The Creativity Conundrum in Educational Leadership discusses the decline of creativity in the American education system due to its emphasis on standardized test scores and how local education funds (LEFs) and public education funds (PEFs) may be able to fill the void.

Link: http://www.educationalleadership.com/the-creativity-conundrum-in-public-education-leadership/

The Center for Collaborative Action Research links educators, researchers, and community members with the goal of creating deep understanding of educational problems in the school context and to encourage evidence-based reasoning to solve these problems.

Link: http://cadres.pepperdine.edu/ccar/index.html

Step Up For Students is a nonprofit organization that administers the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship for low-income students (K-12). Many families still don’t know the option exists, but Florida has the nation’s largest scholarship program giving low-income families the ability to choose the school that best meets their children’s needs. Families who qualify for the free or reduced price lunch program may qualify for the Step Up For Students Scholarship also. Scholarships are based on income, not academic performance. Scholarships are first-come, first served. Once a student’s eligibility is verified, the parent has the freedom to choose any one of more than 1,350 participating private schools across the state. (Foster and homeless children have different qualification requirements).

Link: http://www.stepupforstudents.org/

This website links to multiple articles that provide guidance for teens and parents on how teenagers can operate motor vehicles safely.

Link: http://trafficsafety.org/safety/risk/impaired-driving-resources

The Voices on Violence report illustrated the types of violence and harassment girls in Boston face. Victimization of Girls: Sexual harassment, dating violence, and the pervasiveness of violence in girls' lives Aggression Among Girls: Physical fighting and relational aggression Fear of Dealing with Violence: Witnessing community violence and the lack of forums to explore the impacts of violence on girls' lives Underlying this report is the belief that every girl should have the opportunity to grow up in relative safety and that when violence does happen, she should be able to explore her experiences and fears in a supportive forum.

Link: http://girlsleap.org/wordpress/2011/01/voices-on-violence-part-i-the-victimization-of-girls-in-boston/

This guide is designed to prepare students with high-incidence disabilities to enroll in post-secondary education programs. We developed and tested the guide with inner-city youth from Chicago. There is a teacher's guide with lesson plans. Students get to understand the multiple choices and resources available to go to college. The chapters include: (1) Understanding all your Educational and Training Options; (2) Preparing for Program Placement Testing; (3) Identifying Your Interests; (4) Identifying Careers; (5) Finding Schools/Training Providers; (6) What is a FAFSA; (7) What is Vocational Rehabilitation; (8) How to survive school/training; (9) Get a Starter Job; (10) Curriculum assessment

Link: http://disabilityempowerment.org/Advocacy_Products.html

This synthesis examines the role that programs designed to serve older youth can play in promoting positive development and subsequent self-sufficiency in adulthood.

Link: http://www.childtrends.org/Files/Child_Trends-2010_03_09_FS_WWOlderYouth.pdf

Whatever It Takes seeks to ensure that every child in Athens-Clarke County will graduate from a post-secondary education. We, along with our partners, will accomplish this through emphasizing early intervention, recognizing that parents are a child's first and most important teachers, focusing resources in a limited geographic area, identifying and training neighborhood leaders, setting high expectations for all children, creating a culture of success, and using data to direct to policy.

Link: http://www.witathens.org

WorkReady Philadelphia is a system of programs supported by public, private, and foundation investments helping more than 10,000 young people annually through high-quality programs that incorporate work experience, skill development, and career and college exposure.

Link: http://www.pyninc.org

This issue paper highlights the unique health issues faced by this age group, as well as the vastly different socioeconomic, cultural and demographic factors influencing their health status, access to care and utilization of services. The paper advocates for tailored solutions to prevent a crisis in the health status and access to care of young adults and documents current innovative state, county and local programs targeted to meet the needs of the young adult population. The paper also includes an appendix describing current programs addressing young adult health and selected resources for additional information and research.

Link: http://www.nihcm.org/pdf/YoungPeoplesHCFINAL.pdf

Based on interviews with yout and adults from 15 organizations, the 61-page research report reflects the first significant research on the impacts young people have on adults and organizations when they are involved in significant decision-making roles.

Link: http://www.theinnovationcenter.org/files/Youth_in_Decision_Making_Brochure.pdf

Public health and education policy makers, practitioners, researchers, and educators need to know as much as they can about the factors that lead youth to manifest behaviors stemming from group defined values, beliefs, attitudes, and interests. Such understanding is basic to promoting healthy development, preventing problems, intervening as soon as problems arise, and enhancing intervention impact on severe and chronic problems.

Link: http://smhp.psych.ucla.edu/pdfdocs/enews/mar10.pdf

Drawing on a larger evaluation of the Sierra Health Foundation's REACH youth program, this issue brief examines best practices for using youth-produced media as part of a community change effort.

Link: http://www.sierrahealth.org/assets/REACH_IssueBrief_Three_Nov10.pdf

This Introductory Packet provides readings and related activities on support for transitions to address barriers to student learning covering both research and best practices. It explores why transitions are dangerous opportunities that can disrupt or promote development. Key transitions and related intervention strategies are presented for starting school; daily transitions including before and after school as well as recess and lunch; year transitions such as beginning a new school year; moving to a new school/new country; transitions for special needs students; and transitions from high school

Link: http://smhp.psych.ucla.edu/pdfdocs/transitions/transitions.pdf

This guide provides practical information and resources for youth service professionals and policymakers, from the program to the state level, with information to help them address system and policy obstacles in order to improve service delivery systems for youth with mental health needs. The guide provides the Guideposts for Success for Youth with Mental Health Needs which includes all the elements of the original Guideposts as well as additional specific needs relating to youth with mental health needs.

Link: http://www.ncwd-youth.info/assets/guides/mental_health/Mental_Health_Guide_complete.pdf

This report summarizes changes between 2003 and 2007 in relationships among organizations that offer services to individuals in transition to adulthood, ages 14-25, who have serious mental health conditions in Clark County, Washington.

Link: http://www.pathwaysrtc.pdx.edu/pdf/pbUnderConstruction.pdf

teacher training program that uses live, improvisational theater to equip educators to identify and respond effectively to homophobia. Teachers learn laws and relevant teaching standards for creating a safe classroom. They learn to identify various forms of homophobia, and get hands-on experience in the most effective techniques to use in a classroom. By watching realistic classroom scenes performed by teenage actors, the teachers get to see how homophobia affects every student in the classroom. Teachers can safely experiment with different strategies of addressing homophobia by practicing on teenage actors who are trained in improvisational theater.

Link: http://www.encompass.org/biasfree.php

StrengthofUs.org is an online resource center and social networking website for young adults (ages 18-30) living with mental health conditions. It exists to empower young adults to live out their dreams and goals through peer support and resource sharing. Developed by young adults, StrengthofUs.org allows users to connect with their peers and share stories, creativity and resources by writing and responding to blog entries, engaging in discussion groups, posting updates and sharing videos, photos and news. Strengthofus.org offers resources on issues important to young adults, including relationships, family and friends, independent living, campus life, employment, mental health and much more.

Link: http://www.strengthofus.org

A student handout that provides practical stategies for responding to name-calling and bullying in safe and effective ways.

Link: http://www.adl.org/combatbullying/pdf/taking-a-stand-bullying-guide.pdf

This introductory packet provides basic references, internet resources, model programs, a few names from our Consultation Cadre, and other resources related to the topic.

Link: http://smhp.psych.ucla.edu/pdfdocs/teenpreg/teenpreg.pdf

In this report, we describe youth reentry and its policy relevance to communities nationwide. Drawing liberally from the insights and comments of the authors and participants in the Youth Reentry Roundtable, we identify critical facts about youth reentry, including the specific programming and policy challenges that must be addressed. We then provide recommendations for next steps in research and practice.

Link: http://www.urban.org/UploadedPDF/410927_youth_reentry.pdf

This report highlights effective strategies and promising approaches aimed at improving outcomes for youth as they age out of the foster care system. The report, published by the National Governor's Association Center for Best Practices, touches briefly on comparative outcomes for foster youth and youth in the general population, possible reasons for the differing outcomes, and state strategies to improve prospects for youth in the transition to adulthood. The chapters that follow detail state strategies in the following five areas: education, employment, housing, health care, and relationships. Examples of successful state and local efforts are provided throughout the report.

Link: http://www.nga.org/files/live/sites/NGA/files/pdf/1012FOSTERCARE.PDF

This guide provides step-by-step instructions, tips, and strategies that young people can use to develop logic models.

Link: http://www.financeproject.org/publications/YouthGuide-LogicModels.pdf

Drawing on a larger evaluation of the Sierra Health Foundation's REACH youth program, this issue brief examines ways to engage underrepresented youth populations in community youth development. A set of key principles is developed based on lessons from field research.

Link: http://www.sierrahealth.org/assets/REACH_IssueBrief_Six_Nov10.pdf

This resource was developed to serve as a 'bridge' or toolkit to post-secondary/adult living in the state of PA. The transition inventory component can be utilized by anyone beginning the process of transition to adult living. Appendix information is mostly specific to the state of PA.

Link: http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/special_kids_network/14205/transition_health_care_checklist/558090

A brief developed for the National Center for Mental Health Promotion and Youth Violence Prevention on best practices for preparing high school age youth to transition out of the child welfare system by providing information and resources on graduating high school, preparing for post-secondary education or vocational training, transitioning into the workforce, and preparing for independence.

Link: http://www.promoteprevent.org/publications/prevention-briefs/transitioning-high-school-adulthood-schools-helping-youth-foster-care-achieve-success

The Special Needs Resource Directory, created by the Center for Infants and Children with Special Needs at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, is a comprehensive accumulation of resources for families of CYSHCN. Parents, caregivers and health care providers can find local, regional and national web site links to: * Locate information on specific disabilities * Identify strategies to help you advocate for your child * Develop community connections for ongoing support * Overcome barriers to access health care resources

Link: http://www.cincinnatichildrens.org/svc/alpha/c/special-needs/resources/transitions.htm

Based on literature, research with young people aged 16-24 and families, and evaluations completed with several transition programs for young people with mental health difficulties, we have learned that there are many challenges in developing effective transition services. Here we present a synthesis of lessons learned and advice gained from young people, families, and transition service providers.

Link: http://www.pathwaysrtc.pdx.edu/pdf/pbTI-StartingPointsForNewTransitionPrograms.pdf

Paving the way: Meeting transition needs of young people with developmental disabilities and serious mental health conditions is a new report by RTC staff, Mandy Davis, Pauline Jivanjee, and Nancy Koroloff that examines best practices in services for these young people. While this population is generally underserved, the report features case studies of eight programs serving young people with dual diagnoses across the U.S. with descriptions of recommended practices.

Link: http://www.pathwaysrtc.pdx.edu/pdf/pbPavingTheWayMonograph.pdf

This publication from the Casey-CSSP Alliance for Racial Equity in Child Welfare highlights the work of ten jurisdictions that are committed to reducing racial disproportionality and disparity in their child welfare systems. The report documents strategies, activities, and trends emerging in the cities, states, and counties represented. While there are unique aspects to each jurisdiction's work, there are also several common themes, which suggests a trajectory for how child welfare agencies are choosing to address the issue of racial equity.

Link: http://www.casey.org/resources/publications/placestowatch.htm

This site was created to give parents and clinicians tips and tools to help children with Spina Bifida develop into successful and happy adults. It also has information for young adults seeking ways to become more independent and lead a fuller, richer life. By answering a series of questions about your child, or yourself, the site will generate a report specific to your child's (or your) developmental needs. The report will include suggested interventions as well as resources and tips.

Link: http://www.sbpreparations.org/

Project U-Turn is a partnership-led campaign to raise awareness of, and develop strategies to address, the City's dropout crisis. It is designed to enhance the career prospects of struggling students and out-of-school youth by expanding the availability of high-quality education and training options.

Link: http://www.pyninc.org

A quality rating and improvement system (QRIS) is a systemic approach to assess, improve, and communicate the level of quality in early and school-age care and education programs. This site provides a sample of resources with research about the impact of QRIS on early and school-age care.

Link: http://nccic.acf.hhs.gov/poptopics/qrs-impactqualitycc.html

RENEW (Rehabilitation for Empowerment, Natural supports, Education and Work) is a community-based, person centered planning and secondary transition model for youth with emotional and behavioral disporders. Using the principles of wraparound, RENEW has helped over 300 youth in New Hampshire to finish high school, go to college and obtain employment. A project of the Institute on Disability at the University of New Hampshire, RENEW is currently being implemented as the intensive level intervention in high schools that are implementing PBIS, and in community mental health centers. Studies of pre- and post level functioning of youth has shown strong positive results

Link: http://www.iod.unh.edu/Projects/renew/projects/project_description.aspx

This document is intended to help foster and shelter care youth know what their rights are and what they can expect from the Department of Children and Families.

Link: http://floridaschildrenfirst.org/04_reports/DCF_Foster_Rights_4C.pdf

SaySo,Inc. (Strong Able Youth Speaking Out) is a youth driven advocacy organization for youth ages 14-24 who are or have been in substitute care. This includes foster care, kinship care, group homes, mental health placements and others. The mission of SaySo is to work to improve the substitute care system by educating the community, speaking out about needed changes, and providing support to youth who are or have been in substitute care. The website provides information, resources and tools to help youth who are in transition. It provides support and is a central location for young people to go online.

Link: http://www.saysoinc.org/

As the true dropout figures emerge across the nation, the crisis nature of the problem is apparent. Recent reports indicate that more than half a million young people drop out of high school each year, and the rate at which they drop out has remained about the same for the last 30 years (Dynarski, et al., 2008). The data confirm that in far too many school districts a majority of students do not have sufficient supports to enable them to succeed at school and will not graduate.

Link: http://smhp.psych.ucla.edu/pdfdocs/newsletter/fall08.pdf

Student engagement involves not only engaging and maintaining engagement, but also re-engaging those who have disconnected from classroom instruction. For school personnel to do all this effectively, they must broaden their understanding of motivation, especially intrinsic mitivation, and the complex relationship between extrinsics and intrinsics. Our Center continuously stresses the importance of a focus on motivation, especially intrinsic motivation, in all facets of our work. In this context, we have developed a variety of resources intended to help advance the efforts of those working in and with schools.

Link: http://smhp.psych.ucla.edu/pdfdocs/schooleng.pdf

Schools using a social and emotional learning (SEL) framework can foster an overall climate of inclusion, warmth, and respect, and promote the development of core social and emotional skills among both students and staff. Because bullying prevention is entirely congruent with SEL, it can be embedded in a school's SEL framework. The aims of this brief are to (a) provide a basic description of a school-wide SEL framework, (b) illustrate the relationship between social and emotional factors and bullying, and (c) explain how an SEL framework can be extended to include bullying prevention.

Link: http://casel.org/publications/sel-and-bullying-prevention/

The Social Policy Report on Safe Schools for LGBTQ students provides an extensive review of the research evidence on creating safe schools for LGBTQ students. The report makes policy and practice recommendations that will be relevant for educators, parents and students, in addition to federal, state and local policymakers.

Link: http://www.srcd.org/index.php

The Inner City Youth Foundation is a tax exempt non-profit organization that provides a training facility to city teens, that is specially tailored to the students' particular learning style and environment so that the student may flourish both academically & socially.

Link: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Inner-City-Youth-Foundation/106611966049819

This packet contains a brief introduction to the two measures, including a summary of the process by which the measures were developed. The packet also contains preview versions of each measure.

Link: http://www.pathwaysrtc.pdx.edu/pdf/pbCompleteSurveyPacket.pdf

Does your organization support meaningful youth participation in collaborative team planning? This 14-itemSelf-Assessment Quiz can help you identify your organization's strengths regarding youth participation, as well as areas in which you can do more.

Link: http://www.pathwaysrtc.pdx.edu/pdf/pbAMPQuizBrochure.pdf

This paper provides a description of the youth population that is disconnected from education and the workforce and describes a set of key considerations for improving outcomes for this population. Programmatic examples that demonstrate how effective supports for youth look in practice are discussed. The paper concludes with policy recommendations for serving youth at the federal, state and local levels.

Link: http://www.aypf.org/publications/documents/DY%20Paper%207.19.11.pdf

This brief report distills the key lessons and impacts of thoughtful youth involvement through civic activism.

Link: http://www.micasadenver.org/Media/EDocs/Lessons_in_Leadership_exec.pdf

This study examined the extent to which a sister's prior sexual and dating victimization is a risk factor for young women being similarly victimized and the possible factors underlying a co-occurrence.

Link: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21171768

This Guide provides professionals with well-researched and documented facts, offers evidence-based research, highlights promising practices, and provides the Guideposts for Success for Youth Involved in the Juvenile Corrections System, in addition to pointing out areas requiring further attention by policymakers and identifying promising practices.

Link: http://www.ncwd-youth.info/assets/juvenile_justice/making_the_right_turn.pdf

An after school situation comedy, written, acted, and in some cases filmed by middle school students, YMCA attendees, or Boys/Girls clubs. The episodes created address bullying within the context of storytelling, and allow students to vent their feelings through fictional cast of a sit-com.

Link: http://www.matineescholars.com

This report details the major phases of Project U-Turn, a cross-sector collaborative in Philadelphia focusing on reducing dropouts and improving youth outcomes.

Link: http://www.findyouthinfo.gov/collaboration-profiles/project-u-turn

This guide provides facts and statistics about youth involved in the foster care system; gives examples of states and communities that are changing policy and practices; identifies areas requiring further attention by policymakers and providers of services; and identifies resources and tools to assist cross-system collaborative efforts.

Link: http://www.ncwd-youth.info/assets/guides/foster_care/Foster_Care_Guide_complete.pdf

All students can benefit from well-designed transition planning for college. With specific reference to those students identified for special education, middle and high schools have a responsibility under IDEA to focus on a range of transition interventions.

Link: http://smhp.psych.ucla.edu/pdfdocs/practicenotes/transitiontocollege.pdf

One Million Acts Of Kindness is a grassroots mission which teaches students the importance of having an individual ,lifetime goal of kindness. Each child performing and wanting kindness for everyone they interact with every day of their lives. One Million Acts Of Kindness Week is an annual event which is always begins the second Monday in February for 7 days. One Million Acts Of Kindness Certificates are on the homepage of the website. They are an inspiration for every child to remind them that they have taken a lifetime pledge of kindness.

Link: http://www.onemillionactsofkindness.com

ParentFurther.com provides research-based information and tools that have been put to the test in the real world, as well as a panel of experts in parenting, child psychology, and related fields. The site provides practical, everyday parenting tips and helpful advice for difficult situations.

Link: http://www.parentfurther.com/high-risk-behaviors/bullying

Too many adolescents, especially minorities, drop out of high school and then experience high rates of unemployment, incarceration, drug use, and nonmarital births. The high incidence of individual and social costs, combined with rigorous evidence of at least modestly successful program models, makes a solid case for investing public funds in programs and research for disconnected youth. In this brief we outline a proposal for testing, improving, and, where appropriate, expanding existing youth programs, while simultaneously mounting large-scale demonstration projects to test promising new ideas in areas where there are gaps in current programming.

Link: http://futureofchildren.org/futureofchildren/publications/docs/20_01_PolicyBrief.pdf

This article is the summation of conclusions a teacher came to after a 26 year career. It contains a section on bullying that all administrators and policy makers should read if they have any interest in helping children who are victims of such behavior.

Link: http://owilde1.blogs.experienceproject.com/538401.html

This paper introduces a framework for major juvenile justice reform-theintegration of a forward-looking administrative model with evidence-based programming. Such a system is focused on basing program placements and supervision levels upon objective risk and needs assessments and in constructing case management plans focused on improving future behavior rather than punishing past behavior.

Link: http://cjjr.georgetown.edu/pdfs/ebp/ebppaper.pdf

This issue of Focal Point highlights a number of successful and innovative efforts to promote youth voice and youth empowerment. Many of the articles are authored by or include contributions from youth who are directly involved in the featured programs

Link: http://www.pathwaysrtc.pdx.edu/pdf/fpS09.pdf

The vision of Foster Care Alumni of America (FCAA) is to improve outcomes for youth who have been in foster care after emancipation from the child welfare system. FCAA connects alumni with one another to advocate for policy change and the continuous improvement of foster care practices.

Link: http://www.fostercarealumni.org/

The National Network for Youth has been serving the youth of America for more than 30 years by championing the needs of runaway, homeless and other disconnected youth. We do this through advocacy, innovation and services. Our reach is extended through our member organizations, allowing us to be in numerous communities throughout the country as we create a neighborhood of support for the next generation.

Link: http://www.nn4youth.org

This portal is produced by the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation at Harvard Kennedy School, and is a marketplace of ideas and examples of government innovation. Browse or search to access news, documents, descriptions of award-winning programs, and information on events in your area related to innovation.

Link: http://www.innovations.harvard.edu/

This report is a multi-year trend analysis of juvenile offenses in the City of Grand Rapids based on police reports for 2006, 2007, 2008,2009. The number of offenses dropped by 25%.

Link: http://www.grcity.us/ourchildren

The Guideposts for Employer Success are organized with the explicit purpose of helping workforce development policy makers and program providers reduce identified barriers. There are two categories within the framework. The first focuses on what system designers (state and local) need to do. The second looks at what individual programs which include a wide array of education and training institutions such as community rehabilitation centers, secondary and post secondary institutions, apprenticeship programs, and One-Stop Centers need to do.

Link: http://www.ncwd-youth.info/sites/default/files/page/2009/02/guideposts_for_employers.pdf

This article discusses the effect that various types of trauma can have on youth and why identifying and treating traumatized youth is so important. The article points out current problems with how our health and justice systems interact with traumatized youth and offers recommendations for moving forward.

Link: http://www.justicepolicy.org/images/upload/10-07_REP_HealingInvisibleWounds_JJ-PS.pdf

Middle- and high-school students stand to benefit from strong after-school and other out-of-school time (OST) programs. However, it is much tougher to recruit older than younger youth and make sure they participate in OST activities regularly. This study looks at almost 200 programs serving mostly disadvantaged young people in six cities that are building systems of out-of-school time programs. The researchers find that high retention programs have five key characteristics. Among them: providing leadership opportunities to the students and having staff members who stay informed about students' lives outside of programs.

Link: http://www.wallacefoundation.org/KnowledgeCenter/KnowledgeTopics/CurrentAreasofFocus/Out-Of-SchoolLearning/Pages/engaging-older-youth-city-level-strategies-support-sustained-participation-out-of-school-time.aspx

This report provides lessons learned from comparing how seven communities engaged youth in community change efforts in the greater Sacramento region. It provides an introduction to the goals of the Sierra Health Foundation's REACH youth development program, documents program outcomes for individual youth and adults, organizations, and communities, and draws lessons for coalition development, youth engagement practice, and foundation practices to support community youth development.

Link: http://www.sierrahealth.org/assets/Reach_EvaluationRprt_Nov10.pdf

Students in the Fast for Non Violence Fast for 31 days in a fast relay. Each participant fasts for 24 hours and then passes the fast on to the next student. During that student's fast, a recorded message about non-violence is played over the school intercom, and a multimedia video or animation created by the student is posted to the school's website.

Link: http://www.slhs.net/200210121142512170/Blog/browse.asp

The Agency Readiness Index is a tool designed to help service-providing agencies gauge their capacity to provide services for LGBTI individuals, including youth. The assessment asks participants (who may include staff, board members, clients and volunteers) to score their agency on a series of questions by selecting the rating that best describes the agency's current status or performance.

Link: http://www.google.com/url

This report presents findings from the Casey National Alumni Study. The study examined data from those who were in the care of Casey Family Programs between 1968 and 1998.

Link: http://www.casey.org/Resources/Publications/AssessingEffectsOfFosterCare.htm

This toolkit aims to build off of the work of the OJJDP's task force on employment and training opportunities for youth offenders to identify what works in promoting economic self-sufficency for this population.

Link: http://www.aecf.org/upload/publicationfiles/jj3622h377.pdf

Best Practices for Increasing Meaningful Youth Participation in Collaborative Team Planning, shares some information about how to create plans with youth, so that youth will see the plans as a means to help them move towards important life goals.

Link: http://www.pathwaysrtc.pdx.edu/pdf/pbAMPYouthParticipation.pdf

The eight-page, youth-friendly Youth Call-to-Action outlines ten actions that youth can take to enhance their development and become leaders in their community and the nation, including learning about their rights and responsibilities, becoming a self-advocate, learning about disability history, researching scholarships, participating in work experiences, training youth workers, and more. This document is based on findings from the Blazing the Trail national youth summit organized by the National Collaborative on Workforce & Disability for youth (NCWD/Youth) in August 2007.

Link: http://www.ncwd-youth.info/blazing-the-trail-youth-call-to-action

Drawing from their experience, CLASP has identified some of the common elements of a successful youth employment services delivery system. They include: 1) A strong convening entity 2) An effective administrative agent 3) A well-trained case management arm 4) Strong partnerships across systems that serve youth 5) High quality work experience and career exposure components.

Link: http://www.clasp.org/admin/site/publications/files/Youth-Employment-Systems.pdf

Bullies to Buddies takes a basic psychological approach of which anyone can easily learn. With this program, people learn how to respond to bullies in ways which will peacefully deter the bullying. By having a child learn skills to deter bullying, they become more resilient, independent and emotionally mature, whereas having an adult always intervene on their behalf does not give them life-long skills that they can take into adulthood. I work in a school system in which all of our counselors were trained in this program and are reporting effectiveness.

Link: http://www.bullies2buddies.com/

A resource page listing free articles, videos,and podcasts about bullying prevention safety skills - as well as low cost publications for sale and training resources. Kidpower is a nonprofit organization that takes a skills-based approach to preparing children and their adults to address bullying, abuse, and other safety problems in a positive, proactive way.

Link: http://www.kidpower.org/who-we-serve/how-to-stop-bullying.html

This guide is designed to help afterschool programs implement field-tested practices in healthy eating, physical activity and food security. Strongly based in youth development principles.

Link: http://www.ccscenter.org/afterschool/Step-By-Step%20Guide

<p>Cool Conduct 100 Ways To Make A Positive Impression is a fun and educational question and answer book. Cool Conduct is helping children feel good about themselves while teaching kindness and respect. Cool Conduct encourages role playing and creative thinking. Why do children bully? Because the feel they don&#39;t belong or they don&#39;t know where they fit in at school, home or their world. These children were not taught kind behaviors. WIth Cool Conduct as a reference, children will learn how to be respectful in school, at home and in their communities. They will learn compassion and kindness.</p>

Link: http://www.nickidonley.com/

Stories and lessons from organizations across the US exploring the links between youth development, civic engagement, and social justice.

Link: http://communitygarden.org/learn/youth/rebel-tomato.php

Comprehensive classroom curriculum for elementary, middle and high school students that uses literature to educate students about the impact of bullying

Link: http://www.adl.org/education/curriculum_connections/winter_2005/

When a cyberbullying incident occurs, it is important that schools, teens and families work together to minimize the potentially devastating consequences for the targeted individual and the school community as a whole. This resources includes ideas on prevention and intervention for administrators, educators, family members and students

Link: http://www.adl.org/education/cyberbullying/tips.asp

On November 13 and 14, 2008, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and its Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT) and Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) invited family members, youth in treatment or posttreatment for substance use or co-occurring mental health disorders, providers, researchers, and Federal and State-level policy-makers to participate in a consultative session designed to develop a recovery-oriented care model for adolescents and transition age youth with substance use or co-occurring mental health disorders (SU/COD)

Link: http://www.chestnut.org/LI/downloads/SAMSHA_Recovery_Report_on_Adolescents_and_Transitional_Age_Youth.pdf

This is a comprehensive training guide for preparing students with high-incidence disabilities for transition after high school. We developed and tested the guide for students to use in the classroom and a guide for teachers with lesson plans and learning objectives with a grant from OSEP. The students get to practice their skills in the classroom through multiple role-play exercises. The following is the list of chapters: (1) Moving Towards Independence; (2) Using Goals to be Successful; (3) Your Strengths and Challenges; (4) Networking; (5) Interpersonal Skills; (6) Receiving Support; ( 7) Taking Action; (8) Education Options; (9) Employment Options

Link: http://disabilityempowerment.org/Advocacy_Products.html

The newly redesigned ACT for Youth website offers many new youth development resources, including a database of dozens of articles, presentations, and tools. Popular topics include positive youth development, youth engagement, community collaboration, evaluation, adolescent development, and adolescent sexual health. The site is managed by ACT for Youth Center of Excellence, a partnership among Cornell University, New York State Center for School Safety, and the University of Rochester Medical Center, funded by the New York State Department of Health.

Link: http://www.actforyouth.net

This paper discusses factors related to the high recidivism rates among California youth offenders as well as recommendations for reducing this rate and improving youth outcomes.

Link: http://www.cjcj.org/files/aftercare.pdf

The 411 on Disability Disclosure: A Workbook for Youth with Disabilities is designed for youth and adults working with them to learn about disability disclosure. This workbook helps young people make informed decisions about whether or not to disclose their disability and understand how that decision may impact their education, employment, and social lives. Based on the premise that disclosure is a very personal decision, the Workbook helps young people think about and practice disclosing their disability.

Link: http://www.ncwd-youth.info/411-on-disability-disclosure

Young people receive more helpful advice and information than ever before. Yet we still have way too many who start and continue to behave in unhealthy, self-defeating ways. Generating a dysfunctional amount of emotion in response to their life events gives purpose to this behavior, rise to \mistaken\ goals, and then becomes a driving force behind such behavior. That's why truly effective emotional management is the most important life skill of all. Yet we do little if anything to teach it. There are easy-to-learn life skills we could and should be teaching all youth. It wouldn't cost anything to start.

Link: http://www.itsjustanevent.com