THE READY BY 21® CHALLENGE: Ensuring that Every Young Person is Ready for College, Work & Life Karen Pittman, Executive Director The Forum for Youth Investment

THE READY BY 21® CHALLENGE:Ensuring that Every Young Person is Ready for College, Work & Life

Karen Pittman, Executive DirectorThe Forum for Youth InvestmentJuly 2008

© The Forum for Youth Investment 2008

The American DREAM

All Youth Can be Ready.

Every Family and Community Can be Supportive.

Each Leader Can Make a Difference.


The American REALITY

Too Few Youth are Ready.Only 4 in 10 are doing well.

Too Few Families and Communities are Supportive.Fewer than 2 in 5 youth have the supports that they need.

Too Few Leaders are Really Making a Difference.


The American DILEMMA

THE GAP BETWEENVISION AND REALITY HAS TO BE CLOSED

At a time when“Failure is NOT an Option”

(The Hope Foundation)

and “Trying Hard is NOT Good Enough”

(Mark Friedman)


The American DILEMMA

• Fragmentation

• Complacency

• Low Expectations of Youth, Communities and Leaders


The Ready By 21 Challenge:Changing the Odds for YouthBy Changing the Way We Do Business

Youth Outcomes & Community Supports

Too few youth are ready for college, work and life, but we know what they need and if we provide more supports more will succeed.


• 43% are doing well in two lifeareas and okay in one

• Productivity: Attend college, work steadily

• Health: Good health, positive health habits, healthy relationships

• Connectedness: Volunteer, politically active, active in religious institutions, active in community

Too Few Young People are Ready

Doing Well43%

Doing Poorly22%

In the Middle35%

• 22% are doing poorly in two lifeareas and not well in any

• Productivity: High school diploma or less, are unemployed, on welfare

• Health: Poor health, bad health habits, unsupportive relationships

• Connectedness: Commit illegal activity once a month

• Researchers Gambone, Connell & Klem (2002) estimate that only 4 in 10 are doing well in their early 20s.


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


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

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

Youth with SupportiveRelationships

Youth with UnsupportiveRelationships

Ready by End of 12th Grade Not Ready

ABSOLUTELY

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

• 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…


• … 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.

Do these Supports Make a Difference in Adulthood?

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Ready by 21 Not Ready by 21

Good Young Adult Outcomes

Poor Young Adult OutcomesSOURCE: Finding Out What Matters for Youth: Testing Key Links in a Community Action Framework for Youth Development


From 4 in 10 doing well

To 7 in 10 doing well

Providing These Supports CAN Change the Odds

• Gambone/Connell’s research suggests that if all young people got the supports they needed in early adolescence, the picture could change…


But One Third of 6-17 Year Olds Lack the Supports They Need

50% 37%

13%

6 – 11 Years Old

45%30%

25%

12 – 17 Years Old

• According to the America’s Promise Alliance National Promises Survey, only 31% of 6-17 year olds have at least 4 of the 5 promises. 21% have 1 or none.

• The likelihood of having sufficient supports decreases with age:• 37% of 6-11 year olds have at least 4 promises; 13% have 1 or none.• Only 30% of 12-17 year olds have at least 4; 25% have 1 or none.


Civic Social Emotional Physical Vocational Cognitive

Ages

Times of Day

OutcomeAreas

???

The Challenge for All Community Stakeholders:To Fill the Developmental White Space

Morning . . . Night

21

.

.

.

0 School AfterSchool

At its best, school only fills a portion of developmental space


Who is Responsible for the Rest?

• Families• Peer Groups• Schools and Training Organizations• Higher Education• Youth-Serving Organizations• CBOs (Non-Profit Service Providers and Associations)• Businesses (Jobs, Internships and Apprenticeships)• Faith-Based Organizations• Libraries, Parks, and Recreation Departments• Community-Based Health and Social Service Agencies

?

A Growing Consensus: Change is Needed

The business community, for example, is becoming increasingly vocal about the need for better prepared youth and its understanding of what it takes to ensure their success.


21st Century Skills: The Common Core of Ensuring All Youth are Ready

Information & Media LiteracyCommunication

Critical & Systems ThinkingProblem Solving

Creativity, Intellectual CuriosityInterpersonal Skills

Self-DirectionAccountability and Adaptability

Social ResponsibilityFinancial LiteracyGlobal Awareness

Civic Literacy

Cultural & Behavioral Health Skills

Specific Vocational Knowledge & Skills

Subject Matter Knowledge

+

+

+

=

=

=

Ready for Life

Ready for Work

Ready for College


New Employer Survey Finds Skills in Short Supply

• 4 Leading business groups including Corporate Voices for Working Families and the Conference Board joined forces to survey over 400 employers and produce landmark study: Are They Really Ready to Work?

• 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

• The answer to the report –was a disturbing “NO.”


Employers Find These Skills in Short Supply

• 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.)

• Employers reported that 4 in 10 high school graduates were deficient in these areas (Note: Only 1 in 4 of four-year college graduates were highly qualified.)


Corporate Voices for Working FamiliesWorkforce Readiness Principles

• YOUTH: Reach all young people, provide additional supports to youth in disadvantaged situations, and address young people as active participants in designing and implementing solutions.

• LEARNING. Support a full range of learning opportunities across multiple developmental areas; be available in a wide range of settings throughout the day, before, during and after school and throughout the year.

• PROVIDERS. Recruit, train and compensate a professional staff that has the skills, knowledge and attitudes needed to support young people.

20


Corporate Voices for Working FamiliesWorkforce Readiness Principles

• INFRASTRUCTURE. Requires an infrastructure for coordinated and strategic action.

• ACCOUNTABILITY. Utilize multiple assessment mechanisms that measure a range of outcomes and rely on improved collection and use of data.

• ALIGNMENT. Requires educators, business and community leaders to align their goals and strategies.

• PARTNERSHIPS. Requires bringing all relevant stakeholders to the table across sectors and systems.

21


Ready by 21 Core Principles *

ABOUT COMMUNITY SUPPORTS

ABOUT LEADERSABOUT YOUTH• Invest early and often.• Support the whole child.• Focus attention on those

most in need.• Build on strengths, don’t

just focus on problem-reduction.

• See youth and families as change agents, not clients.

• Engage all sectors and stakeholders.

• Coordinate efforts, align resources.

• Inspire and inform the public.

• Children don’t grow up in programs, they grow up in families & communities.

• Support a full range of learning opportunities, formal/informal, in school and out.

• Assess and improve quality, reach and impact across all the places young people spend their time.

• Recruit, train and retain good staff.


Corporate Voices for Working Families

Recommendations for Business *• Corporations Should Create a Coordinated Workforce

Readiness Strategy

• Corporations Should Track Workforce Readiness Training Investments

• Corporations Should Focus Special Attention on Creating Alternative Pathways for Disconnected Youth

• Corporations Should Increase Collaboration Across Sectors

• Corporations Should Increase Their Leadership in the Public Policy Arena

23

Thinking Differently about Change

Increasing family, school and community supports for children and youth requires real changes in the way we do business, starting with changes in the way we frame the issues and prioritieze strategies.


SOURCE:Margaret Dunkle

… See a Problem, Convene a Task Force, Create a Program…

Has Created a Tangle of Inefficiencies

Children’s Services in Los Angeles County


Social & Emotional Health

Core Supports & Opportunities

Delinquency & Violence

Pregnancy & HIV/AIDS

Dropouts & Illiteracy

UnemploymentSubstance Abuse, Suicide, Depression

Civic Engagement

Educational Attainment

Physical Health

Vocational Readiness

& Success

Even the Smallest Communities have Too Many Initiatives


We Need to Align the “Moving Trains” and “Standing Bodies”

MCTP

United Neighbor

hood Centers

Of Greater Roch.

Rochester‘s

ChildYouth 2000

Juvenile

Justice

Council

CCSI TIER

II

Interagency

Council

Comm. Asset

Network

Not Me Not Now

Community

Service Board

Board of

Health

Children & Family

Serv. Subcomm

.

Youth Service

s Quality

C.

School Health Leaders

hip Team

RECAP

Community

Profile

Preventive

Services Coalition

RAEYC

Early Childho

od Develop

I.

Homeless

Continuum of care Impl. Team

MonroeCty. Sch& Comm.Health

Ed.Network

REEP

RochesterEffectiveness Partnership

N.E.T.

City Violen

ce Initiat

ive

Task Force

on Violenc

eDomestic Violence

Consortium

Perinatal CommunityConsortium

Do Right byKids campaign

HealthAction

DomesticViolence

Partnership

PerinatalSubstance

AbuseCoalition

PCIC

SACSI

Counselor’sConsortiumRocheste

r Children’s Collab.

Roch. Enterpri

se Commu

nity Zone P.

YRBS Group HW &

Tutoring Round TableStudent

Assistance Prof. Diversio

n Collabor

ative

Runaway &

Homeless

Youth Ser

Provider

Reg. 2 Prevent

ive Provid.

N

Homeless Services Network

CASASProviders

Adult Service

s Subcom

m.

StudentAsst. Prof.

Greater Roch.Area

Transitions

Collab.

America’s

Promise

NBN

Mentoring

Round Table

OASAS Preventi

on Initiativ

eCHANGE

SDFSCA Planning Committ

eesReclaimingYouth

Continuous

Improvement

Service Deliver

y

Advocacy

Cross - System

s Change

Community

Mobilization

Evaluation

Positive Outcomes for youth

& families

Best Practic

e

Early Childhood

Community Development

Violence

Education

Homeless

Youth

Disabilities

Health

Alcohol and Substance Abuse

Initiative

Network

Coalition


Aligning Efforts to Increase Change Horsepower

C = D x V x PAmount = Level of x Clarity x Adequacy of Change Dissatisfaction Vision of Plans

• The Harvard Change model provides a way to predict the amount of change that an organization or system can produce.

• Focusing is important, but by fragmenting our efforts we may actually be weakening demand and dissipating our capacity for sustained, high impact change.

Thinking Differently about Change

Increasing family, school and community supports for children and youth requires real changes in the way we do business, starting with changes in the way we frame the issues and prioritize strategies.


Bringing Precision to Passion

How do we move forward to make change?

• Agree on common terms and indicators across the three gears. • Use them consistently to set goals, make plans and track progress

across systems and settings.• Translate existing goals and plans into common language. • Make data systems talk to each other. Recalibrate as needed.


Example Language

From Core Principles to Common Language


Common Terms to describe all the elements that need to be monitored as a part of your change effort (e.g. ages, outcomes, settings)

An Actionable Vision that spells out goals across “the gears.”

Balanced Set of Indicators sorted and prioritized for each gear.

Counts, Baselines, Benchmarks to show where you started and where you want to go.

Priority Areas & Action Plans that help you set bigger goals, be better partners and deliver on bolder strategies

Implementation Strategies designed to achieve results.

Interlocking Tracking Systems that provide real time data on youth outcomes, youth participation, program/services availability and quality, and human and fiscal resource allocation.

Take aim

Take Stock

Take Action

Track Progress

Precision Basics


Take Aim on the Big PictureHow are Young People Doing?

Pre-K0–5

School-Age6–10

Middle School11–14

High School15–18

Young Adults19–21+

Ready for College

LEARNING

Ready for Work

WORKING

Ready for Life

THRIVING

CONNECTING

LEADING

•Define desired goals/results

•Select indicators


Take Stock of the Big Picture

Pre-K0–5

School-Age6–10


High School15–18


Ready for College

LEARNING

Ready for Work

WORKING

Ready for Life

THRIVING

CONNECTING

LEADING


Take Action: Carefully

Pre-K0–5

School-Age6–10


High School15–18


Ready for College

LEARNINGChildren Enter School Ready to Learn

Students graduate ready for college and

work

Ready for Work

WORKING

Ready for Life

THRIVING

CONNECTING

LEADING


Alternative:Learning to Focus Differently

Shifting Red to Yellow,

Yellow to Green

Pre-K0–5

School-Age6–10


High School15–18


Ready for College

LEARNING

Ready for Work

WORKING

Ready for Life

THRIVING

CONNECTING

LEADING

Pre-K0–5

School-Age6–10


High School15–18


Ready for College

LEARNING

Ready for Work

WORKING

Ready for Life

THRIVING

CONNECTING

LEADING


Take Stock of the Big Picture

Pre-K0–5

School-Age6–10


High School15–18


Ready for College

LEARNING

Ready for Work

WORKING

Ready for Life

THRIVING

CONNECTING

LEADING


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

Children Enter School Ready to Learn

Traditional Approach: Pick One Area


But What Happened to the Rest of the 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




Alternative:Learning to Focus Differently

Shifting Red to Yellow,

Yellow to Green

Pre-K0–5

School-Age6–10


High School15–18


Ready for College

LEARNING

Ready for Work

WORKING

Ready for Life

THRIVING

CONNECTING

LEADING

Pre-K0–5

School-Age6–10


High School15–18


Ready for College

LEARNING

Ready for Work

WORKING

Ready for Life

THRIVING

CONNECTING

LEADING

Moving Ideas to Impact

Bring Big Picture Thinking into all of your work.

The Maryland Model for The Maryland Model for Youth Transition Policy – Youth Transition Policy – Ready by 21® Ready by 21®

Secretary Brenda Donald, Department of Human ResourcesSecretary Brenda Donald, Department of Human Resources

Trudy Chara, Governor’s Workforce Investment BoardTrudy Chara, Governor’s Workforce Investment Board

Thomas Senecal, Maryland Youth Council Thomas Senecal, Maryland Youth Council

Key discussion points:Key discussion points:

““Ready by 21” plan developmentReady by 21” plan development Role of the Youth CouncilRole of the Youth Council Connecting to the “Moving Connecting to the “Moving

Trains” within the StateTrains” within the State ImplementationImplementation

Maryland’s 3-year Children’s Maryland’s 3-year Children’s PlanPlan

Goals:Goals:1.1. Develop a Comprehensive Prevention StrategyDevelop a Comprehensive Prevention Strategy2.2. Build on Established FoundationsBuild on Established Foundations3.3. Develop a Transition Aged Youth PlanDevelop a Transition Aged Youth Plan

Transition Aged Youth PlanTransition Aged Youth PlanReady by 21Ready by 21

Youth Leadership in Action ProgramYouth Leadership in Action Program

Launched in October 2006Launched in October 2006 Convened 30 stakeholders Convened 30 stakeholders Collaboration of:Collaboration of:

Casey FoundationCasey Foundation Forum for Youth InvestmentForum for Youth Investment Governor’s Office for ChildrenGovernor’s Office for Children

Involved the Statewide Youth CouncilInvolved the Statewide Youth Council

Goals of Ready by 21 -Goals of Ready by 21 -Ensuring that ALL of Maryland’s

309,000 youth aged 18-21 will be ready for college, work and life

Source: Forum for Youth Investment

How will we measure “readiness” How will we measure “readiness” in Maryland?in Maryland?Learning -Learning -

Increase in the % of youth classified by Increase in the % of youth classified by the highestthe highest degree or degree or highest level of school completedhighest level of school completed

Working -Working - Increase in the % of youth employed in the civilian labor forceIncrease in the % of youth employed in the civilian labor force

Thriving -Thriving - Decrease in the % of youth in MD aged 19-24 who have no Decrease in the % of youth in MD aged 19-24 who have no

health care coveragehealth care coverage Decrease in the % of youth that are infected with HIV or AIDSDecrease in the % of youth that are infected with HIV or AIDS Decrease in the # and rate of Deaths by Injury (homicide, suicide Decrease in the # and rate of Deaths by Injury (homicide, suicide

and accidental)and accidental) Decrease in the # and rate of arrests of youth ages 18-21 for Decrease in the # and rate of arrests of youth ages 18-21 for

violent, non-violent & drug offensesviolent, non-violent & drug offenses

Ready by 21 GoalsReady by 21 Goals

Goal 1: Making the CaseGoal 1: Making the CaseGoal 2: Support of Capable, Competent, Goal 2: Support of Capable, Competent,

Caring Adult Caring AdultGoal 3: HousingGoal 3: HousingGoal 4: Health and Well - Being Goal 4: Health and Well - Being Goal 5: Pathways to EducationGoal 5: Pathways to EducationGoal 6: Equal JusticeGoal 6: Equal JusticeGoal 7: AccountabilityGoal 7: Accountability

Role of the Youth CouncilRole of the Youth Council Created by Executive Order in 2006Created by Executive Order in 2006 Tasked to provide youth feedback to all Tasked to provide youth feedback to all

Maryland child-serving agencies and the Maryland child-serving agencies and the GovernorGovernor

Eventually charged with advising the Eventually charged with advising the Children’s Cabinet on the 3-year children’s Children’s Cabinet on the 3-year children’s plan, the Ready by 21 Agenda, and other key plan, the Ready by 21 Agenda, and other key issues affecting youth across the state. issues affecting youth across the state.

Youth Council - ChallengesYouth Council - Challenges Establishing a quorum, especially in a short Establishing a quorum, especially in a short

amount of timeamount of time Getting a large amount of work done with Getting a large amount of work done with

relatively few meetingsrelatively few meetings Eventually, a “core group” formed of those Eventually, a “core group” formed of those

members who were actively involvedmembers who were actively involved In order to be effective, the Council had to In order to be effective, the Council had to

focus on only a few issuesfocus on only a few issues

Youth Council - ResultsYouth Council - Results Members of the Youth Council successfully lobbied for the Members of the Youth Council successfully lobbied for the

adoption of the Ready by 21 Agenda and made adoption of the Ready by 21 Agenda and made recommendations for the Agenda.recommendations for the Agenda.

The Council drafted a Youth Bill of RightsThe Council drafted a Youth Bill of Rights The Council was able to target a few key issues and provide a The Council was able to target a few key issues and provide a

unique youth perspective on those issues to government unique youth perspective on those issues to government workers and members of the Children’s Cabinetworkers and members of the Children’s Cabinet

Council members continue to be involved in the Council members continue to be involved in the implementation of recommendations and advise the implementation of recommendations and advise the Children’s CabinetChildren’s Cabinet

The Council was involved in the drafting and passage of The Council was involved in the drafting and passage of Senate Bill 1, which will establish a whole new, all-Senate Bill 1, which will establish a whole new, all-incorporating Youth Council in September. incorporating Youth Council in September.

Maryland model was designed to Maryland model was designed to ‘connect to moving trains’:‘connect to moving trains’: Pathways to Education & Employment Pathways to Education & Employment

Subcommittee recommendations to the Subcommittee recommendations to the Children’s Cabinet Children’s Cabinet

DHR and DLLR agreementDHR and DLLR agreement GWIB Emerging Workforce CommitteeGWIB Emerging Workforce Committee

Youth resources web portalYouth resources web portal Data sharing across child serving agenciesData sharing across child serving agencies

Implementation – Key stepsImplementation – Key steps

Steering Committee -Steering Committee - Five core Subcommittees formed to focus on seven Five core Subcommittees formed to focus on seven

goal areasgoal areas

Structure -Structure - Subcommittees are comprised of members Subcommittees are comprised of members

representing the agencies on the Children’s Cabinetrepresenting the agencies on the Children’s Cabinet

Connect moving trains - Connect moving trains - Leveraging resourcesLeveraging resources

Implementation - ChallengesImplementation - Challenges Program DevelopmentProgram Development

Meet timeline to develop an implementation planMeet timeline to develop an implementation plan Developing sustaining agency partnerships to fully Developing sustaining agency partnerships to fully

implement recommendations implement recommendations Sustaining steering committee membership and Sustaining steering committee membership and

enthusiasmenthusiasm Staff support provided from Ready by 21 teamStaff support provided from Ready by 21 team

Lessons LearnedLessons Learned Timing is everything!Timing is everything! Highest level leadership support is essential.Highest level leadership support is essential. Connecting moving trains helps move the Connecting moving trains helps move the

agenda and build partnership.agenda and build partnership. Engage new players as soon as possible will Engage new players as soon as possible will

help to ensure continuity of effort.help to ensure continuity of effort. Engaging youth is critical to success.Engaging youth is critical to success.

For more information email Marina Chatoo: [email protected] more information email Marina Chatoo: [email protected]

Governor’s Office for Children

Department of Budget and Management

Department of Disabilities

Department of Health and Mental Hygiene

Department of Human Resources

Department of Juvenile Services

Maryland State Department of Education

Governor’s Workforce Investment Board

Maryland Youth Council


Our Work This Morning

• Use these ideas and tools to get a better sense of the current picture in your state and how you can link, align and leverage your efforts.

Across Ages

AcrossOutcomes

By Population

Change the oddsfor youth

Across Systems & Settings

With Quality Supports

Change the landscapeof communities

Stakeholders& Strategies

Change the waywe do business


Big Picture Coordinating Bodies

Big Picture GoalsMessages & frameworks

Youth centered data

Common metrics

Big Tent PartnersEngaged stakeholders

Linked coalitions & coordinating structures

Big Impact StrategiesImproving systems & services

Aligning Policies and resources

Engaging youth and families

Increasing demand

A Blueprint for Action


Optional for Team Time:

Does your state have the change horsepower that it needs?

Documents

THE READY BY 21® CHALLENGE: Ensuring that Every Young Person is Ready for College, Work & Life Karen Pittman, Executive Director The Forum for Youth Investment