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Dear Forum Flash Reader,
Read about the startling unemployment rates of black young men and how Karen Pittman thinks youth programs can provide "shelter from the storm" in her latest Youth Today column. Also this month, read a quick overview of the Ready by 21 Approach in "Bring Precision to Your Passion", hear a recording of the latest Ready by 21 webinar and more.
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Karen's Youth Today Column:
They Won't Stay Outside Forever: Black Young Men and Unemployment
by Karen Pittman
 In her latest Youth Today column, Karen reflects on recent news and statistics and the three young men who knocked on her door after Washington, D.C.'s second snowstorm.
"... [Not] one but three young black men knocked on my door asking if they could shovel the walks. I took a moment to ask each if he was working. Each was looking for work. ... As with the first storm, I paid for help that I didn't really need in order to support a young person.
... According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than half of black male 16- to 19-year-olds are unemployed, twice the national average. This number counts only those who are actively looking for work. Only one in seven young black men actually has a job (the joblessness rate is climbing the fastest for this population.)"
Read Karen's full column here.
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Bring Precision to Your Passion: A Quick Overview  of the Ready by 21 Approach to Data-Driven Decision-Making
Every community and state has dedicated leaders who have taken on the critical task of bringing diverse people and disparate efforts together in order to transform their community or state into a wonderful place to grow up.
These leaders have plenty of passion -- they are looking for precision. They do not have one of the critical resources they need to succeed -- good research and reality-based advice.
Learn how you can bring precision to your passion.
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| Out-of-School Time Policy Commentary #16: Shining a Light on Supervision: Lessons from the Beacons
 This OST policy commentary takes readers inside the world of the Beacons, to understand their approach to supervision. In it, we ask and answer the questions: What does good supervision of youth work professionals look like? How can we strengthen supervision in ways that improve practice and reduce turnover? What is the effect of high-quality supervision on programs' bottom line -- youth participation and retention rates, program quality and organizational capacity?
Read the latest OSTPC.
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 Ready by 21 Webinar: Introduction to the Ready by 21 Challenge
Did you happen to miss our last webinar? In February, we presented an introductory webinar on the Ready by 21 Challenge. This webinar guided participants through the essential components of Ready by 21 -- the Big Picture Vision, Strategic Planning and Priority Setting, Big Picture Changemakers and Ready by 21 Introductory Guides and Materials.
Find the presentation and listen to a recording of the entire session here.
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In the Field
 Ready by 21 Presented at National Conference on Education
From February 11-13, the American Association of School Administrators (AASA) held their National Conference on Education, which brought together two thousand school administrators from across the country. Dan Domenech, Executive Director of AASA, and Quintin Shepherd, Ready by 21 Peer Workgroup Field Superintendent who presented for Karen Pittman (stuck in DC by the snowstorm), provided a rousing and informative Thought Leaders session. In addition to the Thought Leaders session, conference attendees learned more about the Ready by 21 Partnership and several national partners through exhibit booths, including representation by Corporate Voices for Working Families, nFocus Software and Gallup.
Learn more about Ready by 21's presence at the conference.
Strengthening Research on Youth Development
On March 1-2, the Forum facilitated a meeting on behalf of the William T. Grant Foundation focused on mixed methods research. Over 30 scholars came together in Washington, DC for the event, mostly grantees of the Foundation. Presentations and workshops focused on topics such as embedding qualitative research within large-scale experiments, exploring a range of qualitative methods, integrated analysis of qualitative and quantitative data, mixed methods coding, and writing up and publishing mixed methods findings.
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Sincerely,
Karen Pittman and Laura Mattis
The Forum for Youth Investment
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