Professional Development
Grow as a youth worker through free professional development. Sprockets offers workshops for Saint Paul youth workers throughout the year on a wide variety of youth work topics like program planning, youth engagement, quality practices, and more.
February
Self-regulation and staying sane in after-school programs- 👉 Register Here
📆Wednesday, February 4th 11 a.m. - 12 p.m. Online webinar
💥This workshop is provided through U of M Extension Youth Development
Taming tiny tornadoes and ourselves
Explore strategies for self-regulation and how to help young people move from meltdown to mindfulness. We will learn from brain science, SEL and Healing-Centered Engagement. Through interactive and experiential activities, you will leave with tools you can use right away in your programs.
SEL PQA in Practice with SQUAD-👉 Register Here
📆Wednesdays, February 18th, and March 11th 10:30-12:00📍North End Community Center
Sprockets Quality & Assessment Dream-team (SQUAD) is a cohort of youth workers trained as reliable external assessors. Join SQUAD and other youth workers to talk through what quality practices can look like and sound like in youth programs. Hear from others and share what it could look like in your context! Whether you’re interested in strengthening your skills to eventually become an external assessor or simply want to deepen your understanding of the tool’s scales - and what high-quality practice looks and sounds like - you’re invited to join our Winter 2026 SQUAD Sessions. Each session will include an overview of the items within the designated scales and interactive discussions to capture real world examples that can be incorporated into program planning.
Come for one session or join us for all three as we take a focused dive into specific scales of the tool!
Date TBD due to rescheduling— Emotion Coaching & Cultivating Empathy
Wednesday, February 18th — Fostering Teamwork & Promoting Responsibility
Wednesday, March 11th — Furthering Learning & Supporting Plans & Goals
Facilitators:: Jocelyn Wiedow, Sprockets
March
Quality Coaching -👉 Register HERE
The Quality Coaching Series is part of our Passion to Profession: Building Skills for Future Youthwork Careers offerings.
📆Fridays, March 13th, 20th, and 27th 9:30-12:00 (all days required) 📍North End Community Center
Build confidence in your role as a supervisor or coach during this three-session, hands-on training series. You’ll learn practical coaching tools to strengthen communication, give effective feedback, and support staff growth. Through real scenarios and guided practice, you’ll leave with simple, reliable strategies you can use right away to improve performance and foster a positive team culture.
Ideal for: New supervisors, team leads, and coordinators.
Gain skills in: Coaching conversations, feedback, improvement planning, conflict navigation, and decision-making.
Facilitators:: Jocelyn Wiedow, Sprockets and Tabitha Mitchell, Saint Paul Parks and Recreation
Facilitator Training Series -👉 Register HERE
Facilitator Training Series is part of our Passion to Profession: Building Skills for Future Youthwork Careers offerings.
📆Wednesdays, March 25th, April 1st, and April 29th 9:30-12:00 (all days required) 📍Frogtown Community Center
This three-part training series equips new and experienced facilitators with the mindset, skills, and practical tools needed to lead engaging, inclusive, and meaningful sessions. Across three interactive 2.5 -hour modules, participants will explore facilitation fundamentals, practice core techniques, and apply their learning to real-world scenarios. Whether you’re facilitating workshops, team meetings, or community conversations, this series builds confidence and strengthens your facilitation presence.
By the end of the series, participants will be able to:
• Plan and facilitate sessions that are inclusive, engaging, and purpose-driven
• Use a variety of facilitation tools confidently
• Navigate challenging group moments with resilience and skill
• Reflect on their identity and style to facilitate with authenticity
• Build stronger connection, participation, and learning in any group they lead
Facilitator:: Jocelyn Wiedow, Sprockets
April
Beyond limits: Creating impactful outdoor adventure-based experiences - 👉 Register Here
📆Wednesday, April 1st 11 a.m. - 12 p.m. Online webinar
💥This workshop is provided through U of M Extension Youth Development
Explore eight key components for designing transformative and engaging outdoor learning experiences for all youth. Participants will learn to create safe, supportive environments, foster social connection and offer guided nature experiences that promote exploration, challenge and social-emotional growth.
Facilitator: Nicole Pokorney
