Youth Peer Support Specialist Certification Train-the-Trainer

Participants will receive a $125 training stipend for participating in the April 10th-11th Train-the-Trainer session.

Trainers will then be compensated $25/hour to facilitate two full training days at their convenience for the June 2025 Youth Peer Support Certification Training cohort.

In this 10-hour FREE virtual training, Certified Youth Peer Support Specialists to will prepare to co-facilitate the 40-hour Youth Peer Support Certification Training. During the train-the-trainer, CYPSSs will lean in to sharing their personal experience practicing Youth Peer Support and will become familiar with the certification training curriculum materials and facilitation techniques.

This training is intended for Certified Youth Peer Support Specialists (CYPSS).

8.75 Social Work CEUs

Trainer:
Elizabeth Bennett, LMSW, MPH,  Center of Innovation for Behavioral Health and Wellbeing 

Trainer Bio:

Elizabeth Bennett earned her dual Master in Social Work and Public Health at New Mexico State University in 2018. She has extensive experience working with and advocating for youth and families locally in New Mexico, nationally in the South Bronx of New York City, and internationally in Costa Rica as a Peace Corps Volunteer. Her areas of interest include promoting a trauma-informed, whole-person approach to wellness and work. Today, she is putting that purpose into practice in her work at the Center of Innovation. She serves as a strategic partner in the planning and implementation of Youth Peer Support, Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, and the Nurtured Heart Approach, among other programs that advance a values-based approach to behavioral health across the state.

• Demonstrate how to introduce oneself as a Youth Peer Support Specialist.
• Discuss best practices for effective training facilitation.
• Review Youth Peer Support Core Competencies.
• Review content and flow of NM YPS Certification Training curriculum.
• Practice Facilitation of YPS Certification Training Material.

New Mexico CYPSS Field Guide

The CYPSS Field Guide contains resources for Youth Peer Support Specialist practice. All resources included in the guide are covered in the Youth Peer Support Certification Training. The field guide is meant to serve as a quick access tool for CYPSS working with youth in the community.

This training is part of the State of New Mexico's Children Youth and Families Department, Behavioral Health Services Youth Peer Support Program.