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Richmond YPQI Celebrates Successful Year

Richmond Youth Program Quality Intervention (YPQI) hosted its annual “Reflect and Close” Celebration June 6 to gather youth development professionals to reflect on the YPQI process, hear about successes, share new insights and preview changes for the fall.

Managed through the VCU Mary and Frances Youth Center, YPQI is a partnership with The United Way of Greater Richmond and Petersburg that provides a quality improvement process for out-of-school-time service providers across the region.

“Research tells us that quality in the out-of-school-time program really matters,” said Shekinah Mitchell, YPQI coordinator. “Youth in high quality programs see an increase in positive youth outcomes, which range from academic advancement to social emotional learning.”

In 2016-17, 534 youth development professionals from more than 60 agencies were included in the YPQI professional learning community and provided with training that included professional development, assessment, coaching and data review and evaluation. Agencies included Blue Sky Fund; Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Richmond; Hanover County; Sports Backers; St. Andrew’s School; and the YMCAs of Greater Richmond and Petersburg.

Program participant Jessica Smith of YMCA Woodville said of her experience in the program: “We’re a community, and as a community, even though we’re working in different areas, we need to be collective in our information so we can make our programs better for our kids.”

“YPQI is a conduit for advancing the professionalization of the field and equipping passionate, caring adults with the best practices needed to move the needle for our youth,” Mitchell said. “As a result of the Richmond YPQI process, more than 5,000 youth across our region have access to higher quality programs.”

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