The Arkansas Youth Development Institute (YDI) offers free online professional development for Arkansas youth service providers. The course content is relevant to OST professionals serving children and youth in elementary to high school and includes topics such as positive youth development, bullying prevention, etc. New content is added regularly.

All coursework is self-paced. To earn a certificate of completion, participants must view all content, complete quizzes with a score of 75% or higher, and add at least one post to each discussion forum.


Key Features

• Flexible Learning: Courses take 1–2 hours to complete and can be taken in any order.
• Interactive Tools: Glossary terms, search functions, and discussion boards help deepen learning.
• Certificates of Completion: Earn a certificate after successfully finishing each course and passing a knowledge check.
• Supervisor Support: Select courses offer downloadable Supervisor’s Guides with 45–60 minute meeting plans to support team development.

1. Click the “Click Here to Begin” button below.
2. On the new page, click “Create a New Account” (top right corner).
3. Register using your information and select any course marked “YDI” (free for Arkansas residents).
4. Look for a confirmation email from schiappetti@pffac.org (check your spam folder). Approval may take up to 72 hours—this is only required for first-time users.

Once approved, you can log in anytime and complete courses at your own pace.