Training

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Learning and development

While most of your time as a City Year AmeriCorps member will be spent at school, you’ll also spend time in professional development to grow your skills in service and beyond.

Your learning experiences can follow many different formats, including instructor-led sessions, online learning and practical exercises, in addition to on-the-job experience and continual coaching and feedback throughout your service year.

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Basic training academy (BTA)

BTA is a start-of-year on-boarding experience designed to help you learn more about City Year and the service you will be providing to the community, school and students. You’ll spend time building community with others, learning about City Year’s mission, culture and values and our approach to supporting student success.

Learning and development days (LDDs)

For at least one entire day each quarter, you’ll have a Learning and Development Day that’ll provide you with ongoing professional development. While every LDD is different, you can expect training on service implementation, community building, presentations from guest speakers and career development trainings such as resume writing or public speaking classes, which will help you process your experience and prepare for your life after City Year.

Mid-Year summit (MYS)

Halfway through the year, each City Year site dedicates a day or more to a Mid-Year Summit. This is an opportunity to step away from your day to day to develop advanced skills related to our civic competencies, reflect on what you’ve learned, set goals for the second half of the year and reconnect with the City Year community.

Leadership and reflecting

City Year was founded on the belief that a year of service can not only change a community but can change the individual serving as well. We know that there is more to leadership than skills and knowledge; you have to leave room for reflection, too. You have to ask yourself, what is your personal mission statement? What are your own core values? What are your goals for the year? Your answers to these questions will not only influence your time at City Year, but your life after City Year as well.