Web iconYouth Justice Training Project

The Youth Justice Training Project has the following goals:

  • Create a youth justice (YJ) foundations trainings sequence from a new-worker perspective.
  • The child welfare system includes the community-based youth justice system, as well as child protective services. There is a need to recognize that supporting justice-involved youth in the context of their families and communities builds strengths and supports positive outcomes.
  • Support the YJ workforce by building the YJ infrastructure in the areas of standards, training, and technical assistance

The primary focuses of the improvements to the YJ training program are minimizing barriers to training and preparing the workforce. The WiLearn Youth Justice Program – a training program for new YJ professionals – will begin to address some of the identified training gaps and is part of a longer-term strategy to build up YJ infrastructure. 

The WiLearn Youth Justice Program provides a fundamental grounding in trauma-informed, culturally-responsible child welfare practice that supports all children and youth entering the child welfare system, regardless of which “door” they enter. This cohort-based program fosters collaborative learning, experience-sharing, and networking among new professionals. Cohorts launch quarterly, and the training package will include:

  • Pre-Service and eWiSACWIS web-based modules,
  • Four Foundational Elements,
  • and Case Practice with American Indian Tribes: Understanding WICWA training. 

 

Enrollment

Learners must have a primary role of YJ professional. The Wisconsin Child Welfare Professional Development System (PDS) will enroll those who meet eligibility criteria into the WiLearn Youth Justice Program. Enrollment will begin July 1 for the first Cohort that will launch on October 1. Enrollment will be confirmed with the supervisor and is strongly encouraged for all new YJ professionals hired or transferred after 7/1/2025 but is not required.  

 

Professional impact

The WiLearn Youth Justice Program will better prepare Wisconsin’s child welfare workforce to work with families in making decisions to support youth. It also provides additional resources to leverage the important role supervisors and colleagues play in on-boarding new staff.

  1. Universally relevant and immersive training experience - WiLearn provides a fundamental grounding for child welfare practice.
  2. Accessibility – WiLearn maximizes self-paced learning and provides friendly access to support a variety of learner paces and needs.
  3. Focused training – In-agency fieldwork occurs between formal training sessions and is a critical part of the learning process.
  4. Administrative ease – PDS will auto enroll YJ professionals in all YJ trainings (instead of self-registration).

 

For more information, see this flyer and frequently-asked-questions document.