Kendra Woodstead with YSS

Brianne Potts (Fall 2018 Fellow) reflects on her experience working with Iowa Department of Human Rights as a Curriculum Development Fellow. She surveyed youth to make recommendations on how to improve youth curriculum. Brianne's main takeaways from her fellowship were to use data to inform programs and the importance of stepping out of one's comfort zone.

Summary

Kendra worked with YSS on YSS University, a training program for staff and other stakeholders.She worked on developing a plan for YSS University based on understanding what staff and others wanted from YSS University. Additionally, Kendra developed YSS 101, an orientation program, and compiled an easy-to-use course catalog of the various trainings offered by YSS at this time.

Overview

• Performed outreach with staff, board members, clients, and other stakeholders through interviews and both informal and formal surveys

• Developed and presented proposed plan based on the findings through outreach

• Developed YSS 101, an orientation program, that will ensure that each person has an understanding of YSS as a whole

• Compiled existing trainings offered at YSS and organized in a course catalog that is easy to navigate

Impact

Once YSS University all youth YSS serves will be impacted through access to their own and staff access to trainings (approx. 4,000-6,500 youth annually)

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Articles written by Kendra