The Treu-Mart Youth Development Fellowship Program was created in 2004 to provide professional development and a network of support for adults who work with adolescents. Based on the concept of resiliency, the program is designed to meet the needs and schedules of professionals who work to help middle-school-age youth grow into healthy, responsible young adults.

Families, schools and communities that foster resiliency have three common characteristics: a caring and supportive emotional climate, high expectations, and meaningful opportunities for youth participation. The Treu-Mart Youth Development Fellowship Program aims to help youth-serving agencies further develop these characteristics through support for the professional growth of their staff members.

The Fellowship consists of three components based on research on how adults learn, with emphasis on applying research to practice. The three components are:

Educational experience: Fellows participate in six days of educational programming spread over several months, combining academic learning with experiential learning. Formats include presentations, readings, discussions, and small group work.

Peer support and reinforcement: Small groups of Fellows meet monthly to discuss integrating the resiliency model and youth development principles into their daily work.

Coaching: Technical assistance assists Fellows in incorporating concepts and strategies learned into existing and new programs in their workplace.

Fellows become part of a professional network that provides support and feedback long after the conclusion of the Fellowship period.

The Treu-Mart Youth Development Fellowship Program is a cooperative venture of the Treu-Mart Fund (a supporting organization of The Cleveland Foundation and the Jewish Community Federation of Cleveland) and the Mandel Center for Nonprofit Organizations at Case Western Reserve University.