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Professional Training

Description

The Family and Youth Institute offers a wide variety of professional development opportunities. Whether you are in need of a cultural competency training for your team of health professionals and educators or a mentorship workshop to prepare your summer staff, we have what you are looking for!

Benefit from The Family and Youth Institute’s rich array of expertise by scheduling one of our trainings. Our trainers are hand-picked experts in their fields and our curriculum is research-based and customizable to meet the particular needs of your institution. 

Professional Training

If you have any questions about scheduling a professional training or workshop, feel free to contact us!

Mental Health Professionals workshop

As practitioners continue to serve the needs of increasingly diverse patients, it is imperative to be culturally competent and provide services that reduce the disparity in mental health care. The Family & Youth Institute specializes in the mental health needs of Muslims. We provide training for professionals to understand the intersectionality of race/ethnicity, religion, gender, socio-political climate, and focus on service settings that may impact the effective clinical treatment of Muslim patients.

Professional Training

Islam & Muslims within the Clinical Context
(2 hr)

This seminar highlights the importance of clinicians considering their patients’ socio-cultural beliefs and values during the interview, diagnosis, and treatment process.  Muslim beliefs and practices that influence the therapeutic process and implications for effective service delivery will be provided. In addition, the intersectionality of identities, the role of mental health explanatory models, as well as religious values and beliefs will be presented in order to aid mental health and health professionals working with Muslim clients.

Professional Training

Mental Health Interviews with Muslim Patients
(2 hr)

Effective treatment is often based on the clinician’s ability to establish trust with the patients and conduct a thorough mental health interview, which in turn guides treatment interventions. This seminar will guide professionals to effectively assess a Muslim patient’s social and cultural identities, religiosity, acculturative stress, and psycho-social environmental factors that may impact the presenting problems. In addition, professionals will learn techniques to identify the client’s explanatory model of illness and explore culturally stigmatized topics with their patients. This interactive and fast-paced workshop will help staff conduct more effective client mental health interviews.

Professional Training

Counseling Muslims: Building Religious and Cultural Competency with Muslim Clients
(4 hr)

This workshop introduces mental health professionals to the knowledge needed to develop religious and cultural competency when serving Muslim clients within a clinical setting. Information about the Islam and heterogeneity of the Muslim community as well as how it may impact the therapeutic context will be covered in this session. Cultural and religious beliefs about mental illness, information related to Muslim contributions to the field of psychology will also be presented, in order to assist clinicians in providing more culturally and religiously competent care. Considerations for intake assessment, diagnosis, and psychotherapy interventions will be offered and clinicians will be guided to factors that will predict more effective intervention and building of therapeutic alliance with their Muslim clients.

Professional Training

Muslim Youth: Mental Health Issues and Interventions
(3 hr)

While adolescent development is complex with numerous psycho-social changes taking place, Muslim youth often encounter additional challenges that their peers are not exposed to. Clinicians will be introduced to the often complex, intersecting world Muslim youth navigate through. Mental health professionals will be guided to address stigmatized topics, how to contextualize this information within the adolescent’s religious and cultural context, and how to work effectively with both adolescents and caregivers.

If you have any questions about scheduling a professional training or workshop, feel free to contact us!

Communities and Leaders workshop

With students coming from increasingly diverse backgrounds and needs, educators that are able to address the unique needs of their student populations will be more effective in maximizing student connectedness, classroom achievement, and long-term positive impact. The Family & Youth Institute offers professional trainings to assist educators in understanding the educational and psychological needs of Muslim students.

Professional Training

Developing Culturally Responsive School Environments
(3 hr)

As student populations become increasingly diverse, school staff must adapt their delivery of services in a manner that takes into account the dynamics of cross-cultural interactions within schools. This workshop will help staff members develop a sense of their own cultural identities, assumptions, and beliefs, as well as help facilitate a conversation on how it may impact their interactions with students and their parents.

In addition, school staff will explore the influence of socio-cultural factors that impact school culture, and how best to develop and maintain successful partnership with students and families. The seminar will use realistic scenarios, role-playing, and group discussions in order to help staff members internalize the information provided in the seminar.

Professional Training

Beyond Sticks and Stones – The Impact of Bullying and Micro-aggressions on Muslim Students
(2 hr)

With increased Islamophobia in society, Muslim students are reporting greater experiences of micro-aggression and bullying within schools. This workshop explores micro-aggression, bullying, and cyberbullying. In addition, it highlights the times and locations where bullying is most likely to occur, and how staff can more effectively address these issues in their schools for students. Finally, recommendations for inclusive classroom teaching, school culture, and parent-teacher relationships will also be presented.

Professional Training

Muslim Youth: Risk and Resilience
(2 hr)

While adolescent development is complex with numerous psycho-social changes taking place, Muslim youth often encounter additional challenges that their peers are not exposed to. School staff will be introduced to the often complex, intersecting world Muslim youth navigate through, nuances of the risks they encounter, and how best to support their development. Staff members’ increase in cultural knowledge and awareness will be used to strengthen students’ pride in themselves and their cultural identities, enhance cross-cultural interactions, and prepare students academically and socially in order to more effectively engage in our increasingly pluralistic society.

Professional Training

Understanding Muslim Youth Development
(6 hr)

A fast-paced interactive workshop that gives an overview of youth development, explores risk and protective factors, and highlights effective youth empowerment strategies. The instructors guide participants through case-studies and bring to light the latest research on American Muslim youth to help fine-tune their delivery within the school context. This course will outline effective, research-based youth empowering interventions that will assist staff in developing partnerships with their students and their parents.

Professional Training

Mentoring Muslim Youth
(6 hr)

As effective school staff members know, the student-teacher relationship can have long term positive impact in the student’s lives. This workshop will present mentoring skills to teachers, administrators, and staff members in order to strengthen teacher-staff relationship. Participants will learn the science behind mentoring and effective engagement skills to use in school. Nonverbal, verbal, and cross-cultural communication principles will be presented and participants and will engage in role-playing in order to internalize the information presented.

Professional Training

Muslim Youth: Risk and Resilience
(2 hr)

While adolescent development is complex with numerous psycho-social changes taking place, Muslim youth often encounter additional challenges that their peers are not exposed to. School staff will be introduced to the often complex, intersecting world Muslim youth navigate through, nuances of the risks they encounter, and how best to support their development. Staff members’ increase in cultural knowledge and awareness will be used to strengthen students’ pride in themselves and their cultural identities, enhance cross-cultural interactions, and prepare students academically and socially in order to more effectively engage in our increasingly pluralistic society.

Professional Training

Understanding Muslim Youth Development
(6 hr)

A fast-paced interactive workshop that gives an overview of youth development, explores risk and protective factors, and highlights effective youth empowerment strategies. The instructors guide participants through case-studies and bring to light the latest research on American Muslim youth to help fine-tune their delivery within the school context. This course will outline effective, research-based youth empowering interventions that will assist staff in developing a partnership with their students and their parents.

Zakat eligibility of The FYI

The Family & Youth Institute, or The FYI, is a well-known Muslim organization in the United States. It works to promote mental health and wellness by strengthening and empowering individuals, families, and communities through research and education. It has been working for many years to bring Islamic perspectives to understanding and promoting mental health in our communities.

It is dedicated to serving and supporting Muslims – safeguarding our deen, our families, and our future generations. Therefore, the work of The FYI comes in the category of ‘fi sabeelillah’ or the Path of Allah, within the eight categories where Zakat money can be used.

Zakah expenditures are only for the poor and for the needy and for those employed for it and for bringing hearts together [for Islam] and for freeing captives [or slaves] and for those in debt and for the cause of Allah, and for the [stranded] traveler – an obligation [imposed] by Allah, And Allah, is Knowing and Wise.”
(Al-Tawbah 9:60)

According to scholars who widen the meaning of fee sabeelillah to include any activities that promote Islamic growth, The FYI is indeed eligible to receive part of the Zakat funds for its programs and services. I urge Muslims in America to support this organization through their donations, general charity, and through their Zakat. I ask Allah swt to strengthen and guide The FYI to continue its good work in supporting Muslims.

Shaikh Ali Suleiman Ali, PhD

About Shaikh Ali

Sh. Ali Suleiman Ali was born in Ghana where he spent his childhood studying with various Muslim scholars. He then moved to Saudi Arabia and enrolled in the Islamic University of Madina.  He graduated with a degree in both Arabic and Islamic Studies. Dr. Ali went on to complete his Ph.D. in Islamic Studies at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.

Sh. Ali serves on the Advisory Council of The Family & Youth Institute. He is the Senior Imam and Director of the Muslim Community of Western Suburbs in Canton, Michigan. Additionally, he serves as the Director of Muslim Family Services in Detroit and is a council member of the Fiqh Council of North America (FCNA). He is also a member of the North American Imams Federation (NAIF) and the Association of Muslim Jurists of America (AMJA).