Youth Work Practice: A Status Report on Professionalization and Expert Opinion about the Future of the Field

A new report by ProYouthWork America identifies reasons why the youth services field needs workers with credentials tied to core competencies, arguing that improving education and training for staff improves outcomes for young people and organizations, and is cost-effective as well. This Report reviews literature and looks at how states, organizations and academia are working together to create clear pathways for advancement for youth workers through systematized training, credentialing and partnerships that link higher education and jobs.