THE READY BY 21 CHALLENGE: Ensuring that Every Young Person is Ready for College, Work & Life Thaddeus Ferber The 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 EducationHealth & FoodSocial Services Child & Family Services Mental Health & Probation Mom Dad 9 year old5 year oldMom’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 – 21 st 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 Picture How are Young People Doing? Pre-K 0–5 School- Age 6–10 Middle School 11–14 High School 15–18 Young Adults 19–21+ 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-K 0–5 School- Age 6–10 Middle School 11–14 High School 15–18 Young Adults 19–21+ 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-K 0–5 School- Age 6–10 Middle School 11–14 High School 15–18 Young Adults 19–21+ Ready for College LEARNING Children 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-K 0–5 School- Age 6–10 Middle School 11–14 High School 15–18 Young Adults 19–21+ Ready for College LEARNING Children 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-K 0–5 School- Age 6–10 Middle School 11–14 High School 15–18 Young Adults 19–21+ Ready for College LEARNING Ready for Work WORKING Ready for Life THRIVING CONNECTING LEADING Pre-K 0–5 School- Age 6–10 Middle School 11–14 High School 15–18 Young Adults 19–21+ 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 Youth By Changing the Way We Do Business

© The Forum for Youth Investment 2008 For More Information…