Chapter Two: Putting PYD Into Practice

Four senses. Forty assets. Five Promises. The theories may be hard to keep straight, but the underlying principle is the same: youth need positive, nurturing environments in which to learn and grow into healthy adults. So, what does a positive environment look like? What are the characteristics of an effective program?

In an attempt to answer those very questions, a committee of youth policy experts at the National Research Council of the Institute of Medicine undertook a 2-year review of theoretical research and promising programs to determine which features of positive developmental settings could be proven effective. They released their results in 2002. What they found was that programs were more successful if they provided youth with:

• Physical and psychological safety and security
• Structure that is developmentally appropriate, with clear expectations for behavior as well as increasing opportunities to make decisions, to participate in governance and rule-making, and to take on leadership roles as one matures and gains more expertise
• Emotional and moral support
• Opportunities to experience supportive adult relationships
• Opportunities to learn how to form close, durable human relationships with peers that support and reinforce healthy behaviors
• Opportunities to feel a sense of belonging and being valued
• Opportunities to develop positive social values and norms
• Opportunities for skill building and mastery
• Opportunities to develop confidence in their abilities to master their environment
• Opportunities to make a contribution to their community and to develop a sense of mattering
• Strong links between families, schools, and broader community resources

Some of the most often-cited examples of successful Positive Youth Development programs are the well-known Boys and Girls Clubs, scouts, and 4-H, nationwide organizations with healthy budgets and extensive support structures. Not all Positive Youth Development programs need to be large, expensive, or elaborate, however. PYD concepts can be implemented in big and small ways by businesses, parents, State and local governments, teachers and schools, community members, religious organizations, existing youth programs, and youth themselves. They can aim to support hundreds, dozens, or simply a handful of young people.

Consider the seamstress in Iowa City, Iowa, who was approached by young people in her community as they were mapping youth-friendly services. Until then, she never thought her small shop had anything to offer youth in the community. Then again, she'd never been asked. But come springtime, a group of young women were wearing prom dresses that she had painstakingly taught them how to make.

Positive Youth Development can come in a virtually limitless number of guises. Keeping the National Research Council's recommendations in mind, try to identify the positive attributes in the following examples:

• Elders in the S'Klallam tribe in Washington state recruited youth to paddle in the annual Tribal Journeys canoe trip that unites 40 Pacific Northwest tribes for several days of cultural festivities. In a time when many Native American youth are moving away from tribal traditions, theirs continues to be the only canoe filled largely with young people.
• In Washington, DC, the Latin American Youth Center invited young people in their transitional living program to help design and build a recreation space in the run-down vacant lot next door. Staff and youth worked side by side to select an architectural plan, clear debris, and eventually till the soil for a new vegetable garden.
• In Fremont County, Colorado, a group of six youth who call themselves the Better Tomorrow Team, Inc., worked together through months of paperwork to create their own 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization to more effectively spread their message about the needs of youth in the foster care system. They give presentations and write skits about their experiences in order to educate foster parents, community members, and policy makers about their lives in "the system."
• In more than 900 locations around the country, youth serve as judge, jury, prosecutor, and defense in Youth Court. First time youth offenders, who have committed minor crimes and agree to plead guilty, go before their peers to be sentenced to community service hours for their offenses. For the last 2 hours of their sentences, rehabilitated youth are required to sit on a jury themselves.
• Among the Chippewa Indians in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, the Waaniniigaanzijig Tribal Youth Council saw an urgent need to promote active living and healthy lifestyles in the community. The youth conduct media campaigns, needs assessments, and presentations to young people and adults alike. One campaign asked tribe members to relinquish their television remote controls.
• The Dream Tree transitional living program in Taos, New Mexico, asks youth to work together to draw up their own menus, plan budgets, and shop for groceries. Their new-found culinary skills will soon go into a cookbook that they plan to sell to benefit Dream Tree.
• At St. John Baptist Church in Columbia, Maryland, young African American males are mentored by men in the congregation for at least an hour every week. To kick off each year, participants are invited to an Opening Ceremony. A similar event at the end of the year recognizes the Mentee, Mentor, and Parent/Guardian of the Year.

Now that you know what some programs have done to a create nurturing environment for youth, what would you do? Fill in the chart below with the strategies you would use to bring PYD practices into your program or another program you are familiar with. (For some hints, turn to the sample grid at the end of this chapter.)

SO, YOU HAVE AN IDEA?

Not all programs can be all things to all young people. Indeed, the most successful programs have one thing in common: the ability to think systematically about what they do well, and focus resources on those strengths. The seamstress from Iowa is an obvious example. But sometimes, an initial desire to get involved with youth in the community requires a bit more consideration and planning. This chapter will focus on developing, funding, evaluating, and publicizing your program.

Developing It

Taking the pulse of the community is one of the most important first steps in planning a youth-oriented program. Since the most effective programs are supported broadly by parents and guardians, schools, and other community members, it is a good idea to talk to representatives from as many of those groups as possible in the planning stages. Youth themselves should also play a vital role in the brainstorming and initial decisionmaking. The more outreach and planning you do before the program is launched, the more equipped you'll be to confront the challenges that will inevitably arise during implementation.

As you develop a plan of action, ask yourself:

• How will you involve youth in conceptualizing, planning, and implementing your project?
• Which assets do youth in your community need reinforced?
• What activities and resources have youth, parents, schools, and other community members said are needed?
• What skills do you and your team have to offer young people?
• Which specific group of young people do you want to work with (keeping in mind that a narrow population is easier to manage, at least at first)?
• What, specifically, do you hope to accomplish in the short and long term (your goals)?
• What steps (your objectives) will you take to achieve your goals?
• What resources will you need to achieve your objectives (people, materials, funding)?
• How will youth leadership be utilized to help the project achieve its goals and objectives?
• How much time will you allow yourself to complete each objective?
• Who will be responsible for making sure that each objective gets done?
• How often will you review your progress and make necessary adjustments?
• How will youth be involved in the review and adjustment process?

There are a growing number of publications and Web sites that can serve as resources for programs or organizations interested in embracing the tenets of PYD. Some are listed at the end of this section. Federal training and technical assistance events and resources for community- and faithbased organizations are listed at www.whitehouse.gov/government/fbci/technical-assistance.html.

In the end, though, some of the best advice about starting an effective youth program comes from others who have done it. Try visiting other programs for youth in your community or in nearby towns. Ask the staff members how their programs got off the ground. Quiz them on what worked for them and what they would have done differently. Talk to the youth participants about what they like about the program and how they are involved in decisionmaking. Get them to share their ideas about how things could be improved or how youth could become more meaningfully involved. You could make alliances that will continue to bear fruit for the life of your program.

Planning and Implementation Resources

Assets into Action: A Handbook for Making Communities Better Places to Grow Up. Author: Deborah Fisher. 2003. Available from the Search Institute, 615 First Ave. NE, Suite 125, Minneapolis, MN 55413; (800) 888- 7828; www.search-institute.org.

Community Guide to Helping America's Youth. Author: Helping America's Youth. 2005. Available at www.helpingamericasyouth.gov.

Community Programs to Promote Youth Development. Author: National Research Council, Institute of Medicine. 2002. Available from National Academy Press, 2001 Constitution Ave. NW, Box 285, Washington, DC 20055; (800) 624-6242; www.nap.edu.

The Five Promises Checklist. Author: America's Promise. Ongoing checklist of activities to promote PYD outcomes. Available at americaspromise.org.

Guide to Action. Author: TakingITGlobal. Available from www.takingitglobal.org/guidetoaction/

Inside out: Tools to help faith-based organizations measure, learn and grow. Author: United Way of Massachusetts Bay. 2003. Available from www.aecf.org.

Strategy Series. Author: America's Promise. Ongoing series of technical papers. Available at americaspromise.org.

Funding It

Finding the resources to start a PYD program or keep one going takes persistence and ingenuity. Faced with increasing competition, individuals and organizations have to think creatively about where to go for financial support, while marketing their programs skillfully. Keep in mind that energized youth can play an instrumental role in "selling" your PYD program to the potential funders or donors you identify.

Any funding search should include a call to the National Clearinghouse on Families & Youth at (301) 608-8098. The Clearinghouse can do a targeted search of funding opportunities for youth and family programs.

Funding Sources

There is increasing demand for Federal government grants. Search for government grants at the new Federal grants Web site: www.grants.gov. Other resources to check include www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/fysb, www.afterschool.gov, and www.whitehouse.gov/government/fbci.

State and local government grants are often targeted to challenges found in the jurisdictions they serve. Visit your State or local government Web site for grant information, or go to www.statelocalgov.net for a comprehensive list of all State and local government links.

Private foundation grants can be offered to youth organizations by a variety of philanthropic institutions, including the Annie E. Casey Foundation, W.F. Kauffman Foundation, and Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, among others. Grants tend to be highly competitive, and can involve strict evaluation guidelines. For a list of national foundations that offer grants for youth programs, call the National Clearinghouse on Families & Youth at (301) 608-8098 or visit the Foundation Center Web site at www.foundationcenter.org.

Many national and international corporations, such as The Gap, Prudential Insurance Company, and the FleetBoston Financial Group, have charitable foundations that award grants specifically to youth development organizations. The Foundation Center has a list of corporate grantmakers at fdncenter.org/funders/grantmaker/gws_corp/corp1.html.

Many localities have community foundations that aggregate donations from area businesses and award grants to a variety of local programs. Visit www.communityfoundationlocator.org for listings in each community.

The Internet has become an increasingly viable means of fundraising. Visit the ePhilanthropy Foundation at www.ephilanthropy.org/site/PageServer to begin your research.

Some organizations choose to hold special fundraising events to raise funds locally. A well-executed event can raise money, create awareness in the community, and garner media attention. Start researching how to host your own fundraiser at fdncenter.org/learn/useraids/events.html.

More and more frequently, organizations are requiring board members to solicit donations as condition of membership. One resource on the subject is Boards That Love Fundraising: A How-To Guide For Your Board by Robert Zimmerman and Ann Lehman, (available from Jossey-Bass at www.josseybass.com). Other advice can be found on the Web site www.boardsource.org.

Local Chambers of Commerce have an interest in making sure a community and its young people thrive, and are often willing to contribute to effective programs. To locate the Chamber of Commerce nearest you, visit www.uschamber.com/chambers/chamber_directory.asp.

If they are not able to contribute monetarily, neighborhood businesses are often willing to provide in-kind donations, such as copying services, advertising, computer equipment, and groceries.

Many individual community members say that they haven't donated to local organizations because they were simply never asked. Yet, the majority of gifts are made by individuals.

Local faith organizations often have funds or other resources to allocate to community service projects.

More and more funding these days is contingent on forming collaborations with other organizations or government entities. See Chapter Three for more information on forming collaborations.

Letting Others Know About You

Whether looking for funding from a local source in your community or a Federal grant program, your ability to market your idea or program is crucial to its success. Donors want to feel that their contributions will be utilized competently and effectively, so pitches, whether in person or on paper, need to be thoroughly researched and highly professional. Having youth provide first-hand accounts of your PYD program's effectiveness to donors can be a great confidence-building exercise as well as a powerful fundraising tool.

There are thousands of publications, Web sites, and workshops filled with advice on fundraising strategies and tactics. That information will not be duplicated here. In general, however, fundraising will be easier if you have already developed answers to the following questions:

• Who, exactly, do you plan to serve?
• What specific services will you be offering?
• Are there statistics to show that your proposed clients are in need of services?
• Is there research to prove your strategy works?
• How does your strategy promote PYD?
• Is there anyone else in your area providing the same services?
• How is your organization different from your peers'?
• Why are you and your organization the most qualified to provide these services?
• How will you involve youth in decisionmaking?
• How much is your program going to cost every year?
• What are your other sources of revenue?
• How are you going to make the program sustainable over time?
• How are you going to measure and evaluate your outcomes?
• How will you report those outcomes?

And finally: What's in it for the funder? Grantmakers, businesses, and individuals get solicitations all the time. You can set yourself apart by looking through their eyes and thinking about how your program would benefit them. A Chamber of Commerce, for example, might pay closer attention to a project that included how your program would prepare youth to be better employees. A community member might be interested in hearing how your program could reduce neighborhood crime.

Resources on Fundraising and Writing Grant Applications

The Amherst H. Wilder Foundation
www.wilder.org

The Association of Fundraising Professionals
www.afpnet.org

The Chronicle of Philanthropy
philanthropy.com

Compassion Capital Fund, Administration on Children and Families
www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ccf/

White House Office of Community- and Faith-Based Initiatives
www.whitehouse.gov/government/fbci/grant-proposals.html

The Foundation Center
www.foundationcenter.org

The Grantsmanship Center
www.tgci.com

Grassroots Fundraising
www.grassrootsfundraising.org

Non-Profit Guides
www.npguides.org

U.S. Department of Education
www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/newapplicant.html

Evaluating and Improving It

Though many people think of evaluation as the last step of the implementation process, successful programs frequently build it in to their initial strategic planning. And for good reason: Most grantmakers now consider a rigorous evaluation component a requirement for a funding. Involve youth in thinking strategically about what outcomes should be measured, and how the research should be conducted.

Why Evaluate?

• To measure your contribution to clients and the community.
• To learn what works and what doesn't so you can refine your services midcourse and over the long term.
• To provide accountability to your funders and document success stories for your partners in the community.
• To share your experiences so that others can learn from your hard work.

Evaluation Resources

The Program Manager's Guide to Evaluation. Author: Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Administration for Children and Families, Department of Health and Human Services. 2003. Available at http://www.acf.hhs. gov/programs/opre/other_resrch/pm_guide_eval/index.html

Introduction to Program Evaluation for Public Health Programs: A Self-Study Guide. Author Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2005. Available at www.cdc.gov/eval/whatsnew.htm.

Community-Based Project Evaluation Guide. Author: Callor, S., Betts, S., et al. 2001. Publisher: The University of Arizona Institute of Children, Youth & Families. Available from ag.arizona.edu/fcs/cyfernet/cyfar/stst_guide.pdf.

Evaluation Handbook. Author: W.K. Kellogg Foundation. 1998. Available from www.wkkf.org.

Inside Out: Tools to help faith-based organizations measure, learn and grow. Author: United Way of Massachusetts Bay. 2003. Available from the Annie E. Casey Foundation at www.aecf.org.

Logic Model Development Guide. Author: W.K. Kellogg Foundation. 2001. Available from www.wkkf.org/Pubs/Tools/Evaluation/Pub3669.pdf.

Making Evaluation Integral to Your Asset-Building Initiative: Employing a Theory of Action and Change. Author: William Mesaros. Available from the Search Institute at www.search-institute.org.

Publicizing It

The media can be a powerful tool for engaging members of the community, generating resources and volunteers, and adding a level of perceived credibility to the work that you do. One way to start publicizing issues of importance to your program is to have young people write and submit letters to the editor or editorials to city, community, or school newspapers. With a little media training, youth could also serve as the official "spokespersons" for your project. Here are some other general tips on working with the media:

Six Tips on Getting Media Interest

1. Be a resource. Build relationships with reporters in your area by inviting them in for a no-strings-attached lunchtime chat and tour of your program. Introduce them to the youth you serve. Ask about their priorities and offer to be a behind-the-scenes source of information about news and trends in the field. Follow through by occasionally alerting them to pertinent issues or events. You can also prepare short biographies of your most dynamic, well-spoken staff members and youth and e-mail them to reporters covering topics that overlap with the expertise of your "sources." When reporters call, always return messages promptly!

2. Craft your story. When you are ready to make your own pitch, start by thinking like a journalist. What is a journalist looking for? Something new, unusual, or controversial. Something that advances a story or issue already being discussed in the news. Something that has rich opportunities for audio (for radio), photography (for print), or video (for television). But most important, something that is part of a bigger picture. Can your story idea be tied to a debate over afterschool funding? Can it be linked to a new study that shows that mentoring improves youth outcomes? Can it be related to concern over a statewide increase in youth homelessness?

3. Consider who you are trying to reach. Press releases may be effective for publicizing events, but not as worthwhile when you have a special feature story that you'd like to have covered. Instead, go directly to a reporter whose work on a similar topic you have admired. For instance, if your story is about a unique afterschool program, try calling the local education reporter directly. If that reporter isn't interested in the story, ask for the name and phone number of someone who might be.

4. Make life easier for reporters. A typical story has several components: the news, the big picture "hook," relevant historical information or statistics, and the perspectives of one or more people affected by the news. Offer to provide reporters with as many of these components as you can. Compile pertinent statistics and their sources. Briefly summarize the history of the issue or program. Decide which people would provide compelling stories and offer to facilitate interviews. Keep in mind that some reporters may decline your help.

5. Consider the news "cycle." Trying to place a story in the media on election day or during a hurricane is much harder than when there is a lull in major news events. Target those slow times whenever possible, particularly when pitching a feature story that isn't strictly connected to the daily news. The best time to find a reporter with an eager ear is right before the end-of-the-year holidays.

6. Don't be discouraged by "no." There are many reasons why reporters choose to write or broadcast the stories that they do. If they reject your idea, they may have just covered a similar story, or they may simply be too busy with other pressing issues. Ask them what types of stories they would be interested in for the future, and keep trying.

Resources on Working with the Media

A Guide to Working with the Media. Author: Corporation for National and Community Service. No Date. Available from www.nationalservice.org/resources/cross/index.html.

Getting Your Message on the Air: A Guidebook for Community Nonprofit Organizations. Author: National Association of Broadcasters. Available from www.nab.org.

The Jossey-Bass Guide to Strategic Communications for Nonprofits. Authors: Kathy Bonk, Henry Griggs, Emily Tynes. 1998. Available from www.josseybass.com.

Media Outreach Made Easy: An Advocate's Guide to Working With the Press. Author: The National Resource Center on Domestic Violence. 1999. Available from www.vawnet.org.

National Mentoring Center Bulletin, Vol. 2, No. 1. Marketing and Media Outreach. Author: Susan Weinberger. February 2004. Available from www.nwrel.org

Reframing Youth Issues For Public Consideration and Support. Author: The Frameworks Institute. 2001. Available from www.frameworksinstitute.org.

Working With the Media. Youth in Action, Number 14, March 2000. Author: Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. Available from www.ojjdp.ncjrs.org/publications/index.html.