As the demand for education and skills grows, states are redesigning policies to meet the realities of a shifting workforce landscape. In response, the BEST Youth Initiative is fostering cross-system collaboration to create pathways for young people to thrive.

In Part 1 of our new blog series, discover how the BEST Youth Initiative is aligning with governors’ workforce agendas and why workforce readiness is a priority across 34 states.

Part 2 will highlight the innovative approaches each participating state is taking.

The Opportunity Index is an interactive data tool that provides a composite of four distinct dimensions of opportunity- economy, education, health, and community. The 2023 Opportunity Index looks at data across those dimensions over several years to offer trends in opportunity across the country. Explore the full report and watch the recorded webinar for a deeper dive into the findings.

The fall season is a great time to review and replenish your toolkit for creating welcoming and supportive environments. Prioritizing getting to know young people, new staff, or new colleagues and creating a plan to stay connected throughout the year will help set a strong foundation for learning and collaboration.

State systems are rising to the challenge of addressing the growing youth mental health crisis in the wake of the pandemic. In this blog, we take a closer look at how states in our BEST Youth Initiative are responding to post-pandemic mental health trends. Through innovative strategies and cross-sector partnerships, these states are driving efforts to support youth well-being and pave the way for a brighter, healthier future.

Low-stakes quality improvement systems in afterschool programs foster creativity, collaboration, and continuous growth, creating supportive environments where both staff and young people can thrive. Discover more about this approach.

Join Tracy Medrano, a Ph.D. student in Learning Sciences and Policy and Forum intern, as she explores into the transformative impact of youth voice, engagement, and resilience. In this blog, she shares firsthand insights from her journey bridging academic research with practical applications in youth development and policy.