Boys Town Pennsylvania

Choudhury Hopes to Carry Over Lessons Learned

Salma Choudhury knew participating in the Administrative Training Program meant expanding her knowledge of Boys Town in the most resourceful way.

“Training at the Home Campus provided the best possible learning environment,” Choudhury said. “I had the opportunity to experience working at the site with the model program.”

Choudhury, a New Orleans native, joined the Boys Town family in 1997 after receiving her bachelor’s degree in fine arts from New York University and her master’s degree in social work from Columbia University. Choudhury spent several years at the New York and Pennsylvania sites before temporary relocation to the site in her home city. After serving a 6-month temporary post as Director of Public Operations at the New Orleans site, she was approached about participating in the Administrative Training Program.

“I was offered the opportunity to participate in the training program,” Choudhury said. “It was the chance to develop and be exposed to the Boys Town model.”

Choudhury packed her things and arrived on Home Campus in February. She has actively participated in the hands-on aspect of the Administrative Training Program, including the Assistant Family-Teacher practicum and site evaluation and consultation.

Choudhury learned many things during her months of training that she will take with her in her new role. She said the most pertinent is the importance of an effective consultation system.

“The most significant thing I’ve learned is the role of consultation as a support system for the maintenance of the ethical treatment of kids,” Choudhury said. “I got the opportunity to see programs with little or no consultation programs, then I got to see the polar opposite at Home Campus. Before, I thought consultation was important, but not necessary. Now I understand how necessary it is to provide the best support system for building the healthiest treatment of kids by.”

Choudhury said the many people who work with the youth need a consultation or support system to depend on when they need help.

“I think of it as if the direct care staff are like boxers in the ring and the supervisors and administrative support systems are like the coaches in their corner,” she said. “When the boxer gets knocked down, he goes to the coach who patches him up, gives him more strategy, cheers him on and sends him back out to win the fight.”

Choudhury will take the skills she acquired in the Administrative Training Program to her new post as the Director of Program Operations for the Pennsylvania site. She is carrying one central goal with her to the new position.

“My main goal is to develop an effective and supportive learning and coaching environment for staff and administration,” Choudhury said. “We have a long way to go to reach our potential in terms of model fidelity, but with a positive learning environment in place, we will have the foundation to get us there.”