February 2012

NCFY Recommends: Child and Youth Homelessness Report Card

Georgia's Report Card Youth workers know that homeless people are often invisible to their larger communities.

NCFY Recommends: 'The State of Young America: Economic Barriers to the American Dream'

In "The State of Young America: Economic Barriers to the American Dream," the policy organization Demos and the nonprofit Young Invincibles portray the experiences of young Americans struggling to make it.

The report is based on a survey of young adults, ages 18-34. An accompanying data book describes the increasing gap between the wealthy and the poor and compares the economic status of today's young people to that of the previous generation.

The report finds that:

Bright Idea: Use This iPhone App to Learn About Digital Abuse

Love is Not AbuseControlling behavior and emotional abuse in teen dating relationships are nothing new. But technologies like smart phones, texting and social networking sites have made young people vulnerable to new avenues of harassment and abuse—because abusers can reach them anytime, anywhere.

Q&A: Megan McKenna on Legal Aid for Undocumented Youth

Each year, thousands of youth come to the United States illegally without a parent or guardian. Many of them wind up in immigration court without a lawyer to help them navigate the system.

To find out what youth workers can do to help these young people, NCFY spoke with Megan McKenna, who directs communications and advocacy for Kids in Need of Defense, or KIND, a Washington, DC, nonprofit that arranges free legal representation for undocumented, unaccompanied youth.

Primary Sources: Peer Education in Dating Violence Prevention

Peer Education and Leadership in Dating Violence Prevention: Strengths and Challenges (abstract), Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment & Trauma, Vol. 19, 2010.

What it’s about: The authors of this article interviewed 52 domestic violence and sexual assault prevention practitioners about their experiences using youth as educators and leaders in efforts to prevent dating violence and sexual assault among adolescents.

NCFY Recommends: Making Health Clinic Visits Less Scary for Youth

Going to a clinic or getting tested for sexually transmitted infections can be scary for young people, especially if they don't know what to expect. To help youth get over the hurdle of fear, a group of youth in New York City has produced several videos that encourage their peers to take care of their sexual health.

Part of a series written by and starring members of Community Healthcare Network's teen health program, the videos could be incorporated into life skills classes or sexual health workshops.

New Podcast: Using Pop Music to Teach Relationship Health

In a new Youth Speak Out podcast, two young people share how they use the common language of popular music to broach a difficult subject: teen dating violence.

Q&A: Dave Frederick of The Coffee Oasis on Building Community Relationships

Plans to open a new drop-in center for homeless youth in the picturesque waterside town of Poulsbo, WA, have brought concerns and criticism from some citizens and enthusiastic support from others. We spoke with Dave Frederick, executive director of The Coffee Oasis, the youth-serving group that will operate the center.

National Clearinghouse on Families & Youth | 5515 Security Lane, Suite 800 | North Bethesda, MD 20852 | (301) 608-8098 | ncfy@acf.hhs.gov