The Skillman Foundation's Good Neighborhoods Initiative – The Detroit Youth Foundation (DYF) is an executive partner in The Skillman Foundation’s Good Neighborhood Initiative (GNI). Over the next ten years the Good Neighborhoods Initiative of The Skillman Foundation is directed at transforming six Detroit neighborhoods with children in the most need and with the least resources into healthy, safe and supportive neighborhoods for children. What is a transformed neighborhood? To start with, it is one that provides young people with more caring adults and safe places.

The Detroit Youth Foundation’s primary charge is to assure the young people have input into the process of transforming their communities. One of the primary mechanism used to assure that young people’s voices are included is through Youth Summits. DYF recruits and trains young people in each of the six GNI neighborhoods. These young people in turn help recruit other youth and take a leadership role in planning the summits for their peers. The approach to working with young people is grounded in youth development principles and promote their active involvement in their own development.

Advancing Youth Development (AYD)– Advancing Youth Development (AYD) Training is a professional development opportunity for youth workers, designed to enhance the impact of their work in the development of youth. Using a train-the-trainer model, teams of youth workers (and their supervisors) from a variety of youth serving organizations are recruited, trained and then supported. Advancing Youth Development (AYD) is a curriculum based on input by youth workers representing the best of their learning practices in the field. This curriculum was developed by the National Training Institute (NTI) for Community Youth Work and is a 28-hour curriculum. Participants who have completed the training receive certificates of completion.

Detroit Youth Foundation currently serves as the host site for Metro Detroit’s B.E.S.T (Building Exemplary Systems for Training Youth Workers), an extension of a national network for the professional development of graduates of Advancing Youth Development (AYD). United Way Community Services now known as United Way of Southeastern Michigan served as a partner to pilot Metro Detroit’s B.E.S.T, a network of youth serving agencies dedicated to the professional development of youth workers.

AYD Training sessions are currently scheduled on an as needed basis. To be put on the waiting list please contact jjackson@detroityouth.org and note AYD Waiting List in the subject of your email.