U.S. Society & Values. [Read “The Disability Rights Movement: A Brief History” on pp. 11-12.]
- World Institute on Disability.
1.5D Understanding of disability laws including Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (Section 504), Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Individual with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act (TWWIIA)
1.5D Understanding of disability laws including Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (Section 504), Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Individual with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act (TWWIIA)
Learning Objectives
- 1.5.D.1 List and describe the disability laws including 504, ADA, IDEA, and TWWIIA
Selected Activities
- Complete the Scavenger Hunt Exercise on Public Laws related to Accessibility Technology and Disabilities
- Develop a Scavenger Hunt or Webquest [ Activity Instructions ]
- Study the Northwest DBTAC ADA Fact Sheets
Demonstration of Learning – Show What You Know!
- Successfully complete of Scavenger Hunt/Web Quest
- Develop a “cheat sheet” on disability laws for organizational reference; train colleagues in its us
Resources Developed by NCWD/Youth and Partners
- NCWD/Youth. Disability Legislation.
- NCWD/Youth. Module 2: Accommodating Disability.
- NCWD/Youth InfoBrief, Issue 14. (2005). Breaking Down Technological Barriers.
- NCWD/Youth InfoBrief, Issue 5. (2003). California Workforce Inclusion Act.
- NCWD/Youth InfoBrief, Issue 9. (2004). Disability Inquiries in the Workforce Development System.
- NCWD/Youth InfoBrief, Issue 10. (2004). IDEA Revised.
- NCWD/Youth InfoBrief, Issue 15. (2005). New Departments Address Disability Issues.
- NCWD/Youth InfoBrief, Issue 4. (2003). Serving Youth with Disabilities Under the Workforce Investment Act of 1998: The Basics.
- The Pacer Center’s Project Swift. Building Program Capacity to Serve Youth with Disabilities – Disability Legislation.
- The Pacer Center’s Project Swift. (2004). Building Program Capacity to Serve Youth with Disabilities – ADA – Title I, Employment and Reasonable Accommodations in the Workplace.
Other Resources
- WebAIM. (2017). Web Accessibility In Mind. [This webpage explains internet accessibility requirements and provides links to online tools for assessing the accessibility of websites.]
- U. S. Department of Justice. (2005). A Guide to Disability Rights Law.
1.6D Knowledge of key concepts and processes including Individualized Education Program (IEP), Individualized Plan for Employment (IPE), transition, due process procedures, parents’ rights, informed choice, self determination, universal access, and reasonable accommodations
1.6D Knowledge of key concepts and processes including Individualized Education Program (IEP), Individualized Plan for Employment (IPE), transition, due process procedures, parents’ rights, informed choice, self determination, universal access, and reasonable accommodations
Learning Objectives
- 1.6.D.1 Identify and explain at least 5 key concepts and processes involved when you address each of the following related to your organizational setting: Individual Education Program (IEP), Individual Plan for Employment (IPE), transition, due process procedures, parents’ rights, informed choice, self determination, universal access, and reasonable accommodations
Selected Activities
- Review some IEP FAQs, articles, and cases.
- Learn about IEPs in depth.
- Review “How to Write Smart IEPs” – Adobe Acrobat.
Demonstration of Learning – Show What You Know!
- Use the New York State Education Department’s “Guide for Developing Your Individualized Plan for Employment (IPE)” to help a youth complete an IPE.
- Using NCWD/Youth’s Work-Based Learning Jumpstart – Youth Service Professional Section as a guide, design a program that addresses each of the 4 questions.
Resources Developed by NCWD/Youth and Partners
- National Center on Secondary Education & Transition (NCCSET). (2007). Key Provisions in Transition – IDEA 1997 compared to H.R. 1350 (IDEA 2004). [Has compared the key provisions on transition in the new law compared to the existing law].
- NCWD/Youth & Institute for Community Inclusion. (2008). Universal Design for the Workforce Development System.
- NCWD/Youth. Module 1: Disability Overview.
- NCWD/Youth. (2006). Toward Universal Access in the Workforce Development System.
- NCWD/Youth InfoBrief, Issue 6. (2003). Personal Assistance Services on the Job.
- NCWD/Youth InfoBrief, Issue 16. (2005). Financial Literacy Information for Young People with Disabilities.
Other Resources
- All Kinds of Minds. [This website aims to advance the understanding and use of the science of learning in classrooms and schools. Free online training modules help educators and others learn about brain science and how it affects learning.]
- Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD). [CCD is a coalition of national consumer, advocacy, provider and professional organizations.]
- Council for Exceptional Children (CEC). [CEC is an international professional organization dedicated to improving the educational success of individuals with disabilities and/or gifts and talents.]
- Government of British Columbia. Resource Guide for Teachers of Students with Intellectual Disabilities.
- Institute for Community Inclusion. (2004). Getting the Most from the Public Vocational Rehabilitation System.
- Institute on Community Integration (UCEDD) & Research and Training Center on Community Living. (2002). IMPACT Feature Issue on Young Adults with Disabilities & Social Security Administration Employment Support Programs. Volume 15, Number 1.
- LD Online. LDOnline’s IEP Resources.
- NASDSE & National Education Association. (2004). The Intersections of IDEA and NCLB.
- United Way Division of Vocational Rehabilitation. United Way Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Fact Sheet.
- WGBH. (2002). MisUnderstood Minds.[This is a companion website to a PBS special on learning differences and disabilities].
- WrightsLaw. Wrights Law IEPs.
1.7D Understanding of privacy and confidentiality rights as they relate to disability disclosure
1.7D Understanding of privacy and confidentiality rights as they relate to disability disclosure
Learning Objectives
- 1.7.D.1 List and describe privacy and confidentiality rights as they relate to disability disclosure in your organizational setting
Selected Activities
- Develop and respond to a scenario that poses a question about disclosure; cite resources/information that back up your choice of response
- Reflect on an experience you had relating to disclosure and how you handled it
- Explain each of the following and how it impacts your organization:
- Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
- Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)
Demonstration of Learning – Show What You Know!
- Successful completion of scenario or reflection
- Train others on privacy and confidentiality rights as they relate to disability disclosure
Resources Developed by NCWD/Youth and Partners
- NCWD/Youth. (2009). The 411 on Disability Disclosure: A Workbook for Families, Educators, Youth Service Professionals (YSPs), and Other Adult Allies Who Care About Youth With Disabilities.
- NCWD/Youth. (2005). The 411 on Disability Disclosure: A Workbook for Youth with Disabilities.
- NCWD/Youth. (2005). Career Planning Begins with Assessment. [Read Chapter 2: The Dynamics of Disability (discusses disclosure and hidden disabilities) and Chapter 4: The Organizational Perspective (discusses applicable privacy laws)].
- NCWD/Youth InfoBrief, Issue 9. (2004). Disability Inquiries in the Workforce Development System.
- NCWD/Youth InfoBrief, Issue 21. (2008). Youth and Disability Disclosure: The Role of Families and Advocates.
Other Resources
- U.S. Department of Labor Civil Rights Center. WIA Section 188 Disability Checklist.