Young people the world over face challenges that prevent them from reaching their fullest potential. Lou Bergholz has spent decades working for children and adolescents from Boston to Zimbabwe, and he found that the caring adult relationship holds the key to supporting them as they navigate their journey to adulthood. More than enrichment programs or activities, young people everywhere need Vital Connections. In this essential resource, Lou offers six powerful techniques that enable youth workers to reach out to, connect with, and positively impact young lives. From using powerful praise and affirmations to making time at the right time, these valuable strategies will foster self-efficacy, healthy decision-making, and resilience. And these tools will help you help young people truly believe they can succeed. What young people need can be varied and complex, whether you’re a counselor, educator, parent, or coach. For many, the stakes are incredibly high. Vital Connections can make all the difference. "In the world of youth development, Lou is one of few people who has broad-ranging practical expertise and experience, as well as a grounding in evidence-based approaches. I am delighted to read this book and learn from his experiences working with young people and their mentors from across the globe." --Kirk Friedrich, senior consultant of Groundswell Education and cofounder of Grassroot Soccer "I can't think of a better person to write on the impact of relationships on young people. Lou's approach to working with child- and youth-serving agencies is an embodiment of all that he believes about the power of positive relationships." --Denise Silverstone, director of national programs at the Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada "While the power of relationships may be well understood, for years and across the globe, Lou has been powerfully breaking it down through tools, examples, and captivating stories showing that we can and must prioritize healthy relationship development with our young people to strengthen them, our communities, and our world." --David Shapiro, CEO, MENTOR: The National Mentoring Partnership "Lou's work serves as a compass for adults to navigate their way toward deeper, more meaningful connections with young people. When Lou charts a course for adults to connect with the young people in their lives, I follow!" -- Matt Streng, senior advisor for youth development at Mercy Corps "If you've ever wanted to pull back the curtain on what creates consistent measurable impact in the lives of children and youth, look no further. Lou's work provides a definitive roadmap to achieving it." --Lee Paiva, founder and CEO of No Means No Worldwide "Lou Bergholz is a pioneer in the designing of innovative programs that facilitate positive relationships with youth impacted by trauma, violence, poverty, and other adverse childhood experiences. He truly understands the complexity of the work with this challenging population, and he has been an inspiration to those of us in the field." --Mia DeMarco, chief operating officer of The Justice Resource Institute "Lou Bergholz is equal parts energizing and empowering. He leads a pragmatic path into the terrain of work with challenging youth, using his deep wisdom, endless enthusiasm, and honest care to clear away obstacles and foster connections. Reading his book is the perfect antidote to the burnout experienced by those of us trying to do good." --Wendy D'Andrea, trauma researcher and expert and assistant professor at The New School "Our connection with Lou was vital! After the Sandy Hook tragedy, we needed help with trauma-sensitive training for our summer camp programs. Lou's experience and expertise was the perfect fit for our needs here in Newtown, and we have been using these vital tools within all of our programing to help grow beyond recovery and into a stronger and healthier community." --Amy Mangold , director of Newtown Parks and Recreation "From a deep well of compassion and a brood of rubber duckies' worth of humor, Lou bursts forth and leads every carefully planned activity to a conclusion that leaves participants thinking, growing, and better. Reader, you are in for a treat. Be brave and welcome it." -- Becca Allen, program officer at Melville Charitable Trust "Lou is a curious and playful challenger of all our assumptions and taken-for-granted ways of creating social impact. His experience, creativity, and commitment to authentic pursuit of solutions spark all of us in the industry to raise our game." --Sarah Murray, US director of Women Win and International Sport and Gender Executive Lou Bergholz is the founder and a managing partner of Edgework Consulting, a Boston-based firm that provides staff/leadership development and capacity building to organizations around the world. An important component of the company's work supports innovative approaches to youth development, particularly among underresourced populations aff