The National Collaboration for Youth (NCY), a 40-year old affinity group, is a coalition of the National Assembly member organizations that have a significant interest in youth development. Members of NCY include more than 50 national, non-profit, youth development organizations that collectively serve more than 40 million young people; employ over 100,000 paid staff; utilize more than six million volunteers; and have a physical presence in virtually every community in America.

Its mission is to provide a united voice as advocates for youth to improve the conditions of young people in America, and to help young people reach their full potential.

Collectively, the member organizations of the National Collaboration for Youth

Serve more than 40 million young people
Employ over 100,000 paid staff
Utilize more than six million volunteers
Have a physical presence in virtually every community in America

September 15, 2008

NCY ANNOUNCES NATIONAL CHILDREN & YOUTH POLICY AGENDA

The National Collaboration for Youth (NCY), a 40 year old coalition of youth-serving nonprofits, today proposed a national policy agenda, “Toward a Brighter Future: An Essential Agenda for America’s Young People”. The agenda and policy recommendations within are essential to meeting the needs of America’s children and youth this year and beyond. While most would agree that “children are our greatest asset,” the federal government’s investment in children and youth continues to decline. According to the First Focus Children’s Budget Book, federal spending on children decreased by 10% in the past five years.

The policy agenda contains an overarching set of recommendations for federal policy changes and investments designed to move this nation toward a brighter future and invest in the needs of our children and youth. The agenda incorporates all aspects of child development and focuses on three core elements that form a unifying strategy for how the federal government works on issues facing young people. These three core elements are:

A focus on the whole child;

A fundamental premise that all young people should be treated with dignity and equality; and

A positive youth development approach that builds not from the deficits in young people’s lives, but from assets.

“A shared vision and strategy, comprehensive and integrated supports, and needed improvements in key programs, together these elements will change the odds for our kids” said Don Floyd, CEO of the National 4-H Council and Chair of the National Collaboration for Youth. “With this agenda, policymakers can begin to focus greater and more strategic investments in children and youth, so that more young people succeed.”

“The members of the National Collaboration for Youth, the nation’s youth-serving agencies, know the young people in our communities and therefore have a unique perspective,” said Irv Katz, President and CEO of the National Human Services Assembly and Lead Staff to the NCY. “From that vantage point, we are advising the Presidential campaigns and Congress not pick and choose from these recommendations but to build upon the complete agenda, so that every child has the opportunity to excel.”

TO VIEW THE AGENGA CLICK HERE.