Research Note: Although some young people have more unmet needs than others, all children and youth may benefit from access to the supports and opportunities that promote resilience and healthy development.

SDE 1.01

The organization encourages a high level of participation by offering activities appropriate to the interests, needs, ages, abilities, and developmental levels of children and youth.

Research Note: Younger children tend to participate more than older youth, and some research suggests that this may be, in part, because older youth are not interested in the activities offered. This points to the importance of seeking youth input when developing program activities, as referenced in SDE 5.02.

SDE 1.02

The organization works with community partners and resources to minimize barriers that prevent children and youth from enrolling in the program or accessing services.

Interpretation: Barriers can include, but are not limited to: transportation, location, language, fees-for-service, limited hours, unreliable programming, and unpublicized program information. Written program information should be distributed to participants, their parents or legal guardians, community members, and other community providers, including schools.

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	PURPOSE: Children and youth who participate in Social Development and Enrichment Services gain the personal and social abilities and attitudes needed to form positive identities, build skills, navigate challenging situations, avoid negative behaviors, assume leadership roles, embrace diversity, and establish healthy connections with others in the community.

RELATED FILES

NA Request.doc
SDE Private Template.doc
SDE Reference List.pdf


	SERVICE One or more organization-operated programs or activities that have a common general objective and deploy the organization's material and human resources in a planned and systematic manner. An organization that publicly promotes or identifies itself in writing as offering a service, is licensed to deliver a service, assigns personnel and/or space to a service, or allocates financial resources to a service is considered to offer that service.


	LEADERSHIP A nonprofit organization's leadership consists of its governing body, chief executive officer, and may also include its senior management. In a public agency the term refers to the agency head and administration team. The term "leadership" is not generally applied to for-profit organizations. With respect to COA standards, in for-profit organizations the term leadership applies to the owner and board of directors if one exists.


	COMMUNITY A specific group of people living in the same locality and who may share a common culture, values, and norms. Communities can also be defined by race, religion, ethnicity, age, occupation, political status, tribal affiliation, interest in particular problems or outcomes, or other common bonds. The term "community" encompasses worksites, schools, tribes, residential neighborhoods, business districts, recreational areas, and health and human service sites.


	SUPERVISION Assumption of responsibility for directly overseeing and evaluating the work or work products of personnel within an organization. Also includes inspecting the act or process of accomplishing a function or activity.


	OLDER YOUTH In the context of Volunteer Mentoring Services, middle school and high school students.


	RESEARCH For purposes of COA accreditation, all forms of internal or external research involving persons served except internal program evaluation and outcomes research, or educational projects performed by students and interns that are part of their professional training.


	PROGRAM A system of services offered by an organization. For example, an organization providing a mental health service may offer several mental health programs to different populations, e.g., a mental health program for adolescent teens. The word "program" can be used interchangeably with the word "service" or to describe specific programs.


	PARENTS Parents can include: birth, foster, kinship, and adoptive parents. Please see service standards for more specific information about use of this term.


	LEGAL GUARDIAN A person who has legal responsibility for the care and management of a person incapable of administering his/her own affairs. In the case of a minor child, the guardian is charged with the legal responsibility for the care and management of the child and of the minor child's estate.