The choice to work with school-age youth is one of the most important career decisions that one can make. A school-age/youth development professional is an extraordinary individual who guides youth to master skills, develop relationships, grow in independence, and move to new levels of thinking and understanding about themselves and the world. The creation of the Michigan School-Age Youth Development Certificate and Core Competencies represent the combined efforts of representatives from school-age and youth groups across Michigan to define what youth development professionals need to know to provide quality youth programming. They serve as the foundation for decisions and practices carried out by professionals in all settings and programs and help guide training, evaluation and recognition.
Applying for the Michigan School-Age Youth Development Certificate is a commitment to professionalism in the out-of-school time field. Working toward the certificate can be a rewarding experience that offers candidates an opportunity to:
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Self-evaluate in relation to the core competencies
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Begin professional development through targeted training
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Receive acknowledgment for training and experiences working with school-age youth in out-of-school time programs
Michigan School-Age Youth Development Certificate
To learn more, please contact the Michigan AfterSchool Association, (517) 241-4290.