What We Do

What Is Youth Development?

Training and Quality Improvement

Networking

Policy and Planning

Youth Engagement - YDN Youth Interns

What Is Youth Development?

Concept:
A process by which all young people seek ways to meet their basic physical and social needs and to build competencies (knowledge and skills) necessary to succeed in adolescence and adulthood.

Practice:
An approach to working with young people that intentionally helps youth meet developmental needs, builds their capacity, and provides relationships and connections needed for their success.

The youth development approach is based on over 40 years of research in the youth development asset development and resiliency fields.

Youth Development Principles:
-Problem free is not fully prepared
-Single focus strategies don’t work
-Development happens across all settings
-All young people need the same supports and opportunities
-Youth should not be viewed as service recipients
-Youth engagement and high levels of participation are important

Framework for Practice:
The YDN bases its work on the framework created by Community Network for Youth Development (CNYD). The CNYD is a youth development intermediary in the Bay Area. The Youth Development Framework for Practice is based on the research of Michelle Gambone and James P. Connel. The research shows that children and youth who have certain supports and opportunities are more likely to achieve positive developmental outcomes. These outcomes include: being productive (graduating, becoming employed or going to college); being able to navigate (solve problems, know where to get help, manage living situations) and be connected (have healthy relationships, contribute to the community, belong to groups).

The framework identifies five key supports and opportunities that contribute to the outcomes: access to emotional and physically safe environments; caring, healthy relationships; opportunities to participate (voice and choice); opportunities to contribute and know the community and opportunities to build skills in engaging and challenging ways.

Youth Development Resources:
Click here for additional websites and tools related to Youth Development.

For more information about youth development initiatives, please contact Bina Lefkovitz by calling 916.231.5333 x 22 or .

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Policy and Planning

Capital Region Ready by 21 Coalition

The Capital Region Ready by 21 Coalition is committed to the goal that all Sacramento area children and youth are ready for college, work and life by the age of 21. To be successful, everyone in the community must play a role and collectively share in the responsibility for the achievement of this commitment.  Government, school districts, business, community based organizations, faith based organizations, and philanthropy can all play a role in creating an environment and providing the supports and opportunities  that result in success for our young people.
The Coalition’s mission is to improve public and political will, align policies and enhance systems and structures to support the healthy development of children and youth.  In partnership with the Sacramento County Children’s Coalition, the City of Sacramento’s Office of Youth Development, other organizations and the youth in our community, the Coalition is committed to ensuring that all children and youth in our region maintain a quality of life that includes safe neighborhoods, schools, housing, nutritious food, health care, and equitable access to resources and experiences.   

Fulfilling these promises will create a community that:

• INVESTS  IN CHILDREN AND YOUTH as our region’s highest priority, including creating  partnerships
  among public, private, and community based sectors in order to provide a comprehensive, coordinated
  system of care, support and opportunities;
•  Fosters CARING ADULTS who are actively involved in the lives of children and youth, including parents, teachers, mentors, coaches and neighbors.  These adults will be supported with the resources and skills
  and have the economic security necessary to raise and nurture successful children;
• Provides SAFE PLACES that exist for youth in their homes, neighborhoods, and schools that are
  physically and emotionally safe, free from youth/gang violence, racial discrimination, hate, and that offer constructive use of time in interesting and relevant  ways;
• Ensures a HEALTHY START that meets the basic needs of children and youth.  This will require
  investing in prevention approaches to ensure the healthy development of children and youth both
  physically and mentally, beginning with prenatal care and continuing through young adulthood.  This
  also includes ensuring affordable housing, economic security and access to health care for all children,
  youth and their families;
• Ensures an EFFECTIVE EDUCATION and 21st century skills, making certain that in-school and
  out-of-school learning experiences result in all Capital Region children and youth graduate  from 
  high school with the skills and competencies necessary to be successful in post secondary education
  and work in the 21st Century economy;
• Provides opportunities for children and youth to PARTICIPATE AND BE INVOLVED IN THE
  COMMUNITY.  All children and youth should have the resources to make a difference through
  civic engagement and have the opportunity, knowledge and skills to positively impact their families and communities through belonging, input, leadership and service;

Furthermore, the Coalition believes that adequate resources and a high quality human services workforce are critical for children and youth serving organizations to deliver effective services for children, youth and families, and that it is imperative to monitor and routinely report on community-wide asset and risk indicators of childhood health and well being.

The Coalition, led by a Leadership Team representing the City of Sacramento, Sacramento County Office of Education, Sacramento City Unified School District, People Reaching Out, the California Department of Education, the Sacramento County Children’s Coalition, and the Youth Development Network, is currently engaged in the following activities:

• Applied for and received a $15,000 grant from the Forum for Youth Investment to support building
  the relationship between the Coalition, the City, and local youth service providers.
• Developing the Sacramento Region Compact for Children and Youth
• for government, school district, business, and non-profit leaders who desire to participate in the work
  and will commit to engaging in strategies that promote the success of children and youth.
• Developing a Capital Region resource guide that includes information on student achievement and
  well-being as well as resources for parents and care-givers to support their child’s success. 
• Planning a spring convening April 28 to bring government, school district, business, and non-profit
  leaders together to learn about the status of youth and make commitments about how and where they
  can help. 
• Providing policy and advocacy training for over 100 youth who will participate in planning and
  implementing the convening and advocate for their issues in the Region.

Over time, the Coalition sees itself as a facilitative organization, advocating for policy change that supports youth success and funneling organizations and individuals into positions where they can positively impact the lives of youth.

Get Involved ...learn more

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Youth Engagement - YDN Youth Interns

Youth Engagement is perhaps the most critical, and most challenging, aspect of our work with youth. 

Thanks to generous funding from the Sutter Medical Center-Sacramento, in 2006 the YDN was able to hire four youth interns from local high schools to become co-facilitators of the YDN’s 2006 convenings and one-day trainings.  And again in 2007 the YDN has two returning and three new youth interns from local high schools.  These youth receive intensive training in: youth development, facilitation, presentation, public speaking, meeting/event planning, organizational skills, group process/teamwork, and marketing.  The youth interns are critical members of the YDN team with skills in: public speaking, working with groups of people, and organizing and facilitating meetings and events that are effective and enjoyable.   

In 2006, the YDN Youth Interns served as co-facilitators or co-trainers for the following: Youth Development 101 training - Intel Interns’ Icebreaker day – Retreat – Convening: “Positive strategies to reduce youth violence” – Workshops at the Jumpstart 21 Conference at Sac High – YDN Planning Team meetings – Youth Engagement training.  For 2007, the YDN Interns will be involved in the Youth Engagement Learning Community training and coaching in addition to the Youth Development 101 session and other various workshops, convenings and meetings.

If you're interested in learning more about YDN Youth Interns, please click here.

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