American Youth Policy Forum

THE ORGANIZATION'S PURPOSE IS TO PROVIDE LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES, TO PERFORM RESEARCH AND PUBLISH RESOURCES USEFUL TO POLICY MAKERS AND OTHERS WORKING ON YOUTH-RELATED ISSUES AT THE LOCAL, STATE AND NATIONAL LEVELS.

PATHWAYS TO COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS AND SUCCESS - ACTIVITIES UNDER THIS AREA HIGHLIGHT POLICIES, PROGRAMS, AND STRATEGIES TO IMPROVE THE ACADEMIC PREPARATION AND PERFORMANCE OF YOUNG PEOPLE, HELP THEM GRADUATE HIGH SCHOOL, AND BE PREPARED FOR POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION AND CAREERS. MULTIPLE PATHWAYS CONNECT MIDDLE SCHOOL, HIGH SCHOOL, POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION, EMPLOYERS, AND THE WORKFORCE SYSTEM TO ENSURE STUDENTS GAIN THE SKILLS NEEDED FOR TODAY'S WORKFORCE. OVER THE PAST YEAR, WE HELD EVENTS THAT EXAMINED HOW COLLEGE PROMISE PROGRAMS PROVIDE NOT ONLY FINANCIAL SUPPORTS BUT ALSO ACADEMIC SUPPORTS, COUNSELING, AND ADVISING TO HELP STUDENTS GET INTO COLLEGE AND COMPLETE A DEGREE. WE ALSO FOCUSED ON HOW SERVICE PROGRAMS HELP YOUNG PEOPLE DEVELOP THE KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS THAT ARE NEEDED FOR COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS AND SUCCESS.

EXTENDING LEARNING AND SKILL DEVELOPMENT - THIS PROGRAMMATIC AREA EXAMINES HOW YOUNG PEOPLE CAN BE BETTER PREPARED FOR SUCCESS IN TODAY'S LABOR MARKET AND SOCIETY BY ENSURING THAT YOUTH HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO DEVELOP A WIDE RANGE OF SKILLS. IN ADDITION TO ACADEMIC SKILLS, WE EXPLORE OTHER SKILLS SUCH AS SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL, DEEPER LEARNING, EMPLOYABILITY, OCCUPATIONAL, AND PERSONAL MANAGEMENT SKILLS. OUR WORK IN THIS AREA EMPHASIZES STRATEGIES FOR YOUTH TO DEVELOP THESE SKILLS IN NON-SCHOOL SETTINGS, SUCH AS AFTERSCHOOL AND WORK-BASED LEARNING.

PERSONALIZED LEARNING - EDUCATIONAL SETTINGS NEED TO BE PERSONALIZED BASED ON THE ACADEMIC, SOCIAL, AND EMOTIONAL NEEDS, INTERESTS, STRENGTHS, AND CAREER AND LIFE GOALS OF EACH STUDENT. YOUTH SHOULD EXPERIENCE SUPPORTIVE, ENGAGING, AND DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE LEARNING SETTINGS THAT CHALLENGE THEM AND BUILD UPON THEIR INTERESTS, SKILLS, AND COMPETENCIES. WORK IN THIS AREA HAS INCLUDED A FORUM FOCUSED ON HOW COMPETENCY-BASED EDUCATION AND PERSONALIZED LEARNING HAVE ADVANCED IN THE COUNTRY AND HOW NUMEROUS STATES AND DISTRICTS ARE PROMOTING PERSONALIZED LEARNING FOR ALL STUDENTS.

WRAPAROUND SUPPORTS - THIS PROGRAMMATIC AREA FOCUSES ON ENSURING THAT SYSTEMS-INVOLVED YOUTH ARE PROVIDED COMPREHENSIVE SUPPORTS FROM MULTIPLE AGENCIES AND PROGRAMS TO MEET THEIR SPECIFIC NEEDS. A MAJOR STRAND OF OUR WORK FOCUSES ON BETTER UNDERSTANDING THE CHALLENGES THAT YOUTH IN THE FOSTER CARE AND JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEMS FACE AS THEY TRANSITION FROM HIGH SCHOOL TO POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION AND CAREERS AND HIGHLIGHTS EFFECTIVE PROGRAMS THAT SUPPORT THEM. WE EXAMINED HOW JUVENILE JUSTICE AND CHILD WELFARE SYSTEMS WORK TOGETHER TO SUPPORT YOUTH AND FAMILIES. WE ALSO LOOKED AT PROGRAMS THAT DIVERT CHILDREN AND YOUTH FROM THE CHILD WELFARE AND JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEMS AND HOW STATES ARE PREPARING TO IMPLEMENT THE FAMILY FIRST PREVENTION SERVICES ACT AND THE JUVENILE JUSTICE AND DELINQUENCY PREVENTION ACT.