CFK home September 25
Featured Articles:
 October
8—Fourteen years ago, an abandoned air force
base was transformed into a vibrant intergenerational community,
Hope Meadows, to help move children from foster care to
adoption and turn seniors into active givers of supports
and services. Now, as sites across the country replicate
their approach, Hope Meadows is adapting to the new challenges
that come with long-term success. Read
more about Hope Meadows.
 September
25—Want some reality to go with all
the rhetoric these days? Examining what policies
and programs are moving or stalled and where
the money's going is one way to get a clearer
picture of reality. To help anyone concerned
about children and youth, Connect for Kids has
compiled this recap of policy successes and a "crystal
ball" look at what national organizations
and advocates are watching in 2008-2009. We've
included tools and links to learn more and take
action.
But wait, that's not all—get
the lowdown on the exciting child
welfare reform success that hit President
Bush's desk this week! Read
the PolicyWatch
 September
15—In an election season, there’s
no shortage of rhetoric—but the National
Collaboration for Youth takes us beyond
sound bites to concrete action steps with
its new cross-cutting policy agenda. The
agenda offers a unifying strategy and specific
policy and investment recommendations to
help the federal government do a better
job of meeting the needs of children and
youth, and improving the well-being of
and opportunities for all young people. Read
more.
 September
10—Step Up for Kids
Day is September 16! The Every Child
Matters Education Fund and its local,
state and national partners are hosting
this nonpartisan event on the capitol
steps in Washington, DC, and all
50 states to draw public attention
to issues affecting America's children—poverty,
health care, juvenile incarceration,
early care and education, child abuse
and after-school programs. Read
more.
 August
6—Here’s a
personal glimpse at the importance
of local programs for children and
families, as three stressed-out parents
share how they found help and education
in support groups. The California-based Children’s
Advocate reports. Read
article.
|
10/8 Breaking
News: President signs child welfare reform into law. More.
October
8 issue —If change and hope are the buzzwords
of the election, collaboration might be the current battle
cry of the child and youth field. It's not a new idea, of
course, but several national campaigns and many communities
across the country are finding that connecting the systems,
funds and organizations focused on young people can fill
gaps, reduce redundancy and lead to better, more cost-effective
interventions.
Also: I say bailout, you say rescue and now child advocates,
business leaders and pediatricians are saying "invest in
kids" to help bolster the economy and our nation's future
workforce. Read about the new Telluride Principles for Investing
in Young Children.
The crisis on Wall Street is already being felt on Frat Row—there
we go taking the Wall St/Main St connection a step too far!—after
an investment fund serving 1,000 colleges partially froze withdrawals.
There's also news on Youth Courts, promising strategies for
working with transition-age youth and the latest evidence on
the importance of early learning. For these and more, read
the Update.
 Hershel
Sarbin, CFK/Child Advocacy 360
Do you care about communications? Think the child and youth field is full of inspiring stories of local impact, real results and systems change—but not so skilled at communicating successes and engaging a broader audience?
Hershel Sarbin, founder of the Child Advocacy 360 Foundation,
has a challenge for you: join the conversation, share stories
of effective work, and together we’ll lean on “the Good
News Lever.” Listen to the YouTube version of this column—then
read the text and tell us which you prefer—read/listen to Hershel's column.
Recent Columns:
>>Learn
more about CFK and Child Advocacy360.
Karen Pittman's Youth Today Column
Karen Pittman recently sat down with the real experts on the "high
school dropout crisis"—seven students from Des Moines,
five of whom had dropped out and another who had come very
close. In her latest Youth Today column, Karen shares what
these young people had to say about why they left, what made
them return to school and what they recommend for education. Read
Karen's column.
Recent Columns:
>> Learn about this PSA campaign
|
|
About CFK
Connect for Kids makes the best use of communications technologies, specifically the Internet, to give adults—parents, grandparents, guardians, educators, advocates, policymakers...
Take the Ready by 21 Challenge
The Ready by 21 Challenge isn't a program, campaign or even an initiative, but it's working hard to change the way we do business so we can improve the outcomes for youth.
So just what is Ready by 21 and how can it help youth work? Find out here.
|
What if you Ran CFK?
Subscribe to