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Drop-In Sessions
BCYF’s Drop-In Sessions are one-time learning and engagement opportunities that invite youth, neighbors, and community partners to shape the Baltimore Youth Master Plan (YMP) and strengthen Baltimore’s youth ecosystem. Unlike cohort-based programs, these are stand-alone gatherings — designed to be flexible, accessible, and impactful for participants who want to learn, connect, and contribute without ongoing commitment.
From Solution Sessions, and gather! Dinners to Exchange Sessions with city leaders and partners, Drop-In Sessions capture diverse community input and foster intergenerational dialogue. They also include BoardLight, Info Sessions, which provide quick entry points into BCYF for timely knowledge, resource sharing, and orientation to BCYF supports.
Drop-In Sessions show that Baltimore’s youth and grassroots leaders thrive in flexible, one-time sessions that deliver both meaningful relationships and actionable learning.
Part of BCYF’s the learning lab: building skills, connection, and power for Baltimore’s youth ecosystem.
Impact Highlights
- gather! March 2025:
- 89% rated the event Excellent.
- 79% gained new insights into youth development & the Youth Master Plan.
- 95% built relationships they plan to continue.
- 100% felt the space was safe, welcoming, and inclusive.
- gather! May 2025:
- 92% rated their experience Excellent or Good.
- 92% felt the event was inclusive and safe.
- 92% said the collaborative design fostered effective problem-solving.
- 77% built new networking relationships.
What You’ll Gain
- Voice & Input: Real opportunities to shape the Youth Master Plan.
- Practical Knowledge: Timely tools, strategies, and Q&A with facilitators.
- Connections: Space to meet peers, leaders, and community partners.
- Flexibility: No long-term commitment — join when you can.
How It Works
Drop-In Sessions take many forms — each designed to offer flexible, one-time opportunities for learning, connection, and contribution to the Youth Master Plan.
- Kickoff Webinar: Serves as the official launch of the learning lab, offering orientation, inspiration, and a clear overview of the year’s purpose, structure, expectations, and connections to the Youth Master Plan.
- Youth Master Plan Series: Ten monthly sessions aligned with the national model, Youth Program Quality Assessment, designed to build skills like active learning, cooperative learning, reframing conflict, and centering youth voice.
- gather! Dinners: Intergenerational meals that create space for dialogue, storytelling, and community visioning to inform the YMP.
- Exchange Sessions: Engagement opportunities with neighbors, government leaders, and organizations to introduce the YMP process and checkpoints for participation.
- Solution Sessions: Community-driven workshops where participants identify challenges, generate actionable solutions, and elevate priorities that directly inform the Youth Master Plan.
- BoardLight: A board-led series featuring dinners and dialogues on BCYF learning, partnership, and funding opportunities.
Supports Available
BCYF reduces barriers to participation by offering:
- Free registration and meals at events.
- Accessible meeting times (day and evening).
- Both virtual and in-person formats.
Alignment with the Youth Master Plan
Drop-In Sessions advance the YMP by:
- Amplifying Youth Leadership: Ensuring youth are decision-makers, not just participants.
- Expanding Equity & Access: Creating flexible, no-barrier opportunities for learning.
- Fostering Collaboration: Building intergenerational, cross-sector dialogue.
- Strengthening Capacity: Equipping youth workers and grassroots leaders with practical tools.
Upcoming Opportunities
Launch & Orientation
- Kickoff Webinar — Launch of the 2025–2026 the learning lab.
Fall 2025 — Virtual
Youth Master Plan Series (10 Sessions)
- Session 1 – Intro to Active-Participatory Approach
September 25, 2025 — Virtual - Session 2 – Building Community
October 23, 2025 — In-person - Session 3 – Ask Listen Encourage
November 6, 2025 — In-person - Session 4 – Reframing Conflict
December 4, 2025 — In-person - Session 5 – Active Learning
January 15, 2026 — In-person - Session 6 – Structure and Clear Limits
February 5, 2026 — In-person - Session 7 – Self-Regulated Learning & Homework Help
March 19, 2026 — In-person - Session 8 – Cooperative Learning
April 9, 2026 — In-person - Session 9 – Planning and Reflection
May 7, 2026 — In-person - Session 10 – Youth Voice
June 11, 2026 — In-person
BoardLight: Board Info Sessions
- BoardLight: Fall Info Session — Dialogue with BCYF’s Board of Directors.
October 16, 2025 — Unity Hall, Baltimore
gather! Dinners: Feedback Forums
- gather! Dinner
January 8, 2026 — Location TBA - gather! Dinner
February 24, 2026 — Location TBA - gather! Dinner
March 4, 2026 — Location TBA - gather! Dinner
April 16, 2026 — Location TBA - gather! Dinner
May 21, 2026 — Location TBA
Ongoing Community Learning
- Exchange Sessions — Two-way dialogue to prepare for launching Baltimore’s first Youth Master Plan.
Starting October 2025— Locations vary - Solutions Sessions — Community-driven workshops feeding directly into the Youth Master Plan.
Scheduled January–August 2026 — Locations vary
Voices from the Community
“I left feeling inspired and hopeful. The conversations showed me that Baltimore has the solutions — we just need to listen to youth and grassroots leaders.” — gather! Participant, March 2025
“I appreciated the inclusivity and openness. It felt like every voice mattered, no matter your role.” — gather! Participant, May 2025
“This was the first space where I felt my ideas were valued equally alongside professionals and board members.” — gather! Participant, March 2025
“The session on collaboration reminded me that we are stronger when we’re in sync.” — Kickoff Participant
