Would you put a driver behind the wheel of a car alone after a single driving lesson? Probably not!

And while kids' healthy development is the most pressing concern in our field, we often do just this—provide a single training to youth workers and expect them to be ready, from becoming a STEM whiz to being trauma-informed. It may be due to a lack of money or time, and certainly not for a lack of concern. There's simply not enough support for youth work professionals trying to help kids thrive.