Overview

Our nine-month professional learning experience is designed to engage youth work practitioners in exploration, reflection, and study of issues facing the field of youth work in Minnesota. Within this learning community, youth workers develop important leadership skills through critical thinking, interviews, study, writing and reflection that influence policy and practice at the individual, organizational and systems level.

The goals of this Practitioner Fellowship are to:

• Unearth and legitimize practice-based perspectives on emergent issues and tensions to broaden current conversations about youth work.
• Support a core group of practitioners in the community who will develop and demonstrate their leadership abilities that include increasing their capacity to represent the field on issues of importance.
• Create a space to incubate practiced theory that influences the field.
• Demonstrate our commitment to explicit education, training, and professional development for youth workers as essential to high quality practice.​

The Experience

Youth workers who are accepted into the program are asked to come to the experience with a topic of inquiry related to policy and practice issues relevant to the field of youth work in Minnesota. Over the next 9 months, fellows have the opportunity to dive deep into their challenge, issue or idea through:

• monthly gatherings with their peers, which include foundational youth work theory and sharing of practice wisdom;
• personal action research - including interviews, surveys of the field and review of relevant writings;
• tapping the local wisdom of their professional network;
• and engaging in conversation with local and national leaders in the field.

To conclude the experience, fellows write about their topic of inquiry and resulting research. These essays inform the development of practitioners, programs, and systems while advancing the field of youth work in Minnesota.

Who can participate?

Strong applicants have the following in common:

• They are youth work practitioners and program managers with experience in direct service, management, and staff development.
• They have familiarity with current youth development research, best practices, and professional development offerings.
• They have a desire to explore youth development practice, professional development, and systems and institutions that impact youth work

What will fellows receive?

• $500 stipend with successful completion of all fellowship components, including the published paper
• Professional development and study delivered through a peer network format
• Opportunities to engage with local and national youth development leaders
• An opportunity to advance their leadership and influence within Minnesota’s youth work field

APplication Closed

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