AYDC Second Order Change
2025 Second Order Change: Professional Learning Series
Anchorage Youth Development Coalition (AYDC) invites staff, volunteers, and board members from youth-serving organizations throughout Anchorage to apply for our 2025 Second Order Change professional learning series.
This series is designed to cultivate leadership, social-emotional intelligence, and inclusive practices that support positive outcomes and help you create environments where all youth thrive. Through collaborative learning, reflection, and relationship-building, participants will grow both personally and professionally, while creating meaningful change in the communities they serve.
Application Timeline
We encourage everyone to apply, regardless of role or experience, because diverse perspectives strengthen our collective growth.
- Applications Open: Friday, November 22, 2024
- Participant Selection and Notification: Rolling from January 10-17, 2025
- Payment Due: Friday, February 7, 2025
Spots are limited. Applicants will be notified of their acceptance on a rolling basis to ensure transparency and equity in selection. If financial assistance is needed, please contact us for support—no one will be excluded for financial reasons.
For questions or support, contact Rebekah Wilcox at rebekah@safealaskans.org.
2025 Session Schedule
All sessions will be held in person on Wednesdays from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM.
- Session One: Social and Emotional Learning Competencies February 19 – Fireweed Center
- Session Two: Self-Awareness, Embracing Resilience
February 26 – Fireweed Center - Session Three: Social Awareness, Cultural Responsiveness
March 5 – BP Energy Center - Session Four: Relationship Skills, Coaching and Communication
March 19 – BP Energy Center - Session Five: Self-Management, Wellness & Healing-Centered Engagement
March 26 – BP Energy Center - Session Six: Responsible Decision-Making, Mindfulness
April 2 – BP Energy Center
(No session during ASD Spring Break)
Application Links
A link to a call for applications will be shared here soon! A link to the application will be shared here on November 22.
AYDC Second Order Change is a leadership development series and a professional learning community. It is designed to support staff in delivering high quality youth development programs. AYDC Second Order Change was developed with leadership funding from Cook Inlet Tribal Council, Inc.
Impact
At AYDC, we believe that every young person—regardless of race, ability, gender identity, or background—deserves access to environments, relationships, and opportunities that foster their growth and well-being. Second Order Change is designed to help youth-serving professionals create spaces that reflect these values, while also supporting their own well-being.
Research demonstrates that positive outcomes like health, civic engagement, and economic security depend on more than individual effort—they require systemic change in the environments and relationships that shape young people’s lives. This initiative gives participants the tools to cultivate leadership through cultural humility and social-emotional intelligence, which studies show accounts for more than 50% of effectiveness in professional roles.
Since the program’s launch in 2016-17, participants have reported significant growth in emotional intelligence and cultural responsiveness, especially among those who maintained consistent attendance. Now in its eighth year, Second Order Change continues to help youth professionals transform their practices while prioritizing equity in positive youth development.
A Relational and Inclusive Learning Experience
The six weekly in-person sessions are mandatory, to create a safe and trusted space where all participants can fully engage with the learning community. We understand that online learning may be more convenient, but this program emphasizes relationship-building, mutual learning, and reflection, which are best cultivated in person.
We use the CASEL (Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning) framework, focusing on five core social-emotional learning (SEL) domains. These domains will guide participants as they explore topics such as:
- Resilience and healing-centered engagement—acknowledging the impact of trauma and fostering environments of care.
- Cultural responsiveness—valuing the unique identities of youth and communities.
- Embracing resistance—seeing challenges as opportunities for growth and advocacy.
- Mindfulness and coaching—practicing self-awareness and supporting others with empathy.
- Effective communication—building trust and fostering meaningful dialogue across differences.
Participants will connect with peers from youth-serving organizations across the Anchorage area, building cross-organizational relationships that reflect the diversity of our community. Together, they will co-create strategies to address challenges and integrate inclusive practices into their work.
Why Join Us?
This program is more than professional development—it’s an opportunity to become part of a movement toward equity in youth development. By joining, participants will:
- Engage with leading practices in SEL through high-quality professional development
- Strengthen emotional intelligence and self-awareness, key to creating inclusive spaces where youth can thrive.
- Participate in a peer-supportive learning community that encourages self-care and renewal.
- Build meaningful relationships with other professionals committed to positive youth development.
- Gain practical skills and insights that can be immediately applied to their work with youth.
Our aim is to empower participants to build environments that are not only effective, but also equitable, inclusive, and healing-centered—where every young person feels seen, heard, and valued.
We look forward to walking this path with you in 2025!
The Story Behind Second Order Change
In 2022, the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) featured this initiative at their SEL Exchange Virtual Summit. The story highlights how AYDC developed the program in partnership with Communities of Schools of Atlanta to create a comprehensive training curriculum.
You can watch this inspiring 8-minute story and learn more about our journey here: CASEL.org. For additional insights from the 2022 SEL Exchange Virtual Summit, on-demand access is available for purchase.
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Contact Us
Center for Safe Alaskans
4241 B Street, Suite 100
Anchorage, AK 99503
Phone: (907) 929-3939
E-mail: info@safealaskans.org
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