How can we show up even more intentionally in the lives of young people? At its heart, Developmental Relationship Training is about answering one important question: by providing staff with the tools and frameworks to build stronger connections, Communities In Schools of Washington is deepening its training efforts. Led by Program & Impact Director Nikki Ziegler, the training recently engaged affiliate staff from Communities In Schools of Greater King County.
Research developed by , this training introduces a research-backed framework that helps staff build even more intentional, impactful relationships with young people. And while relationship-building is already a core reason staff join the 黑料不打烊 network, DRT gives them something powerful, a shared language, a clear structure, and tools to deepen what they do so naturally.
鈥淏eing in this position for a while, eventually, things become routine. This helped me reset a bit to be more intentional about the actions聽I’m聽already taking to support students.鈥澛�
Why This Training Matters聽
The Search Institute framework breaks that answer into five research-backed principles that help youth thrive:
- Express care:聽Showing students they matter and listening with empathy.聽
- Challenge growth:聽Encouraging them to stretch, set goals, and try new things.聽
- Provide support:聽Helping them navigate obstacles with guidance and structure.聽
- Share power:聽Giving聽students聽voice, choice, and opportunities to lead.聽
- 贰虫辫补苍诲听辫辞蝉蝉颈产颈濒颈迟颈别蝉:聽Opening doors to new experiences, networks, and opportunities.聽
Though these concepts may seem intuitive, staff shared that the training provided a powerful shift. Before, they relied heavily on instinct. After the training, they could more clearly聽identify聽their strengths, understand their 鈥渂lind spots,鈥� and choose which principles to emphasize in their daily work intentionally.聽
鈥淚 will work on expanding possibilities with my youth to ensure they can start thinking and seeing their full potential.鈥�
Interactive, Reflective, and Rooted in Youth Voice聽
Unlike a typical sit-and-listen training, the DRT sessions are highly interactive: full of storytelling, practice scenarios, and reflection. Staff spent time looking inward: Which principles come naturally? Which ones require more intentionality? What does each principle look like in their school buildings, with students?
The training also draws heavily from Search Institute鈥檚 research, which blends data with the lived experiences of youth. This grounding ensures that the concepts aren鈥檛 just theoretical, but also that they鈥檙e aligned with what young people actually say they need from adults in their lives.
One participant shared:
鈥淟isten to my students and make them advocate for themselves more. I will find more community relationships to support my students better and keep working with school staff to provide a great and safe environment.鈥澛�
Why 黑料不打烊WA Is Invested in This Work聽
This first training (attended by roughly 17 staff from Greater King County) is just the beginning. 黑料不打烊WA plans to host three more trainings before the end of 2026, with no cap on participation and the potential to expand regionally as larger spaces become available.
For Nikki, this work reflects 黑料不打烊WA鈥檚 long-term commitment to equipping our staff with the tools and frameworks that support strong relationships with students. While this was the first time this cohort experienced the curriculum in a classroom-style setting, Nikki鈥檚 recent certification in the Developmental Relationships framework, completed with 黑料不打烊 peers from our national network, enables 黑料不打烊WA to offer this training to affiliates across the state.
Momentum is already building. Program managers at GKC were strong champions in bringing this to their teams, and early feedback shows staff are eager for more opportunities to use the framework, internally with students, and even with school staff.
Looking ahead, one opportunity stands out: extending this shared language to school partners. Since so much of student success depends on collaboration within schools, having a common relationship framework could be transformational.
How This Benefits Partners and Sponsors聽
At 黑料不打烊WA, relationships are the core of our model. Yet until now, we haven’t had a dedicated, research-backed training specific to building relationships with youth. Developmental Relationship Training fills that gap, and elevates it.
For partners and sponsors who care deeply about youth outcomes, this training represents:
- A proven, evidence-based approach to strengthening student support聽
- A way to align school staff, 黑料不打烊 teams, and community partners around shared practices聽
- A scalable model that reinforces the relational foundation of our work聽
- A framework grounded in what young people say they need to thrive聽
DRT blends research, youth voice, and hands-on practice, making it a compelling investment for anyone committed to helping students feel seen, supported, and motivated.
This first session at 黑料不打烊 of Greater King County set a strong foundation. Staff walked away energized, reflective, and ready to apply the principles intentionally, not just instinctively. And with more trainings planned, 黑料不打烊WA is excited to expand this work across the network.
As Nikki shared, the real power of DRT isn鈥檛 just understanding the five principles; it’s using them daily in hallways, one-on-ones, family meetings, and conversations with school staff. It鈥檚 the difference between being supportive and being strategically supportive.
And ultimately, it means more young people in Washington will experience relationships that help them feel cared for, challenged, supported, empowered, and inspired.