Download - THE READY BY 21 CHALLENGE:
THE READY BY 21 CHALLENGE:Ensuring that Every Young Person is Ready for College, Work & Life
Thaddeus FerberThe Forum for Youth Investment
© The Forum for Youth Investment 2008
The American DREAM
All Youth are Ready for College, Work and Life.
Every Family and Community are Supportive.
Each Leader is Working in Collaboratively and Effectively.
© The Forum for Youth Investment 2008
The American REALITY
Too Few Youth are Ready.Only 4 in 10 are doing well.(source: Gambone, Connell & Klem, 2002)
Too Few Families and Communities are Supportive.Fewer than 2 in 5 youth have the supports that they need.
(source: America’s Promise Alliance National Promises Survey)
Too Few Leaders are Aligned.
© The Forum for Youth Investment 2008
We Know What it Takes to Support Development…
• The National Research Council reports that teens need:• Physical and Psychological Safety• Appropriate Structure• Supportive Relationships• Opportunities to Belong• Positive Social Norms• Support for Efficacy and Mattering• Opportunities for Skill-Building• Integration of Family, School and Community efforts
© The Forum for Youth Investment 2008
“Communities should provide an ample array of program opportunities… through local entities that can coordinate such work across the entire community.
Communities should put in place some locally appropriate mechanism for monitoring the availability, accessibility and quality of programs…”
- Community Programs to Promote Youth Development, 2002
…but it takes a coordinated effort
© The Forum for Youth Investment 2008
Education Health & Food Social Services Child & FamilyServices
Mental Health & Probation
Mom Dad 9 year old 5 year old Mom’s sister
Boyfriend in trouble
Baby 1 1/2
• Medi-Cal – EPSDT• Healthy Families Parent
Expansion• Child Health & Disability
Program• Expanded Access Primary
Care• Trauma Case Funding• Co-payments for ER Services• Child Lead Poisoning
Prevention Program• HIV/AIDS Prevention &
Education• Breast Cancer Screening• Food Stamps• WIC
• TANF• GAIN, CAL Learn,
Cal WORKS, etc.
• School-Based MH Services for Medi-Cal Kids
• Probation Officers in Schools
• Cardenas-Schiff Legislation
• Health Care Through Probation
• Mental Health Evaluations
• Juvenile Halls
• Child Care – CCDBG, SSBG, Cal WORKS Child Care, etc.
• After-School Programs – 21st Century Learning Centers, etc.
• Promoting Safe & Stable Families
• Child Abuse & Neglect Programs
• Foster Care – Transition, Independent Living, Housing, etc.
• Adoption Assistance, Adoption Opportunities
• Public Schools• ESEA, Title I• School Lunch &
Breakfast• Head Start• IDEA• After-School Programs• Textbook Funding• Tests & Achievement• Teacher Issues• GED
Leadership Initiatives are Fragmented
Children’s Services in LA
County SOURCE:
Margaret Dunkle
© The Forum for Youth Investment 2008
Business as Usual
Disconnected change efforts within a community or network may actually dissipate the energy for change.
the more we focus (on narrow pieces)
the more we fragment (the responses)
the more we fail (our children & youth)
© The Forum for Youth Investment 2008
Ready by 21 helps leaders bring precision to their passion where there is motivation or a mandate to:
• Take Aim• Take Stock• Take Action
Bringing Precision to Passion
© The Forum for Youth Investment 2008
States & Localities
Advocate
Legislator
Governor
School Administrator
Mayor/ County Exec.
Business Executive
Local Foundation President
Intermediary Director
Working Together
© The Forum for Youth Investment 2008
Take Aim on the Big PictureHow are Young People Doing?
Pre-K0–5
School-Age6–10
Middle School11–14
High School15–18
Young Adults19–21+
Ready for College
LEARNING
Ready for Work
WORKING
Ready for Life
THRIVING
CONNECTING
LEADING
© The Forum for Youth Investment 2008
Take Stock of the Big Picture
Pre-K0–5
School-Age6–10
Middle School11–14
High School15–18
Young Adults19–21+
Ready for College
LEARNING
Ready for Work
WORKING
Ready for Life
THRIVING
CONNECTING
LEADING
© The Forum for Youth Investment 2008
Traditional Approach: Pick One Area
Pre-K0–5
School-Age6–10
Middle School11–14
High School15–18
Young Adults19–21+
Ready for College
LEARNINGChildren Enter School Ready to Learn
Ready for Work
WORKING
Ready for Life
THRIVING
CONNECTING
LEADING
© The Forum for Youth Investment 2008
But What Happened to the Rest of the Picture?
Pre-K0–5
School-Age6–10
Middle School11–14
High School15–18
Young Adults19–21+
Ready for College
LEARNINGChildren Enter School Ready to Learn
Ready for Work
WORKING
Ready for Life
THRIVING
CONNECTING
LEADING
Children Enter School Ready to Learn
© The Forum for Youth Investment 2008
Alternative:Learning to Focus Differently
Shifting Red to Yellow,
Yellow to Green
Pre-K0–5
School-Age6–10
Middle School11–14
High School15–18
Young Adults19–21+
Ready for College
LEARNING
Ready for Work
WORKING
Ready for Life
THRIVING
CONNECTING
LEADING
Pre-K0–5
School-Age6–10
Middle School11–14
High School15–18
Young Adults19–21+
Ready for College
LEARNING
Ready for Work
WORKING
Ready for Life
THRIVING
CONNECTING
LEADING
© The Forum for Youth Investment 2008
Ready by 21 National Partnership
• Formal commitment in 2007; represent education, government, nonprofit, business and community philanthropy sectors.
• Combined, they have the capacity to inform, support and champion state and local leaders whose commitments are critical to any major change effort:
• United Way of America (signature partner)• American Association of School Administrators • America’s Promise Alliance • Corporate Voices for Working Families • National Collaboration for Youth • National Conference of State Legislatures • Search Institute• Center for Youth Program Quality
© The Forum for Youth Investment 2008
The Ready By 21 Challenge:Changing the Odds for YouthBy Changing the Way We Do Business
© The Forum for Youth Investment 2008
For More Information…
• [email protected]• http://www.facebook.com/people/Thaddeus_Ferber/215877• www.forumfyi.org• www.youthpolicyactioncenter.org• www.connectforkids.org