Programs and Services

As the youth development and out-of-school time fields expand and mature, practitioners, policy makers and researchers are increasingly rallying around the importance of assessing and improving program quality. A range of tools is now available to support these efforts.

On any given day, scores of young people with limited individual and social capital are simultaneously struggling to exit some systems and enter others: foster care, residential treatment centers, higher education, mental health programs, gainful employment.

Policymakers increasingly view youth development and after-school programs as solutions to a host of problems confronting youth, communities and our country overall. Yet, funds for these programs as a whole are scarce and when resources are devoted to training or workforce development, they appear to be included as afterthoughts or minor priorities.

On October 20-21, Nicole Yohalem presented four workshops at The Bridge From School to Afterschool and Back Conference, sponsored by School's Out Washington. Nicole's sessions focused on Assessing and Improving Youth Program Quality.

Corporate Voices for Working Families (CVWF), a Ready by 21 National Partner, and the Forum co-hosted a Ready by 21 webinar focused on the role of business in supporting youth development.

Austin's Youth Services Mapping System is now being developed and all agencies will be asked to create their profile next spring.