Funding Opportunities, Resources & Alignments
Partnering with Wyman
Wyman’s replication partnership approach is based on implementation science. This framework advances program effectiveness through training, monitoring, evaluation and coaching for quality program implementation.
Training
- Wyman’s intensive “Train the Trainer” model teaches delivery of the Teen Outreach Program with fidelity. It supports a partner’s ability to develop deeper skills in training staff and monitoring and coaching for quality. It also provides overall strategies and approaches for delivering a high-quality, holistic Positive Youth Development (PYD) program.
- Annual Facilitator Institutes and Coordinator Learning Exchange opportunities deepen partners’ expertise and practice.
- Monthly e-newsletters share programmatic updates, tips, funding opportunities, and partner spotlights.
Delivery & Evaluation
- The TOP Curriculum focuses on three core content areas that work together as protective factors, reducing the impact of risk and promoting positive youth development. Each core content area has a corresponding book. Students study: Building my Skills, Learning about Myself, and Connecting with Others.
- The proprietary data collection system, Wyman Connect, enables partners to easily monitor program progress, generate instant reports for program evaluation and quality monitoring, support grant writing efforts, and other related purposes.
- Teen pre- and post-surveys are included, as well as access to reports to measure program impact.
Coaching for Quality
- Wyman’s National Network Team provides expert support and technical assistance via phone calls and webinars throughout the year, as well as audits and feedback of the program in-action if requested.
- Annual program reviews help partners identify and address issues quickly, and ensure continuous quality improvement at the point of program delivery.
- Replication partners connect directly to Wyman representatives. They benefit by receiving updates to curriculum, sharing lessons learned and program delivery tips, accessing information on funding sources and other resources, and downloading a library of useful materials to support implementation.
- National Network partners are part of a community of practice through which they interact with peers who are committed to delivering excellence. As a result, they learn from their participation in the National Network, and develop workable solutions to issues and challenges through their interactions with their peers across the country.
Case Studies and Resources
This report highlights perspectives from TOP partners about the impact of the TOP revisions on teens, adults, and systems, along with our own internal learning about the curriculum and training revision process. The lessons learned and recommendations from the case study will be of interest to youth practitioners and partner organizations that currently implement TOP, as well as to the broader fields of child and youth development, curriculum and program development, evidence-based programming, and implementation science.
Preparing Youth to Thrive (2016)
This one-of-a-kind field guide was the result of a collaboration between the Susan Crown Exchange, eight youth-focused programs across the nation (including Wyman), and the David P. Weikart Center for Youth Program Quality. It sheds light on how afterschool programs can equip teens with valuable skills.
This was developed for organizations that are implementing, or interested in implementing, TOP with young people in special circumstances. It includes program profiles and implementation guidance based on the collective experiences of National Network partners who used TOP to address the needs of special populations of young people in a variety of settings.