BUSSW Partners with YouthBuild USA to Improve Staff Training Across Global Network
Boston University School of Social Work (BUSSW) is partnering with YouthBuild USA on a three-year research project led by two BUSSW faculty members: lecturer Antoinette Delmonico (PhD’13), vice president of impact and learning at YouthBuild USA, and Renée Spencer, professor and department chair.
YouthBuild USA serves “opportunity youth” (young adults who aren’t in school or employed) by providing support related to education, job skills and community leadership. Thanks to support from the John Templeton Foundation, Spencer and Delmonico’s research will identify and promote best practices for YouthBuild staff for its programs’ orientations – crucial initial interactions between staff and students. Prioritizing the organization’s culture of love and respect, Delmonico and Spencer will focus on attitudes and behaviors that contribute to a supportive, loving environment. The results of their study will inform an organization-wide orientation training curriculum to be used across YouthBuild’s global network of more than 275 programs in 18 countries.
In a press release announcing the partnership, John Valverde, president and CEO of YouthBuild USA, said, “Student orientation – the ‘mental toughness’ portion of a YouthBuild program – is where students have the chance to display their desire to be in the program and a willingness to work hard. As local staff usher the next generation of leaders forward with a focus on love and belonging, we are so excited to provide them with training that will strengthen their partnership with opportunity youth. I am grateful to have Dr. Delmonico deftly leading this work for YouthBuild USA, and I am thrilled to have Dr. Spencer and BU School of Social Work joining us as our partner research organization.”
Prof. Renée Spencer is chair of BUSSW’s Human Behavior, Research and Policy Department and an expert in youth mentoring and development. Her research is published widely in peer-reviewed journals including the Journal of Adolescent Research, JAMA Psychiatry, Youth & Society, and the Journal of Community Psychology. Spencer is a 2022 fellow of the American Academy of Social Work & Social Welfare, and serves on the National Mentoring Resource Center Research Board, Big Brother Big Sisters of America Research Advisory Council and the Friends of the Children Research Evaluation and Fidelity Committee.
Antoinette Delmonico (PhD’13) is an alum of BU’s PhD in Social Work & Sociology program (now the PhD in Social Work program) and has been a lecturer at BUSSW since 2010. In her role as vice president of impact and learning at YouthBuild USA, she leads efforts to evaluate the impact of the YouthBuild program model, and supports initiatives to improve quality, impact and sustainability of the organization’s programs. She is also an experienced researcher and consultant in youth-focused programs and mentoring.
Learn more about the partnership on the YouthBuild website here.