The online Youth Development, Graduate Certificate program examines the people, places, supports, opportunities, and services young people need to be healthy and successful.
The program is designed to provide positive outcomes for all youth by:
- Recognizing their strengths.
- Fostering positive relationships.
- Providing opportunities to learn, lead, connect and serve.
The Youth Development, Graduate Certificate prepares students to:
- Develop policies with a positive effect.
- Apply basic research and evaluation skills.
- Understand normative pathways to development.
- Work with agencies, boards, families and other professionals.
- Gain the necessary skills for budgeting, grant writing, and fund-raising.
- Examine the impact of local, state, federal, and global policies on youth.
- Identify how youth and family cultural issues affect positive youth outcomes.
- Apply the primary concepts of youth development.
This graduate certificate in youth development is a unique online certificate program that focuses solely on youth development. Students may complete the certificate in one of two focus areas:
- Youth Development Specialist
- Youth Program Management and Evaluation
The Youth Development, Graduate Certificate can be used for continuing education credits or a career ladder opportunity. Credits earned in a graduate certificate may also be used as a step to getting the Youth Development, MS or supplement a master's degree in another field. This program is offered by the Great Plains IDEA Youth Development program which is a recognized leader in professional development and advanced degrees in youth development. Rather than focusing solely on corrective measures, the program utilizes Positive Youth Development which equips young people in the second decade of life with the skills and opportunities necessary to transition to adulthood.
