Quick Reference Guide to Family and Youth Issues
The National Clearinghouse on Families and Youth (NCFY) has prepared this quick reference guide to aid the media and other researchers in locating information and resources on youth and family issues. Please note that the information is not exhaustive, and the content of sites listed here does not necessarily represent the official position, policies, or views of NCFY, the Family and Youth Services Bureau, or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
HOT TOPICS
Youth in Immediate Need
Every year, more than 1.5 million young people either run away from or are thrown out of their homes, largely due to parental conflict, physical or sexual abuse, drug use, or poverty. In order to address the pressing needs of runaway and homeless youth, the Administration for Children and Families/Family and Youth Services Bureau funds more than 350 shelters that provide for the basic needs of youth in crisis, while working to return them to the safety of their homes or other appropriate living arrangements.
Where to go for more information:
Family and Youth Services Bureau
National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
National Runaway Switchboard: 1-800-RUNAWAY
National Safe Place
Helping America’s Youth
Helping America’s Youth is a nationwide effort, initiated in 2005 by President George W. Bush and led by First Lady Laura Bush, to benefit children and teenagers by helping them forge stronger connections to their families, schools, and communities. As part of this effort, the First Lady unveiled the Community Guide to Helping America's Youth. Developed by nine Federal agencies, the Web-based guide provides up-to-date research on youth development and effective programs in an effort to assist community partnerships in prioritizing issues, identify existing resources, and addressing unmet community needs.
Where to go for more information:
Office of the First Lady, Helping America’s Youth Initiative
Community Guide to Helping America’s Youth
Helping America’s Youth Conference
Abstinence Education
Abstinence education is a key component to promoting Positive Youth Development. By abstaining from sexual activity before marriage, young people can focus on building the skills and assets they need to become productive adults. In support of the Administration’s efforts to promote healthy choices for youth, the ACF/Family and Youth Services Bureau administers the State and Community-based Abstinence Education Programs, which received a combined $165 million in funding in 2005. Where to go for more information:
Government Web sites:
ACF/Family and Youth Services Bureau
4parents.gov
Organizations and selected grantees:
National Abstinence Clearinghouse
Abstinence and Marriage Education Partnership
Best Friends Foundation
The Medical Institute for Sexual Health
Domestic Human Trafficking of Youth
Human trafficking—a crime in which victims are subjected to force, fraud, or coercion, for the purpose of sexual exploitation or forced labor—has in recent years received increased attention in the United States and around the world. Most American victims of commercial sexual exploitation are runaway or thrown-away youth who live on the streets and become victims of prostitution. To combat international and domestic human trafficking, President George W. Bush signed the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2005. The Act authorizes the establishment of a pilot program, within the Department of Health and Human Services, to assist child and youth victims by providing services such as shelter, psychological counseling, and assistance in developing independent living skills.
Where to go for more information:
Campaign To Rescue and Restore Victims of Human Trafficking (Administration for Children and Families)
Assistance under the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (Office of Refugee Resettlement)
Human Trafficking Information and Referral Hotline: 1- 888-3737-888
U.S. Department of Justice
U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops
[http://www.acf.hhs.gov/news/press/2006/USCCB_RR_April_18_06.htm]
Child Trafficking Research Hub (UNICEF)
HumanTrafficking.org (Academy for Educational Development)
Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons (U.S. Department of State)
The Protection Project U.S. Training and Assistance Web Site
Periodicals on trafficking:
Anti-Trafficking News Bulletin
U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division
Trafficking Watch
International Rescue Committee
Mentoring
Research shows what mentoring organizations have known for decades: dedicated, concerned adult mentors make a difference in the lives of youth. To support efforts providing caring adults to youth in need, FYSB administers the Mentoring Children of Prisoners Program, which received $47.4 million in funding in 2005.
Where to go for more information:
Family and Youth Services Bureau
America’s Promise – Alliance for Youth
Child Trends
The Commonwealth Fund
MENTOR: The National Mentoring Partnership
Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention
Public/Private Ventures
Some organizations that mentor:
Family and Youth Services Bureau grantees
4-H
100 Black Men of America, Inc.
Amachi
Big Brothers Big Sisters of America
Friends of the Children
Kinship, Inc.
NCFY resources:
Mentoring Children of Prisoners Program fact sheet
Mentoring Children of Prisoners bibliography
Mentoring as a Tool for Positive Youth Development (The Exchange, May 2005)
Working with Children of Prisoners fact sheet
NCFY literature database
Volunteerism and Service Learning
Youth gain valuable self confidence and leadership skills through volunteerism and service learning projects that show them how they can positively influence their communities. Each year, hundreds of thousands of young people participate in National Youth Service Day, and many more quietly make a difference every day by working for the benefit of their friends and neighborhoods.
Where to go for more information:
National Service-Learning Clearinghouse
National Youth Leadership Council
Points of Light Foundation
Youth Service America
Some organizations that offer service learning:
Corporation for National and Community Service
Habitat for Humanity
Learn and Serve America
YouthBuild
Youth Service and Conservation Corps
Youth Volunteer Corps of America
NCFY resources:
NCFY literature database
Lend a Hand: A Guide to Volunteering for Youth
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is the Family and Youth Services Bureau (FYSB)?
FYSB is an agency within the Administration on Children, Youth and Families of the Administration for Children and Families of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. FYSB is directed by Acting Associate Commissioner Curtis Porter. The Bureau’s mission is to provide national leadership on youth and family issues. The FYSB promotes positive outcomes for children, youth, and families by supporting a wide range of comprehensive services and collaborations at the local, Tribal, State, and national levels.
FYSB promotes the Positive Youth Development approach to supporting young people.
What programs does FYSB oversee?
Runaway and Homeless Youth Act Programs
- The Basic Center Program provides short-term shelter and basic services like health care and counseling to runaway and homeless youth, ages 18 or younger, with the goal of reuniting them with their families whenever possible.
- The Transitional Living Program provides up to 18 months of shelter, basic services, and life-skills training to homeless youth, ages 16-21, who are not able to return to their families.
- The Street Outreach Program provides resources for shelter staff to go into the community and provide services to homeless youth where they live.
- The Research and Demonstration Program allows FYSB to conduct research on new and promising ways to address the needs of runaway and homeless youth, to enhance knowledge about key issues, or to build capacity in the youth service field.
How can I find FYSB grantees in my community?
FYSB grantees are in every State and U.S. territory.
What is the National Clearinghouse on Families & Youth?
The National Clearinghouse on Families & Youth provides resources for young people, concerned adults, and professionals who are working toward the positive development of all youth. The Clearinghouse is an information service of the Family and Youth Services Bureau, a Bureau within the HHS/Administration for Children and Families.
What services does the Clearinghouse provide?
Personalized information: Available by phone or e-mail, NCFY staff provide information on FYSB programs and customized research on funding sources, promising practices, and community resources for youth development.
Publications: The Clearinghouse develops publications on issues related to youth development and distributes them to the general public and youth professionals for conferences, training sessions, and community outreach efforts.
Literature database: The Clearinghouse maintains and is constantly updating FYSB’s research library, which currently contains around 15,000 resources on youth and family issues. A searchable literature database provides abstracts and ordering information for each of the titles.
What is Positive Youth Development?
Positive Youth Development is based on the belief that, given guidance and support from caring adults, all youth can grow up healthy and happy, making positive contributions to their families, schools, and communities. The approach favors leadership and skill-building opportunities, such as Boys and Girls Clubs and 4-H, which give youth feelings of competence and power. Unlike “deficit-based” programs that focus narrowly on issues like drug abuse and teen pregnancy prevention, programs that embrace Positive Youth Development do not address youth primarily as problems to be solved, but rather assets to be developed.
Why does FYSB support Positive Youth Development?
When community members and policymakers harness the positive energy and initiative of youth, rather than focusing on their problems, everybody benefits. Why?
- Youth believe they can be successful instead of internalizing the negative statistics (regarding alcohol and drug abuse, juvenile crime, teen pregnancy, and low test scores) about them that often appear in the media.
- Youth engage in productive activities that build job and life skills and reinforce community-mindedness.
- Youth grow comfortable questioning and exploring their roles as citizens in a participatory democracy.
What are some other Federal agencies doing to support Positive Youth Development?
Helping America’s Youth is supported by the White House and spearheaded by First Lady Laura Bush.
YouthBuild is supported by the Departments of Labor, Housing and Urban Development, Health and Human Services, and Treasury.
4-H is supported by the Department of Agriculture.
The Youth Court program is supported by the Department of Justice.
The National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program is supported by the Department of Defense.
What are some organizations that practice Positive Youth Development?
Many of America’s biggest youth organizations practice Positive Youth Development: Big Brothers Big Sisters of the USA, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, 4-H, Girl Scouts of the USA, and the YMCA. Hundreds of smaller organizations and programs around the country, from afterschool programs to service learning to mentoring, have also embraced the idea that youth need opportunities to build skills and serve as leaders.
Where can I find research on Positive Youth Development?
Research on Positive Youth Development is being conducted at the Search Institute, The Institute for Applied Research in Youth Development at Tufts University, the International Youth Forum, and the Center for Youth Development and Policy Research at the Academy for Educational Development, among many other institutions and policy centers.
Where can I find resources on youth issues?
Besides NCFY, there are a number of organizations that compile information and resources on youth issues, including the National Network for Youth, Connect for Kids, the National Youth Leadership Council, and the International Youth Foundation.
Where can I find statistics on youth?
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services provides youth statistics through the HHS Data Council Gateway to Data and Statistics, the Administration on Children and Families, and the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation. The Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics, Kids Count, and United Nations Children’s Fund also collect statistics on children and youth. Or consult the NCFY publication Celebrating America’s Youth: The Facts Are Positive.
Where can I find research on adolescent development?
On the Internet, Child Trends and the National Youth Development Information Center have data banks of research on children, youth, and families. The Journal of Adolescent Research and New Directions for Youth Development offer published scholarly work. The NCFY literature database can help pinpoint other resources.
Where can I find publications written by youth?
There are a number of media outlets throughout the country that are staffed by young writers and reporters who can provide insight into issues that affect youth.
What should I consider when covering youth issues?
In order to succeed, youth need to develop positive, nurturing relationships with adults in their communities. Media coverage of young people engaged in productive activities, such as volunteering or mentoring, rather than the commonly-seen stories of crime and violence, can help persuade adults to get involved.
Recommendations for covering youth issues can be found in a number of reports, including:
The Casey Journalism Center for Children and Families also maintains a Web forum and daily news digest for journalists who cover youth and family issues.
Where can I find experts who cover youth and family issues?
Many colleges and universities have researchers who study youth and family issues. Often, they are affiliated with schools of social work or education. Connect for Kids has also compiled a database of youth experts across the country.
Where can I find youth voices for my coverage?
Stories about youth should include the perspectives of youth or youth advocates. By allowing youth to speak on their own behalf, the media can help young people take part in policy discussions over issues that deeply impact their lives – education, juvenile justice, poverty, and so on.
Find local youth and youth organizations at the Boys & Girls Club of America, Girl Scouts of the USA, YMCA, 4-H, or build relationships with local youth serving programs, afterschool programs, or mentoring programs.
Some national organizations interested in positive youth development issues include the National League of Cities, Generations United, and the National Network for Youth, among others.
LITERATURE DATABASE
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