Conditions in Washington, D.C.’s juvenile facilities were not only dangerous and overcrowded when Forum President & CEO Mishaela Durán went to work for the D.C. Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services (DYRS) in 2005, they also provided scant opportunities and services to help youth there succeed in school, work, and life after incarceration. However, a shift to a Positive Youth Justice (PYJ) model that integrated community organizations changed that. More than 15 years later, this model is still the guiding principle at DYRS, and a body of evidence now shows providing developmentally appropriate services to court-involved youth helps set them on a positive trajectory.

For 25+ years, our Training of Trainers (TOT) workshops have provided an immersive and impactful professional development experience. The Youth Work Methods and Youth Work Management TOT workshops equip leaders with the skills, knowledge, and confidence to effectively train those working with young people across diverse ecosystems. With a toolbox of proven and teachable practices that seamlessly integrate into daily interactions with youth, participants are prepared to create a ripple effect that elevates the entire field of youth work.

Discover how Positive Youth Development (PYD) powers leadership, self-confidence, and strong relationships, leading to improved health, education, and job prospects. While widely embraced, PYD lacks a federal definition, causing inequities in outcomes across programs and states. Explore 4 states that define PYD and their common elements in this blog.

Youth-serving systems frequently operate in silos, failing to recognize they are serving the same youth in a disjointed, inefficient and ineffective manner. More collaboration across systems is key to creating an ecosystem approach to positive youth development. Experience and practice have shown there are five key components of successful cross-system collaboration. Read on to learn more.

Afterschool programs can unlock doors to new experiences, opportunities, and even unexpected career journeys.

Highlighting the importance of celebrating Lights on Afterschool every year, a Forum staff member recounts her experience in her own afterschool program and how that led to a career in youth development.

The heart of a positive youth development approach is to ensure that young people are safe and supported to learn and to lead. Yet, genuine youth leadership in youth-serving systems and organizations is not nearly as common as it needs to be for youth-serving fields to realize their potential. One recent bright spot, highlighting the process and the power of supporting youth leadership was the recent study, From Access to Equity: Making Out-of-School Time Spaces Meaningful for Teens From Marginalized Communities, supported by The Wallace Foundation.