“More than a book about youth work, it’s a call to action.”
About Do No Harm: The Youth Worker’s Promise
Do No Harm: The Youth Worker’s Promise offers a bold and transformative roadmap for youth development professionals who are committed to making a lasting impact while upholding the highest ethical and relational standards. Rooted in real-world experience and grounded in trust, this book outlines 15 powerful commitments that serve as both a compass and a challenge—to lead with integrity, prioritize relationships, and ensure that our efforts do no harm. Whether you’re new to the field or a seasoned practitioner, this book invites you to reflect deeply, act intentionally, and join a growing movement of youth workers who put care, accountability, and connection at the center of their practice.
At its core, the book challenges youth workers to adopt a Do No Harm ethos—prioritizing intentionality, cultural humility, and deep self-awareness in their day-to-day work. Each chapter explores a specific commitment, from fostering resilience and building trust to mastering behind-the-scenes excellence and pursuing ongoing personal and professional growth.
More than a book, this is a call to action. A movement that urges us to lead with purpose, build with compassion, and remain deeply grounded in the promise and potential of young people.
Why This Book Matters
Youth work is one of the most demanding and relationally complex professions. Yet the field often lacks a universal set of standards for excellence and ethical grounding. Do No Harm: The Youth Worker’s Promise fills that gap, offering a practical and inspiring framework for anyone committed to transformative youth practice.
This book doesn’t just call for change—it equips youth workers to embody it.
About the Author
Don Carpenter is a nationally respected youth development practitioner with over 35 years of experience co-creating relationship-centered, community-based initiatives that prioritize the well-being and long-term success of young people.
His career began at age 19 in Camden, New Jersey, where a formative experience working with UrbanPromise ignited a life-long calling to this work. That early passion eventually brought him to rural Maine, where he helped co-create Trekkers, Inc., a nationally recognized, evidence-based six-year mentoring model built around deep, sustained relationships with youth. Don led Trekkers for 18 years, supporting its growth into a model of ethical, impactful youth development.
Building on that foundation, Don worked alongside community partners to launch the Aspirations Incubator, a statewide initiative helping rural communities design youth programming that raises aspirations and fosters belonging for middle and high school students.
He later helped co-create the Rural Youth Institute, a youth development incubator that equips practitioners and organizations with the tools, training, and technical assistance needed to deepen their impact and support at-promise youth across rural America.
Don currently leads Carpenter Company Consulting, a values-based organization that supports mission-driven organizations and youth professionals through coaching, strategic advising, and training grounded in trust, equity, and relational practice
When he’s not working, Don splits his time between Tenants Harbor, Maine, and Naples, Florida, where he enjoys the outdoors with his wife and children. Whether launching new initiatives, mentoring emerging leaders, or navigating complex partnerships, Don remains guided by a simple belief: you can only lead others as far as you’re willing to lead yourself.
