At the Youth Service Bureau of Jay County, we believe that doing meaningful work starts with having a strong, connected, and supported team. That is why we hold three agency-wide meetings each year—not just to share information, but to learn together, build relationships, celebrate our team, and, most importantly, have some fun!

Our most recent agency meeting was a great example of what makes working at the YSB special.

Starting the Day Together

We began the day the way we typically do with staff check-ins and agency updates. These regular opportunities to connect help everyone stay informed about what is happening throughout the agency and give staff from different programs a chance to hear what is going on with coworkers.

Then it was time to get everyone moving with Employee Scavenger Hunt Bingo.

Staff were given bingo cards filled with different statements and challenges. The goal was to move around the room and find coworkers who could initial the squares that applied to them. It was a simple activity, but it quickly had people talking, laughing, and learning things about coworkers they may not normally interact with.

Once someone achieved a bingo, their card was entered into a drawing for a prize. Of course, a little friendly competition never hurts!

Practical AI for Daily Impact

After the fun, it was time to learn.

We were excited to have Matt Weaver join us to present “Practical AI for Daily Impact.” The training generated some great conversation about how artificial intelligence can be used to make our work more efficient, what kinds of tasks AI can assist with, and—just as importantly—where the boundaries are.

Staff had the opportunity to ask questions, share ideas, and think about practical ways AI could potentially benefit their daily work. It was a great reminder that professional development isn’t always about learning something completely new—it can also be about learning how to use new tools responsibly and effectively.

Good Food & Good Company

After a morning of learning and activities, everyone was ready for lunch.

A huge thank you to Dusty Hilfiker for firing up the grill and to Kim Atkinson for taking care of the rest of the food. Lunch was delicious and gave everyone a chance to relax, recharge, and spend some time visiting with coworkers.

Because let’s be honest, good food has a way of making a good meeting even better.

Wellness at the YSB

One of the things we incorporate into our agency meetings is a continued focus on the Eight Dimensions of Wellness. At each meeting, we explore two dimensions and connect them to an interactive activity.

This time, we focused on financial wellness and occupational wellness.

For financial wellness, staff participated in a “Would You Rather” activity that encouraged everyone to think about financial decisions, priorities, and the choices we make with our money.

For occupational wellness, we tackled “Build Your Dream Workday.” Staff had the opportunity to think about what makes a workday enjoyable, productive, meaningful, and sustainable.

These activities weren’t about finding one “right” answer. They were about starting conversations and encouraging staff to think about what contributes to their overall well-being both inside and outside of work.

Teamwork…with a Little Bit of Chaos

We wrapped up the day with a team-building challenge planned by Scott Bissell.

The objective sounded simple: work together to move small plastic eggs from one location to another using nothing more than a small wooden skewer.

Simple, right?

Well…sort of.

What followed was a combination of strategy, communication, teamwork, laughter, and just enough chaos to make it memorable. The pictures from the activity tell the story better than words ever could!

More Than Just a Meeting

By the end of the day, we had accomplished quite a bit. We learned about new technology, talked about wellness, shared a meal, competed in bingo, worked together on a ridiculous egg-moving challenge, and spent time getting to know one another.

But perhaps the most important part of the day was something that can’t really be put on an agenda: connection.

The YSB has staff working across multiple programs, and many employees don’t regularly work alongside everyone else in the agency. Our agency meetings give us an opportunity to change that. They allow new employees to meet coworkers from other programs, learn more about the people they work alongside, and experience the culture of the YSB firsthand.

And that culture matters.

We work in a field that can be challenging and demanding, but we also believe that work can be meaningful, supportive, collaborative, and fun. We want our employees to know that they are part of a team, not just a department or a program.

If you’re looking for a workplace where you can make a difference, continue learning, build relationships, and occasionally spend an afternoon trying to move plastic eggs with a wooden skewer, the YSB might just be the place for you.

We’re proud of the work we do, but we’re equally proud of the people who do it.

That’s the YSB difference.