Building high-quality youth programs | UMN Extension

Extension is expanding its online education and resources to adapt to COVID-19 restrictions.

Whether your program is large or small, you can integrate research-based practices to make it more effective and to help youth thrive. Discover resources, research briefs, practical guides and custom training we offer on foundations of youth development.

5 people planning a program

Program design and evaluation

Program evaluation, designing for social and emotional learning, program quality and design

5 adults with arms around each other

Supportive relationships and environment

Basic youth needs, dealing with conflict, program quality and more

group of adults

Youth leadership and voice

Cross-age teaching, global citizenship, youth teaching youth, youth-adult partnerships

3 youth working on science project

Youth learning and skills

Social and emotional skills, outdoor skills, college readiness, engineering skills and more

adults standing along a fence

Equity, culture and identity

Inclusive programs for LGBTQ+, special needs, immigrant and all youth

two young men talking

Building youth resilience

Dealing with rural stress, childhood trauma and more

adults stacking hands

Youth program management

Leading a program, dilemmas in youth work, managing volunteers and teams, growing your program

person talking to other people

Family and community engagement

Public engagement strategies, partnering for school success

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