Why Choose Nazareth for Community Youth Development?

Encouraging children and teens to thrive in positive, healthy, and safe environments is the focus of community youth development — and as graduates can attest, a rewarding profession.

Nazareth is the only college that offers this program within 120 miles of Rochester. 

Learn what it takes to engage youth in opportunities that foster the knowledge, skills, and positive attitudes to be active, engaged citizens for life. 

Studying social work, psychology, education, management, and sociology provide an interdisciplinary perspective on the cultural, political, and sociological issues that influence outcomes, while internships provide opportunities to apply theory to the real world.

Program Highlights

• Prepares students for credentialing as an AfterSchool Works! New York program director and childcare worker in out-of-school time and after-school settings.
• Hands-on experiences are embedded into courses, in partnership with community-based organizations and their youth.
• Focuses on building positive mentor and coach relationships with children and youth in our community.
• Explores cognitive, physical, emotional, and social development of children and youth.
• Small classes provide personal attention, mentoring, and coaching — from faculty who continually bring their ongoing community experience to the classroom.
• Many students in this program double-major with programs such as sociology, psychology, social work, or an education degree program such as inclusive early childhood/childhood education.