Learning Exchange Philly

"The culture of the school is all about respect and everybody coming together" says Destiny Dean, YouthBuild Philadelphia Charter School 2019 Alumni. Tune in to hear from other students and our Director of Student Life, Zuri Stone, share how restorative practices help to create a safe and loving school community. To learn more about how we use restorative practices at YouthBuild Philly and how it could benefit your organization, register for our free Creating Cohesive Culture virtual event. This event will take place Thursday, 10/15, 3 - 4:30 p.m. on Zoom. Register: bit.ly/LX-CCC1.

Join us for our Creating Cohesive Culture virtual workshop on Thursday, October 15, 2020 from 3:00 4:30 p.m. via Zoom! As we all navigate through the unknowns of virtual learning, we must continue to build positive relationships and a loving school community. During our Creating Cohesive Culture virtual event, Zuri Stone, YouthBuild Philly’s Director of Student Life, will share tools and techniques to successfully create and maintain a restorative culture in your organization. Register for this free event by click here: https://bit.ly/LX-CCC1

School is officially in session! The team at YouthBuild Philadelphia Charter School, along with educators all around the country, are entering the unknown as we welcome in a new class of young people virtually. We are quickly realizing that a lot of our in-person engagement best practices are transferable to virtual learning. Take a look at some of the tips we are using to help engage and build relationships with new students. Remember to share this post and drop your best practices in the comments!

Sending a shout out to Mr. Rich and all the staff at YouthBuild Philadelphia Charter School for using data and our in-person best practices to plan for the upcoming school year. Now more than ever, it is important to share best practices with other educators to best support the young people we serve. In the comment section, share some of your innovative practices to support virtual learning!

As we prepare to take a step into the unknown, we are reflecting on the 2019-2020 school year. The past year was filled with unexpected opportunities, as well as unexpected challenges. Check out our new blog post, which shares how we weathered the storm and are shifting priorities to serve practitioners during these challenging times: bit.ly/31PKNaR

Our team has made the safe decision to keep our programming virtual until at least January. As an organization that values community building and nurturing relationships, we will stay committed to finding creative ways to connect with students, staff and you all. As we head into the new program year, be on the lookout for virtual learning events. Plus, be sure to ask about our personalized coaching opportunities by emailing us at: [email protected].

Take a listen to what our friends at The Crefeld School had to say about our customized coaching! We are committed to: using data and our community’s voice to refine our practices, naming our best practices and sharing our best practices with other educators to create as many positive outcomes for young people as possible. If your youth development program is looking for ideas or support with designing or maintaining your program, email us to learn more about our customized coaching: [email protected].

If you missed us teaming up with the New Orleans Business Alliance and Aspen Institute webinar to discuss job quality and race equity, you can catch a full recap of the event in the Aspen Institute’s latest blog post! Our Director of the Learning Exchange, Robin Walker, and YouthBuild Philly's Director of Student Life, Zuri Stone, provided expert guidance for programs planning for the future.

July is #minoritymentalhealthmonth, a time to address how an individual's social identity can create unique challenges such as less access to care, cultural stigma and lower quality care. Learn how we are committed to normalizing the conversation about mental health and creating a space where support is accessible to every YouthBuild Philadelphia Charter School student.

"What I try to tell young people is that if you come together with a mission, and its grounded with love and a sense of community, you can make the impossible possible". - John Lewis We are celebrating the lives of John Lewis and C.T. Vivian, two American icons who dedicated their lives to civil rights. Without these two men, our lives would look very different. We honor their legacies when we do their work, by demanding equity in education, uplifting our community and not ...being afraid to make "good trouble." Sending love to the family and friends of John Lewis and C.T. Vivian. Image: Getty / The Atlantic

The Class of 2020 has inspired us in more ways than one. They showed up. They learned. They grew. They conquered. Most importantly, they didn’t give up until they got what they came for and more: a diploma, trade certification, a career and a loving community to support them along the way. Shout out to the Class of 2020 at #ybphilly and beyond! Do you know a young person looking to reclaim their education? Share this link to have them join YouthBuild’s #Classof2021 youthbuildphilly.org/admissions. Get #YBready today. #YBready21

Coaching Opportunity: Since YouthBuild Philly opened its doors over 25 years ago, our community has never needed school police to help us maintain a safe space for students and staff. Through the use of restorative practices, social identities work and a supportive staff, complete with success managers (or case managers), counselors and specialized services, we have been able to resolve conflicts internally. View more data to back our belief that a supportive and loving envir...onment is what makes school's safe- not police. If your organization is making the switch to a police-free community and would like assistance, learn more about our customized coaching opportunities where we share YouthBuild Philly's best practices. Emailing us at [email protected] to learn more. Link to Justice Policy Institute's Report: https://bit.ly/31UkK3T

Looking to join a family of educators dedicated to learning and growing WITH young people? #ybphilly might be the home for you. At YouthBuild Philadelphia Charter School, everyone is a student AND teacher. Visit bit.ly/LX-JoinYB to join a community where educators and students learn and grow together. #JoinYB #YBWave