Legacy national youth development organization Camp Fire joins four other organizations in piloting the National Youth Development Foundational Practices Credential, launched by the National AfterSchool Association
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — August 18, 2026 — Youth development organization Camp Fire was selected as one of five implementation partners for the National Youth Development Foundational Practices Credential pilot, marking the next phase of a multi-year effort by the National AfterSchool Association (NAA). NAA is the national membership organization for professionals who work with children and youth during out-of-school time, which aims to strengthen recognition, portability, and professional pathways for youth development professionals nationwide.
The credential is the first national, competency-based credential built specifically for the youth development profession. Developed by NAA in collaboration with practitioners, researchers, and field leaders, it gives youth development professionals a portable, accessible way to demonstrate the knowledge and skills that define high-quality youth development work, recognizing demonstrated practice rather than simple participation in training.
For decades, youth development professionals have shaped the lives of young people in profound ways, often without the consistent structures, recognition, and portability associated with many other professions. The Foundational Practices Credential is intended to help change that by creating a shared framework for recognizing demonstrated practice across settings and systems.
As part of the pilot, Camp Fire will integrate the credential into its Learning Lab professional development system, coaching model, and program quality framework, engaging affiliates across its national network to support practitioner learning and growth.
“Camp Fire believes that the adults who show up for young people deserve the same investment we ask them to make in kids,” said Shawna Rosenzweig, Chief Executive Officer of Camp Fire National Headquarters. “This credential gives our staff and affiliates across the country a way to have their expertise recognized, not just here, but wherever their careers take them. Investing in this profession is investing in every young person it serves.”
Camp Fire joins four other organizations selected through an invitation-based process for their organizational readiness, commitment to workforce development, and complementary approaches to supporting practitioners:
- School’s Out Washington (SOWA) — Washington state’s longtime intermediary for afterschool and youth development programs — will incorporate the credential into its statewide coaching and program quality initiatives.
- California School-Age Consortium (CalSAC) — a statewide network that trains and advocates for out-of-school-time professionals across California — will integrate the credential into the state’s professional development ecosystem across Southern California, in partnership with Woodcraft Rangers.
- The Andy Roddick Foundation’s Learn All the Time Network — a Central Texas network of afterschool and summer learning providers founded by former tennis champion Andy Roddick — will embed the credential within its OST Essentials professional learning model, alongside Foundation Communities, to support practitioners in the Austin region.
- Expanded Learning Alliance (ExpandLA) — a regional intermediary supporting and advocating for expanded learning programs across Los Angeles County — will integrate the credential into regional professional learning opportunities, testing its role as both a practice-based experience and an early milestone in career advancement.
“The youth development profession has long deserved a competency-based credential that reflects the skills and expertise practitioners demonstrate every day,” said Gina Warner, Chief Executive Officer of NAA. “We’re honored to work alongside organizations that share our commitment to strengthening the workforce and ensuring practitioners have access to meaningful opportunities for professional recognition and growth.”
The implementation pilot is generously supported by The Wallace Foundation, a national philanthropy that funds initiatives to advance education leadership, the arts, and youth development. As implementation begins, NAA and its partners will gather insights from participating organizations and practitioners to inform future adoption of the credential across the field.
About Camp Fire
Growing up is hard. That’s why Camp Fire connects young people to the outdoors, to others, and to themselves. Founded in 1910, Camp Fire was the first nonsectarian, multiracial organization for girls, but today is an inclusive national youth development nonprofit that serves all young people. By creating safe spaces where young people can have fun and be themselves, its 39 affiliates in 20 states and the District of Columbia provide affirming, year-round, youth-driven experiences across 851 program sites. Through camps, after-school programs, outdoor education, and youth leadership initiatives, Camp Fire serves over 102,000 youth and families each year — helping them build essential skills, make lasting connections, and create a positive impact on the world. Learn more at campfire.org.
About the National AfterSchool Association (NAA)
NAA is the national membership organization for professionals who work with and on behalf of children and youth during out-of-school time. NAA’s mission is to promote development, provide education, and encourage advocacy for the out-of-school-time community to further the afterschool profession.
