ABSTRACT

One of the frequent requests made by RYCWs, and frontline staff for that matter, is for more training on strategies-methods, techniques, and interventions for working with youth in residential settings. This is a reasonable request, and yet by now hopefully you are beginning to experience some skepticism that simply learning more methods will improve our effectiveness as RYCWs. You may even be questioning whether more training is the answer. And ironically, research suggests that more training may actually have a negative effect on the performance of mental health professionals. But there is good news. As it turns out, some forms of training do make more of a difference in RYCW effectiveness and youth outcomes than others. One type of training that matters is that which is based on research about the alliance-outcomes correlation. That is, better relationships (alliances) yield better outcomes. Recall that the defi nition of strengths based and the fi ve principles outlined in the fi rst chapter are founded on decades of research on both the alliance and outcomes. What we have learned is that effective strategies are based on this research rather than on research on specifi c models. Our allegiances are with youth, not our models.