Applications to join the Trainer Network are now open! Deadline to apply is Friday, August 23, 2019.
Learn more below or register for an upcoming informational webinar:
Since its inception in 1998 as the Kids’ Time Trainer Network, the now called CalSAC Trainer Network has aimed to provide a diverse array of experiential, interactive training and learning opportunities that build the skills and confidence of youth providers at all levels, from line staff and practitioners to managers and program directors. Each year we seek to increase the number of youth across California who benefit from quality out-of-school time (OST) programs, by serving OST professionals who work with kids from all communities and programs of all sizes.
Approach to Adult Learning
The CalSAC Trainer Network is grounded in the belief that the out-of-school time workforce is full of talented, passionate leaders who care deeply for young people and their success. They bring an array of knowledge and experience gained through informal learning and through years of being on the ground implementing quality youth programs. Our approach helps professionals make the most of their knowledge and passion by creating a space to share and learn from one another while deepening their skills.
Trainer Competencies
CalSAC believes the competencies for trainers in the field of out-of-school time, based on best practices in training adults, provide a necessary starting point for ensuring that the training and support the field receives is of the highest quality. CalSAC’s Trainer Competencies offer a framework that trainers can use to assess and build upon their skills and knowledge.
Adult Learning| Training Delivery| Professional and Ethics| Equity and Diversity | Co-Training
Adult Learning Cycle
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“I believe that front line staff are often placed on the job without the skills, knowledge, and tools necessary to be successful. I believe that it is just as important to work with your staff and help them grow as it is for our students. By doing this we are creating leaders who can take the skills and knowledge gained and provide quality programming to other youth work in the future.”
Application Process
Through a highly competitive application process, CalSAC will accept 60 new professionals across California to join the Trainer Network in Fall 2019. If accepted into the Trainer Network, participants are required to:
Attend a 60-minute pre-Training of Trainers (ToT) orientation webinar. If you cannot attend one of the scheduled webinar dates we will schedule a one-on-one orientation call with you.
Complete self-reflection prior to the ToT, developed from the trainer competencies.
Attend in full the 3-day Training of Trainers Institute (ToT) October 17-19, 2019 in San Mateo County, CA.
Submit a one-time fee of $400. This fee covers the full trainer certification process: three days of professional development at the ToT (meals, materials and shared accommodations for two nights), mentorship, observation, and certification support between October 2019 – June 2020. Travel to the ToT and to subsequent trainings is not included. Full and partial scholarships are available and will be assessed upon acceptance. Please complete the scholarship section of the application with as much detail as possible regarding your needs.
Apply Now
Applications are due by Friday, August 23, 2019. Before starting your online application, download and review the application preview. The preview document includes an overview of the applicant requirements and the trainer certification commitment. After reviewing the application preview, we recommend saving your application responses in a Word or Text document before completing the online application. Contact Hannah at hdavidman@calsac.org with any questions.
Trainer Certification Process
CalSAC Apprentice Trainers complete an 8-month certification process where they participate in a three-day intensive Training of Trainers Institute, implement CalSAC's on-site training curriculum to programs in their community, and receive ongoing mentoring from a Senior Certified Trainer.
The Training of Trainers Institute (ToT) is the beginning of the trainer's journey, and is foundational to the CalSAC trainer experience. This multi-day, rigorous professional development experience prepares participants to deliver high-quality training and thrive as members of the CalSAC Trainer Network. Participants leave the ToT equipped with a range of resources, new contacts and a deeper connection to the out-of-school time community.
CalSAC's Trainer Network builds the training and facilitation skills of out-of-school time professionals and connects them to a vast network of their peers, organizations and resources to help them develop professionally and deepen their impact on the children and communities they serve. In turn, these individuals provide training and support to staff working in a variety of youth development programs across the state. When individual providers increase their skills and confidence, it benefits not just the young people they work with, but the strength of the out-of-school time field as a whole.
Professionals who join the Trainer Network hone and deepen their:
Training and facilitation skills
Ability to deliver effective technical assistance
Leadership capacity
Knowledge and connection to the statewide out-of-school time field
