The Core Competencies tool kit is designed to serve as a resource to help improve and support a youth

development practitioner’s work with children and families. It is intended to be a practical and user-friendly guide to aid in one’s journey seeking knowledge and training to further one’s career within the out-of-school time arena. The resources within will allow practitioners to reflect on their own practice, plan and track their professional development, and demonstrate their understanding and achievement of the Montgomery County, MD core competencies. It is our hope that these documents will also allow staffs to more uniformly evaluate competency levels and the knowledge necessary to support professional growth and improve program quality within their own organizations.