Professional Development


We're committed to your growth and professional development on both an individual and programmatic level.

Fair Futures Professional Development Opportunities:

Upcoming Trainings, Workshops, & Events

Fair Futures offers Trainings, Workshops, and Refreshers, designed to help you increase your knowledge and strengthen your skills.  Please see a list of upcoming mandatory and optional opportunities below. 
To download a PDF of all Mandatory Trainings for Fair Futures Staff, click here.
Optional Training
1 on 1 Platform Support Sessions
Sign up for a 1 on 1 session with Matt and/or Katie to learn the basic functionality of the Fair Futures platform, set and close goals, pull reports, transfer and add youth and more.

Multiple Dates Available
Sign up for as many sessions as you feel are needed.
Sign Up Today
Open to any Fair Futures staff that will be using the platform. Small groups are welcome.
Optional Training
Platform Training - Adding, Transferring, Assigning Youth & Admin Functions
Multiple Dates Available
Training for Supervisors, Directors and agency staff who oversee data, reporting and administrative tasks.
Participants will learn how to transfer youth to a coach; how to re-assign youth; and about the various reporting functions.
‍PLEASE NOTE: You MUST be on a laptop or desktop. Phones may NOT be used. We will start promptly on time.  If you are going to be more than 15 minutes late please sign up for a future training date.  You will also need to remain in the training until the end. This training is ONLY for date and QA/QI specialists.
Once you register you will receive a confirmation email from Eventbrite with a Zoom link.
Optional Training
Goals & Steps Framework Introduction/Refresher
Multiple Dates Available
Training for Middle School Specialists and Coaches
If you are a NEW Middle School Specialist or Coach: please complete this training before you begin the Core Fair Futures training.
Participants will learn how to track young people's academic, career, and housing goals and progress.
Existing Coaches and Middle School Specialists are encouraged to take this 1 hour training as a refresher, if needed!
‍PLEASE NOTE: Once you register you will receive a confirmation email from Eventbrite with a Zoom link.
Optional Training
Goals & Steps Framework 2.0
Multiple Dates Available
Training for Middle School Specialists and Coaches
If you are a Middle School Specialist or Coach who has been using the Goals & Steps Framework for while now, this session is for you. The Goals & Steps Framework 2.0 provides the space for you to get a deeper understanding of how to utilize and expand the way you track young people's academic, career, and housing goals and progress.
‍PLEASE NOTE: Once you register you will receive a confirmation email from Eventbrite with a Zoom link.
Workshop Wednesdays
Career Development Series - Real Talk, Real Solutions w/ Workforce Partners
Wednesday, May 4, 2022 | 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
All Fair Futures staff are welcome to attend.
This Workshop Wednesday Career Development Series - Real Talk, Real Solutions is presented with Workforce Partners Co-Op Tech, ACCES-VR, Small Business Services (SBS), Per Scholas, The Door, & NPower.
Our workforce partners from Co-Op Tech, Small Business Services (SBS), ACCES-VR, Per Scholas, and NPower will be joining to share information about their amazing programs for young people.
‍PLEASE NOTE: After you register a Zoom link will be sent to your email.
Workshop Wednesdays
Reconnecting Disconnected Young People
Wednesday, May 11, 2022 | 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
All Fair Futures staff are welcome to attend.
This Workshop Wednesday focuses on how to help young people who may have dropped out of high school and/or are disconnected, re-engage in academic and/or career experiences that they are excited about! We will hear from a panel of Coaches/Specialists about their challenges and successes in reconnecting young people.
‍PLEASE NOTE: After you register a Zoom link will be sent to your email.
Mandatory Training
Maintaining Housing & Building Independent Living/Life Skills (Part II)
Tuesday, May 17, 2022 | 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Mandatory Training for Coaches, Supervisors, & Housing Specialists
Hosted by: City Living
In the second session of the two-part Housing workshop series, participants will delve into the issues that can impact our young people maintaining their housing after care. Issues such as reducing the rent as income changes, applying for one-shot deals, handling repair issues, and navigating eviction proceedings will all be discussed. Participants will also gain an overview of some of the Independent Living Skills that coaches can work on with their young people as they transition out of care.
‍PLEASE NOTE: After you register a Zoom link will be sent to your email.
Workshop Wednesdays
Advanced Special Education Advocacy
Wednesday, May 25, 2022 | 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
All Fair Futures staff are welcome to attend.
‍Designed for staff who have completed Advocates for Children's introductory special education workshop.
Hosted by: Advocates for Children (AFC)
Participants will delve more deeply into how to request and interpret special education evaluations; how to apply for specialized programs, including Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) programs, day treatment programs, and nonpublic schools; and how to advocate for students at IEP meetings, mediation, and due process hearings.
‍PLEASE NOTE: After you register a Zoom link will be sent to your email.
Optional Training
One Degree Demo
Friday, May 27, 2022 | 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM 
Multiple Dates Available
Training is ideal for Coaches, Education Specialists, Career Specialists and Supervisors.
Participants will learn about all of the fantastic new updates to One Degree, your one-stop shop for everything related to career and education in NYC. OneDegree now contains 1,500+ opportunities and virtually all non-college post-secondary programs and workforce opportunities.
‍PLEASE NOTE: After you register a Zoom link will be sent to your email.
Workshop Wednesdays
Deeper Dive: The Impact of Trauma and A.C.E.'s
Wednesday, June 1, 2022 | 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
All Fair Futures staff are welcome to attend.
In this optional Workshop Wednesday we will explore the impact that trauma has on our youth, our personal lives and our work. Participants will: Learn about A.C.E.'s (Adverse Childhood Experiences); Participate in an open discussion about how secondary trauma impacts our personal and professional lives; Gain skills and tools on how to cope with secondary trauma; Hear stories from youth about what it is like to live with live with trauma.
‍PLEASE NOTE: After you register a Zoom link will be sent to your email.
Mandatory Training
Core Fair Futures Training
Training spans 4 days: Monday, June 6, 2022 - Thursday, June 9, 2022
‍Mandatory Training for all new Fair Futures staff.
Please read the details when you register to see what days are required for your role.

Monday, June 6 | 9:30AM - 3:30PM: Overview of the Fair Futures Model; Effective Youth Engagement; Coaching Best Practices
Tuesday, June 7 | 9:30AM - 1:00PM: Setting Educational Goals & Steps
Wednesday, June 8 | 9:30AM - 1:00PM: Setting College and Career Goals & Steps
Thursday, June 9 | 9:30AM - 1:00PM: Applying Goals & Steps to Your Youth
‍PLEASE NOTE: To receive credit for this training you must attend all four days.
‍You also must have attended a Fair Futures Orientation prior to attending.
‍If you have already completed the training you are welcome to attend any (or all) of the days as a refresher.
The Core Fair Futures training will provide staff with the foundational knowledge and framework of the Fair Futures model. Participants will learn about: Effective Youth Engagement techniques; Coaching Best Practices; Setting the goals and steps related to middle and high school, post-secondary, college and career; resources that will help youth succeed; applying the goals and steps process when working with your youth.
‍PLEASE NOTE: After you register a Zoom link will be sent to your email.
Workshop Wednesdays
Cleaning Up Care4 to Make Your F22 Report Sparkle
Wednesday, June 15, 2022 | 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
All Fair Futures staff are welcome to attend.
Please join this Workshop to ensure your FY22 report will be clean, accurate, and reflect all of the hard work your staff have done in FY22!
‍PLEASE NOTE: After you register a Zoom link will be sent to your email.
Workshop Wednesdays
College Success Series
Wednesday, June 22, 2022 | 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
All Fair Futures staff are welcome to attend.
Hosted by: At The Table
In this next session the format will be an open forum - Coaches, College Specialists, and Supervisors can join to share challenges they are experiencing and hearing while supporting their college students. The space to  learn best practices and obtain new ways to approach and collaborate with your college students and external partners will be available.
At The Table will lead this session by helping you strategize, troubleshoot common issues and showcase ways to navigate the Spring Semester (e.g. ensuring books, aid, coaching students around feeling ready, ACS, NY4C, FYCSI, FCI/ASAP, the Dorm Project, etc.).
This workshop is designed for the 26 NYC Foster Care agencies whom adopted the Fair Futures Model.
‍PLEASE NOTE: After you register a Zoom link will be sent to your email.
Optional Training
One Degree Demo
Thursday, June 23, 2022 | 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM 
Multiple Dates Available
Training is ideal for Coaches, Education Specialists, Career Specialists and Supervisors.
Participants will learn about all of the fantastic new updates to One Degree, your one-stop shop for everything related to career and education in NYC. OneDegree now contains 1,500+ opportunities and virtually all non-college post-secondary programs and workforce opportunities.
‍PLEASE NOTE: After you register a Zoom link will be sent to your email.

Technical Assistance

If you would like support around a specific issue or topic area you can schedule a technical assistance session. 
Fair Futures Technical Assistance, or TA, will provide you with an opportunity to learn, while problem-solving an area you would like help with. TA sessions can be 1-on-1 or with however many people from your team that you'd like to invite.
Technical Assistance Topics
THEME: Program Overview; Implementation Best Practices
Overview of Fair Futures
Background, model and staff roles, resources available and the Online Platform.
Implementation progress and best practices at an organizational level
Includes reviewing the program/org structure and reporting lines, discussing role clarity, collaboration with other departments, developing a program name, and how to create a coaching culture.  
Creating Shared Program Language
‍This session will help your coaching team create messaging to use with young people, foster parents and guardians, co-workers and other stakeholders.
THEME: 
Coaching Best Practices; Engagement; Building Trust
The First 90 Days of Coaching
‍Learn out of the box strategies for  engaging young people and building trust.
How to Coach! Effective Coaching Techniques and Frameworks
‍Learn how to set up a coaching session, what coaching language to use, how to create a coaching agreement and how to incorporate coaching conversations into everyday practice.
How to Coach! Effective Coaching Techniques and Frameworks
‍Learn how to set up a coaching session, what coaching language to use, how to create a coaching agreement and how to incorporate coaching conversations into everyday practice.
Finding Your Coaching Style
Explore ways to develop your coaching style and personality.
THEME: 
Goals & Steps Tracking; Education; Career; Accessing Resources
Middle School Specialist Role
‍Includes learning about the Middle School Goals & Steps.
Coaching Goals & Steps
Overview of framework and tracking progress
This includes high school, post-secondary planning, college, career development and housing/independent living goals and steps.
High School Selection Process
What to do before the fall;
Includes a tutorial on MySchools/ InsideSchools.
Using One Degree
Learn how to access career development resources with this brand new online platform.
Assisting Students with Transferring Schools/
Selecting Best-Fit Alternative High Schools 
THEME: Supervisory Best Practices; Program Performance
Effective Coach Supervision
Learn how to “coach” Coaches and to manage their performance.  
Creating a Positive Coaching Culture
Learn strategies for creating programmatic and organizational buy-in; Learn effective relationship building techniques that foster teamwork and collaboration.
THEME: Youth Development Best Practices
Running Peer Leadership Groups
Peer groups provide young people with a safe space to have their voices heard. Learn best practices and a step by step method for creating your own peer leadership groups.
THEME: Program Overview; Implementation Best Practices
TOPICS
TIME
SUGGESTED STAFF
Overview of Fair Futures
Background, model and staff roles, resources available and the Online Platform.
30
Minutes
All Staff: Program Directors, Supervisors, Coaches, Specialists
Implementation progress and best  practices at an organizational level
Includes reviewing the program/org structure and reporting lines, discussing role clarity, collaboration with other departments, developing a program name, and how to create a coaching culture.  
45
Minutes
Initial session with senior staff to discuss before sharing out with their team
Creating Shared Program Language
‍This session will help your coaching team create messaging to use with young people, foster parents and guardians, co-workers and other stakeholders.
1.5 Hours
- 2 Hours
All Staff: Program Directors, Supervisors, Coaches, Specialists
THEME: Coaching Best Practices; Engagement; Building Trust
The First 90 Days of Coaching
‍Learn out of the box strategies for  engaging young people and building trust.    
1H
Coaches and Coach Supervisors
How to Coach! Effective Coaching Techniques and Frameworks
‍Learn how to set up a coaching session, what coaching language to use, how to create a coaching agreement and how to incorporate coaching conversations into everyday practice.
2 Hours
Coaches and Coach Supervisors
Finding Your Coaching Style
Explore ways to develop your coaching style and personality.
1 Hour
Coaches and Specialists
THEME: Goals & Steps Tracking; Education; Career; Accessing Resources
Middle School Specialist Role
‍Includes learning about the Middle School Goals & Steps.
1 Hour
Middle School Specialists and their Supervisors
Coaching Goals & Steps – Overview of framework and tracking progress
This includes high school, post-secondary planning, college, career development and housing/independent living goals and steps.
2 Hours
All Staff: Program Directors, Supervisors, Coaches, Specialists
‍(if they have not yet been trained or if a refresher is needed)
High School Selection Process
What to do before the fall; Includes a tutorial on MySchools/ InsideSchools.
1 Hour
Middle School Specialists and Coaches
Using One Degree
Learn how to access career development resources with this brand new online platform.
1 Hour
Coaches and Career Development Specialists
Assisting Students with Transferring Schools/Selecting Best-Fit Alternative High Schools 
1 Hour
Coaches
THEME: Supervisory Best Practices; Program Performance
Effective Coach Supervision
Learn how to “coach” Coaches and to manage their performance.  
1.5 Hours
Coach Supervisors and Program Directors
Creating a Positive Coaching Culture
Learn strategies for creating programmatic and organizational buy-in; Learn effective relationship building techniques that foster teamwork and collaboration.
1 Hour
Any senior staff person that has direct reports
THEME: Youth Development Best Practices
Running Peer Leadership Groups
Peer groups provide young people with a safe space to have their voices heard.
Learn best practices and a step by step method for creating your own peer leadership groups.
1-1.5
Hours
Coaches and Coach Supervisors
Creating Shared Program Language
‍This session will help your coaching team create messaging to use with young people, foster parents and guardians, co-workers and other stakeholders.  
‍
The First 90 Days of Coaching
‍Learn out of the box strategies for engaging young people and building trust.
‍
Finding Your Coaching Style
‍Explore ways to develop your coaching style and personality. 
‍
Middle School Specialist Role
Learn about the Middle School Goals & Steps
‍High School Selection Process
‍What to do before the fall;
Includes a tutorial on MySchools/Inside Schools.

Using One Degree
‍Learn how to access career development resources with this brand new online platform. 

Effective Coach Supervision
‍Learn how to “coach” Coaches and to manage their performance.  



‍

Questions? Please email Emil Ramnarine at emil.ramnarine@fairfuturesny.org.

Learning Communities

In partnership with New Yorkers for Children we offer monthly Fair Futures Learning Communities that are designed to provide you with a place to learn, network, focus on self-care and re-energize among your cohorts. Topics for each Learning Community are chosen by the participants. Past topics have included effective youth engagement, how to make time for self-care, and how to be a leader during stressful times.
New Yorkers For Children LOGO
Learning Communities are broken into the following groups: Supervisors (anyone who has a direct report),
‍Middle School Specialists, and Coaches & Specialists (Career, Educational, Housing).
Due to the number of Coaches & Specialists, there are two Learning Community Groups offered. You may attend either group.
Learning Communities are optional and span 90 minutes.‍
Upcoming Learning Community Dates
Supervisors & Directors (Leadership)
Dates TBA!
Coaches & Specialists (Career, Education, College, Housing)
Dates TBA!
Middle School Specialists
Dates TBA!

Please contact Emil Ramnarine at emil.ramnarine@fairfuturesny.org to register.

1-on-1 Coaching

If you are looking for a way to maximize your potential and take your work performance to the next level then 1-on-1 performance coaching is for you. 
Performance coaching is now being offered to any Fair Futures staff. In these 30 or 60 minute sessions YOU get to focus on YOU. Benefits include, but are not limited to, sharpening your skills, identifying roadblocks in performance, gaining more clarity and focus, exploring your goals and aspirations and finding balance with work and life. 
To schedule 1-on-1 Coaching, please contact Emil Ramnarine at emil.ramnarine@fairfuturesny.org. 

To meet your learning needs, wants and goals, we developed an array of high-level training opportunities, created learning communities to help you re-energize and network, and launched weekly Workshop Wednesdays trainings on a range of topics. Additionally, Fair Futures offers Technical Assistance for teams, agencies, or entire organizations from our experts around any topic as well as 1 on 1 Coaching to help you feel empowered.  

Thank you to The Foster Care Excellence Fund for supporting this work and to our training/technical assistance partners:
Advocates for Children, New Yorkers for Children, City Living NY, Children's Village, Workforce Professionals Training Institute, Goddard Options Institute, Youth Communication, At the Table, and the ACS Workforce Institute.

Questions? Please email Emil Ramnarine at emil.ramnarine@fairfuturesny.org.