© 2006

Changing the Odds for Youth: A Call for Organizational and

Community Leadership

Presented by Karen Pittman, Executive Director, The Forum for Youth Investment

© 2006

American Dream: All Youth Ready; Every Family and Community Supportive; Each Makes a Difference

American Reality: Only 4 in 10 ready, only 1 in 3 supported; too few making a difference. Why?

© 2006

Fragmented Efforts

Outcomes

AgesSettingsSupports Stakeholders

Strategies

© 2006

The Ready by 21 Challenge:To Change the Odds for Children and Youth

by Changing the Way we Do Business. Outcomes

Ages SettingsSupports Stakeholders

Strategies

© 2006

We Advocate for the Use of a Big Picture Approach

• Take Aim

• Take Stock

• Take Action

• Make Progress

© 2006

We Provide Basic “Conceptual” Tools Such as those in the Workbook

About Young People

How “Ready” are your Young People?

Who’s Not Ready?

What’s Behind the Numbers?

About Communities

How Supportive is Your Community?

How Many Promises Have Been Met?

How Well do Systems and Settings Provide Needed Supports?

About Leaders and ChangeDoes your Community Have the Change Horsepower it Needs?

© 2006

We Provide Training and TA for those needing “power” tools

• Program Landscape Mapping• Program Quality Assessment• Workforce Status Surveying• Program Quality Improvement Planning

– Workforce Development Asset Maps– Training curricula and Turnover reduction planning

• Public/Private “Demand” development• Resource Assessment• Community and Cross-System Strategic Planning• “Change maker/change structure” coaching

© 2006

Wanted: Fully Prepared Youth

© 2006

The Need: Well-Prepared Youth

“The continued ability of states to compete in the global economy hinges on how well they enable their

younger citizens to attain the competencies and social attributes necessary to ultimately fuel

economic growth and contribute to the well-being of their families and communities.”

— National Governors Association’s Center for Best PracticesOctober 2003

© 2006

Ready for WorkYouth Employment Outcomes

Ready for College

Academic Outcomes

Ready for LifeYouth Development Outcomes

21st Century Skills & Content

Information & Media LiteracyCommunication

Critical & Systems ThinkingProblem Solving

Creativity, Intellectual CuriosityInterpersonal Skills

Self-DirectionAccountability and Adaptability

Social ResponsibilityFinancial LiteracyGlobal Awareness

Civic Literacy

Cultural, Physical & Behavioral Health Knowledge & Skills

Specific Vocational Knowledge & Skills

To Deliver 21st Century Skills & Content: The Common Core of Ensuring All Youth are Ready

Subject Matter Knowledge

Community partners are calling for and contributing to the development of broader skills and knowledge.

© 2006

Too Few Young People Are Ready

© 2006

New Employer Survey Finds Skills in Short Supply

On page after page, the answer to the report title – Are They Really Ready to Work? –

was a disturbing “NO.”

Employers ranked 20 skill areas in order of importance. The top skills fell into five categories:

» professionalism/work ethic, » teamwork/collaboration, » oral communications, » ethics/social responsibility » reading comprehension.

© 2006

Employer survey

How critical are these skills? • 7 in 10 employers saw these skills as critical for

entry-level high school graduates, • 8 in 10 as critical for two-year college graduates,• more than 9 in 10 as critical for four-year graduates.

How prevalent?• Employers reported that 4 in 10 high school

graduates were deficient, • Only 1 in 4 of four-year college graduates were

highly qualified.

© 2006

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

© 2006

Do these Supports Really make a Difference? Even in Adolescence?

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

Youth w/ SupportiveRelationships

Youth w/ UnsupportiveRelationships

Ready by end of 12th grade Not Ready

ABSOLUTELY

Gambone and colleagues show that youth with supportive relationships as they enter high school are 5 times more likely to leave high school “ready” than those with weak relationships.

SOURCE: Finding Out What Matters for Youth: Testing Key Links in a Community Action Framework for Youth Development

2.6

© 2006

Do these Supports Make a Difference in Adulthood?

… and those seniors who were “ready” at the end of high school were more than 4 times as likely to be doing well as young adults.

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Ready by 21 Not Ready by 21

Good Young Adult Outcomes

Poor Young Adult Outcomes

SOURCE: Finding Out What Matters for Youth: Testing Key Links in a Community Action Framework for Youth Development

2.7

© 2006

Providing these Supports Can Change the Odds

from 4 in 10 doing well

to 7 in 10 doing well*

.

Gambone/Connell’s research suggests that if all young people got the supports they needed in early

adolescence, the picture could change…

© 2006

Wanted: High Quality, Coordinated

Community Supports

© 2006

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

National Research Council Report Recommendations

© 2006

.. the traditional boundaries between the public school system’s responsibilities and those of other community agencies are

themselves part of the educational problem…and asksand asks

“How can [a] community use all its assets to provide the best education for all our children?”

His answer: His answer:

Community education partnerships

Paul Hill, It Takes a City

Education Expert’s Recommendations

Paul Hill, a leading education researcher at the University of Washington suggests that:

© 2006

Ages

Times of Day

Outcome Areas

•prevention to participation

•cognitive, social, civic, physical

The Challenge for All Community Stakeholders: Filling the Developmental White Space

school

?? ?after-school

At it’s best, school only fills

a portion of developmental

space

© 2006

Families Peer groups Schools and Training Organizations Higher Education Youth-serving organizations CBOs (Non-profit service providers and associations) Businesses (jobs, internships, apprenticeships) Faith-Based organizations Libraries, Parks, Recreation Departments Community-based Health and Social Service Agencies

Who is Responsible for the Rest?

?

© 2006

Why are all these stakeholders needed?

• All learning doesn’t happen in schools. Critical learning can and does happen outside of schools for every kind of student.

• All students are not in school. Not all students who need to learn are in school (nationally,32% do not graduate on time).

• All students in school are not learning. Those in school are frequently not absorbed in learning because teachers have not had to master the art of creating youth-centered learning environments.

These are not indictments of schools. They are facts that have to be considered if we are going to ensure that every student is

ready for college, work and life.

© 2006

To Provide Consistent Supports: across the settings where young people spend their time

WHEN

WHERE?In the School Building

During the School

Day

Out of School Time

In the Community There is increasing evidence that the characteristics of good learning environments are the same across the range of settings where learning happens.

School Classrooms & Spaces

Libraries, Museums, Colleges, Businesses

Extracurriculars Community Schools

Families, CBOs, Faith, Parks & Rec, Community Centers

Formal Learning

Enriched Learning

Informal & Applied Learning

© 2006

*A r t ,

D e v e lo p m e n t o f In it ia t iv e

-0 . 2

0

0 . 2

0 . 4

0 . 6

0 . 8

C la s s W i t h F r ie n d s S p o r t s P ro g ra m s *

C o n t e x t

I n t r i n s i c M o t i v a t i o n

C o n c e n t r a t i o n

* A r t , H o b b ie s , O r g .

R e e d L a rs o n : A m e r ic a n P s y c h o lo g is t , J a n u a ry 2 0 0 0

R e s e a rc h o n In it ia t iv e

To Foster Initiative: All settings have equal potential, all do not currently deliver

© 2006

Wanted:Wanted:Cross-System Commitments Cross-System Commitments

to Qualityto Quality

© 2006

The NRC Report Affirms that Some Environments are Actually Toxic

© 2006

The Systems and Settings Where Youth Spend their time

© 2006

Developmental Supports

#1Education

#2Juvenile Justice

#3 #4 #5

Doing Well

Doing Harm

Doing Well

Doing Harm

Doing Well

Doing Harm

Doing Well

Doing Harm

Doing Well

Doing Harm

Basic Services ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏

Physical and Psychological Safety

❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏

Appropriate Structure ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏

Supportive Relationships

❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏

Opportunities to Belong

❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏

Positive Social Norms ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏

Support for Efficacy and Mattering

❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏

Opportunities for Skill Building

❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏

Can we measure quality across them? Use a common lens to assess systems and settings

© 2006

YES. If we get to the core of youth-adult interactions.

• Point of service quality is the space where kids, adults and resources come together. It emphasizes the after-school experience from the perspective of the youth – meaning that quality is defined in terms of access to key experiences by all youth in the program.

• Converging research suggests improving POS quality adds value in the most important youth outcome areas.

High/Scope 2005

© 2006

Engagement

Interaction

Supportive Environment

Safe Environment

Youth Centered Policies & Practices

High Expectations

Access

•Set goals and make plans

•Make choices •Reflect

•Partner with adults

•Lead and mentor •Be in small groups•Experience a sense of belonging

•Reframing conflict

•Encouragement

•Skill building•Active engagement

•Appropriate session flow •Welcoming atmosphere

•Healthy food and drinks

•Program space and furniture •Emergency procedures and supplies

•Physically safe environment

•Psychological and emotional safety

• Staff development• Supportive social norms• High expectations for

young people• Committed to program

improvement

• Staff availability and longevity

• Program schedules• Barriers addressed• Families, other orgs,

schools

• Staff qualifications support positive youth development

• Tap youth interests & build skills• Youth influence setting and activities• Youth influence structure and policy

High/Scope Educational Research

Foundation:

“Point of service” assessments

Maintaining and Improving Program Quality: New Research, New Impetus for Investments

© 2006

Program Quality Drops as the Expectations increase

Scores Across Diverse Samples Trained outside observers Self assess

Program Offering LevelMixed N=140

School Age N=12

21st Elem N=15

21st MSN=26

I. Safe environment 4.35 4.10 4.38 4.39

II. Supportive environment

3.75 3.14 3.69 4.16

III. Interaction 3.11 2.97 2.93 3.73

IV. Engagement 2.83 1.70 2.71 3.37

© 2006

Program Quality Improves with Training and Capacity Building

Across settings, POS Quality decreases with movement up the pyramid from safety to engagement.

The High/Scope research strongly suggests that best way to improve “POS Quality” is to: – Reduce staff turnover– Increase training, professional development and on-

site support– Increase opportunities for young people to have input

and share control

© 2006

QUALITY COUNTS, QUALITY COSTS, and YOUR LEADERSHIP IS REQUIRED

• Improving youth outcomes requires improving community supports.

•Improving community supports requires adequate investments in infrastructure – in the things that ensure that learning environments are plentiful and positive.

• This means redoubled commitments from public and private leaders to focus on increasing the quantity and quality of supports for youth.

© 2006

How do We Change from Business as Usual?

© 2006

We Need to Think Big

Incremental change can be easier to attain, but limited policy improvements for children can frustrate policy advocates and parents when conditions for children are slow to improve.

— Who Speaks for America's Children?

© 2006

Core Supports &

Opportunities

Delinquency

& Violence Pregnancy

& HIV/AIDSD

ropo

uts

&

Illite

racy

Unemplo

ymen

t

Substance Abuse,

Suicide, Depression

Even the smallest communities have too many initiatives

Civic Engagement

Educational Attainment

Physical Health

Vocational Readiness & Success

Social & Emotional Health

© 2006

Ch

ildren

’s Services in

LA

Co

un

ty

SOURCE: Margaret Dunkle

We Need to Alter Our Response Set: … See a Problem, Convene a Task Force, Create a Program….

Has created a tangle of inefficiencies

© 2006

Think Differently

the more we focus (on narrow pieces), the more we fragment (the responses),

the more we fail (our children and youth).

C = D x V x PChange = Dissatisfaction x Vision x Plan

The Harvard Change Model suggests that the likelihood of change increases exponentially as any of these factors gets stronger.

But disconnected change efforts may actually dissipate the energy for change.

© 2006

Big Picture Vision: Core Assumptions About Youth

Communities Need to Ensure That

throughout their developmental years Age Groups e.g., Early childhood, High School, Young adults

and throughout their waking hours Time e.g., During School, After School, Summer

All Children and Youth

need constant access to a range of services, supports and opportunities

Supportse.g., Basic Care, Challenging

Experiences, Relationships

in the settings where they spend time Settings e.g., Families, Youth Organizations, Schools

in ways that address challenges, strengthen skills and connections

Goals e.g., Protection/Treatment, Prevention, Preparation

in order to be well-prepared for college, work and life

Outcomese.g., Learning, Working,

Thriving, Contributing

Achieve to Their Full Potential

and get additional supports, if needed. Challenges Poverty, Race, Disability, ESL.

© 2006

Big Picture Vision: Building on the Core Assumptions about Youth

Big Picture Vision »Youth-Centered »Research-based»Actionable

– using the core assumptions

taking what we know about young people and how they develop

to build our strategic planning framework.

© 2006

Pre–K0–5

Children6–11

Youth12–17

Young Adults18–20+

Ready for

College

Cognitive/ academic

development

Ready for Work

Vocational development

Ready for Life

Physical development

Social/ emotional

development

Civic and cultural

development

Take Aim on the Big Picture of Youth Outcomes

© 2006

Create Big Ticket Assessments: Take Stock of Youth Outcomes Using a Set of Key Indicators

Pre–K0–5

Children6–12

Youth13–19

Young Adults20–24

Families and Communities

Ready for College

Cognitive/ academic

development

Ready for Work

Vocational development

Ready for Life

Physical development

Social/ emotional development

Civic and cultural development

© 2006

Take Stock of Public & Private Community Supports Using a Common Set of Performance Measures

Setting A Setting B Setting C Setting D Setting E

Safety & Structure

Relationships & Belonging

Skill-Building Opportunities

Opportunities to Contribute

Basic Services

© 2006

Alternative: Keeping Focused on the Big Picture

Pre–K0–5

Children6–12

Youth13–19

Young Adults20–24

Families and Communities

Ready for College

Cognitive/ academic

development

Ready for Work

Vocational development

Ready for Life

Physical development

Social/ emotional development

Civic and cultural development

Pre–K0–5

Children6–12

Youth13–19

Young Adults20–24

Families and Communities

Ready for College

Cognitive/ academic

development

Ready for Work

Vocational development

Ready for Life

Physical development

Social/ emotional development

Civic and cultural

development

shifting red to yellow, yellow to

green

Big Picture Change Planning

© 2006

The Ready by 21 Roadmap

Big Tent Partnerships that take Shared Accountability

for a Big Picture Vision and work to develop

Integrated Strategies, and

Sustainable Change Structures, to achieve

Big Impact Results

© 2006

Support Big Picture Change Makers: Support the Individuals and Organizations Who Are Trying to Connect the Dots

Individuals and organizations with the capacity, motivation and authority to work across initiatives and entities to achieve a shared goal.

© 2006

The Ready by 21 Challenge:To Change the Odds for Children and Youth

by Changing the Way we Do Business.

Moving the small gear

makes a big difference

© 2006

www.forumfyi.org