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This report explores three important trends and their implications: 1) Our understanding of how to best address the problems and needs of youth, 2) there is interest within the field that provides fresh impetus for youth as change agents, and 3) youth are increasingly tackling challenges in their community.

To further the exploration of the changing role of community development organizations (CDOs) in youth development work, the Ford Foundation retained Community Development Associates, Inc., (CDA) in January of 1998 to conduct an investigation of the interconnection between youth development work and that of community-based organizations.

This report is a compilation of three case studies of New York City organizations that have started Beacons, school-based community centers that offer young people and families a wide array of opportunities to engage in youth development and community building.

This paper is a persuasive overview of theoretical and practical evidence of youth and community development as convergent goals or strategies prepared by Michele Cahill, Director of the Youth Development Institute of the Fund for the City of New York. Accompanying this piece is a case study of Youth Development, Inc., a youth-serving organization that has now established a CDC.

This paper, which builds on a presentation made at a INTRODUCTION COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND YOUTH DEVELOPMENT December 1996 Wingspread conference, is accompanied by case studies of three community development corporations that have significant youth programming and involvement.

As the year comes to a end, several projects at the Forum are reaching major milestones. The Ready by 21 Quality Counts sites celebrated the end of the first year and planned ahead to the second and final year of the initiative.

By Karen Pittman, December 2008

The core belief here at the Forum for Youth Investment – that all young people should be Ready by 21 – ready for college, work and life – often provokes public criticism.  The exchanges typically go like this:

“Not every young person needs to go to college,” calls out one person from an audience. True, I say, but all should be ready to.

Change is coming. Not just to the White House, but to Ready by 21 communities across the country. Stay tuned for exciting updates on our Ready by 21 rollout plans in the next issue of Forum Flash. Also check out our 3 latest publications, a Michigan Dropout Summit and more!