By Kwamane Harris, Director of Practice Development 

At First Place for Youth, we know that the strength of our services depends on the strength of our staff. That’s why we invest deliberately in ongoing professional development — not as a one-time training, but as a sustained practice of learning, coaching, and skill-building throughout the year. 

Each month, our direct service teams focus on a specific practice theme, paired with training, coaching conversations, tools, and hands-on reflection. It’s a simple idea with real impact: when we help our staff sharpen their skills with intention, that growth translates directly into better support for the young people we serve. 

This Month’s Theme: High Quality Engagement 

This month, our teams are focused on what we call High Quality Engagement — the idea that the quality of a relationship between a staff member and a young person is one of the most powerful tools we have. 

It’s easy for youth work to become transactional: a required check-in, a status update, a box to check. High quality engagement asks our staff to go further — to build authentic relationships where young people feel heard, valued, respected, and empowered. 

Staff are trained to reflect on questions like: 

• Does this young person see me as a trusted partner, not just someone checking a requirement off a list? 

• Have I taken the time to understand their strengths, interests, and goals — not just their needs? 

• When something difficult comes up, do we work through it together, as partners? 

The measure staff return to often is simple: if a young person described the relationship, would they say, “This is someone who genuinely cares about me, believes in me, and helps me get to the future I want”? 

Why We Invest This Way 

Transition-age youth — many exiting foster care — are often navigating adulthood without the safety net most young people rely on. The relationships they build with caring, well-trained adults can shape whether they feel supported enough to keep going when things get hard. 

That’s why First Place for Youth treats staff development as core infrastructure, not an add-on. Sharper skills for our teams mean stronger partnerships, better service delivery, and better outcomes for the youth and families we serve. 

Related Content