The Passionate Youth Worker

Minnesota, United States: Moriah Peterson learned to relate to others with a kind and caring heart through the experience of moving to new places throughout her childhood. She found herself drawn to befriend the kids that seemed to have less, or need more. She carried life lessons of being helped by mentors herself and helping others. Grace was extended to her when she messed up and she reminds he...

Minnesota, United States: Carley Kammerer was only a teenager when she had to live through the experience of her mother dying. But because her mother had taught her the value of helping others, she transformed that pain and stress into a life and legacy of service. She saw a need and had the courage, grit, and faith to just start. She founded a nonprofit that provides sustainable employment for yo...

Ohio, United States: Dr. Charisse Penn persevered through many ebbs and flows on her way to finding her passion. She credits her distinctly non-linear course with discovering that she could make an impact and be successful helping others be successful. While working on her doctorate, she walked away from a good paying job and began her youth work career. Speaking from her heart, she says it’s abou...

Missouri, United States: Laura Bradshaw persevered through a less than perfect childhood and family trauma to find her own path forward. The challenges, twists, and turns of her life instilled a commitment to help others. Her courage and willingness to change are two of the gifts she shares to help young people find their own path forward. She lives and breathes hope and instills that in the young...

California, United States: Rose Sargent shares her insightful story of courage and self-discovery. She was experiencing trauma at home and school. She didn’t feel like she belonged anywhere. At the unimaginably young age of 11, she just felt it would be better to leave and figure herself out. Her experience of homelessness in San Francisco uniquely prepared her to work with youth experiencing home...

Minnesota, United States: Paul Meunier launched The Passionate Youth Worker podcast to share stories of the struggles and successes that shape individual youth workers. In this first anniversary special episode, Paul shares what he’s learned from youth workers around the world. And he reveals the evolution for season 2 with a profound shift that will explore how the life experience of youth worker...

Missouri, United States: Misty Boone always knew she wanted to help others. She grew up seeing the value of sharing whatever you have to make life a little better for others. In her work with survivors of domestic violence, she gives of herself every day. She’s a realist with an optimistic outlook. And she shares her perspective about helping and hope.  Support the show

Minnesota, United States: Nancy Hlee Vang has learned to transform tragedies and trauma into empowerment. She found her calling to youth work during a college work study assignment serving elementary school youth. Now she is the mentor to young people that she always wished she’d had. And her greatest reward is seeing her young people grow as a result of her trusting relationships with them. Suppo...

Minnesota, United States: Dave Wilmes followed an uncommon path into youth work, launched by being a conscientious objector to the Viet Nam War. Driven by his natural curiosity and analytical interest in figuring things out, he saw problems that needed solving in our field. Through the years, he’s created a legacy of caring and helped hundreds of youth workers and young people develop their potent...

Minnesota, United States: Emily Fulton-Foley’s passion is uplifting youth voice and youth power in areas usually dominated by adults. She artfully empowers young people to channel their passion to impact positive change in the world. She reminds us of the power of empathy and acceptance. When we accept that there’s no one right way to be, we allow young people to be the way they are. We need to pr...

Minnesota, United States: Jaleeza Smith-Breedlove is a social worker and a youth worker. She sees that distinction as a kind of freedom. As a youth worker, she is focused on irradicating the barriers for youth to be great. What guides her work was a lesson learned from her mom; “No one can live this life alone. No one has just one teacher.” She wants to charge all youth workers to be irrationally...

Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands: Roxann Wake-Forbes always wanted to help young people. Her empathy and compassion for others is just who she is. And she brings all of herself to the work, creating a home and a family for young people at her center. She says, “Let’s really pour into our young people as much as we can and let’s listen to them. Allow them to grow, help to water them so they...

Minnesota, United States: Marty Lukaszewski knew in elementary school that he wanted to become a teacher and a coach. He says working with young people is his greatest reward, “Knowing that you helped them do their best to become the best that they can be.” Diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2014, his own service dog became a perfect metaphor with a student, “Think about me kind of as your serv...

Minnesota, United States: Sara Morris-Perry recalls how conversations with her mom made always made her feel connected and respected. She learned there was something special in that kind of connection and it’s what drew her to become a youth worker. Suddenly losing her sight caused her to re-evaluate everything. But she was determined to make something of her life and when she was able to return t...

Minnesota, United States: Dan Huebsch recalls the joy he felt in third grade being paired with a Big Brother high schooler. That experience planted the seed for how he wanted to be that person for others when he grew up. His parents, and especially his grandma Wanda, shaped his lifelong commitment to being involved in community and making things better for others. He knows firsthand how the power...

Minnesota, United States: Anne Parish grew up as an only child whose parents allowed her expressive, free spirit to flourish. Her mother’s spunk and tenacity, combined with her father’s constant reminder that all you can do is love, shape how she partners with young people on their journey to becoming adults. She once aspired to be a dance therapist and has a unique perspective on how youth work i...

Minnesota, United States: Mike Tikkanen is a passionate and unapologetic advocate for the welfare of abused and neglected kids in Minnesota, the United States, and around the world. You can hear his sheer determination to effect systemic change as he shares how abuse shaped him and put him on this path to end generational child abuse. This is not an easy episode to listen to so be aware if you may...

Minnesota, United States: Richard Coffey’s parents lived to give back to others and those lessons of giving brought him to serve youth. He recalls every conversation with his mother ended with her asking, “Who did you help today?” Giving back, giving more than he receives, fills him with hope and happiness every day. He knows the work is tough, the young people are not always easy to work with, ye...

Guam, United States: Juanita Blaz overcame a fear of public speaking to step into her role as program director of Island Girl Power and discovered the power of speaking from her heart. Strong family role models taught her to be a kind, giving person. And life’s struggles and traumas taught her a strength that grounds her in empathy and respect. She reminds youth workers ‘your purpose is really to...

Minnesota, United States: Mary McRoy was in 5th grade when she first knew she was born to serve others. She’s made social work her career and says the reward of the work is that it continues to confirm she’s doing what she was meant to do. She says youth work should be rooted in love, compassion, and kindness because kids who need love the most are going to ask for it in the most unloving ways. Ki...

Minnesota, United States: Brandon Brooks credits being a ‘Navy brat’ whose family moved often for showing him how to connect with people, an asset he uses now in working with young people. He calls us all to be a person young people can trust will do their best for them. He says young people need us to listen to them and allow them to lead. The way he views youth work relationships is enlightening...

Minnesota, United States: Brandon Jones knows the job of a youth worker is to be a role model, to engage, to encourage, to help young people even when you might not see the fruits of your labor. It’s challenging work. Yet he encourages us to try our best to do whatever we can for a young person. They will see that you care and hopefully they will take pieces of that on their journey so that they c...

Pennsylvania, United States: Melissa Perkins grew up in Pittsburgh and later Miami. Two contrasting experiences taught her the importance of instilling in young people a sense of belonging, that they have a community they fit into, that they belong somewhere, especially our LGBTQ youth. Like many, she kind of fell into youth work. Now 25 years later, she says she’s more personally invested because...

Minnesota, United States: Deb Nebosis grew up where everybody in the community watched out for each other. The idea that ‘it takes a village’ is at the heart of her youth work. As VP of Resource Development for Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Minnesota, she describes the caring community and supportive relationships at every level of her organization, all to benefit youth. She reminds us our wor...

Maryland, United States: Dr. Laurel James learned the significance of service to others from her close Caribbean community, especially her father, and great grandmother. She sees hope in the social engagement of young people today and reminds us to be present to young people. Doing youth work is a calling, truly a vocation, wake up and feel this passion inside of you boiling in your belly. We’re h...