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 Since our founding in 1990, YouthBuild USA has guided the development of the national YouthBuild network of more than 226 local programs that act in collaboration to improve their outcomes and impact. The reach of YouthBuild USA is not limited to YouthBuild programs; it extends to the broader youth development fi eld to diminish poverty in the United States and internationally.
In our role as the leader of the national YouthBuild movement, YouthBuild USA:
Supporting the YouthBuild network
YouthBuild USA provides local YouthBuild sites:
- Guidance in implementation through staff training, technical assistance, research, publications, curriculum, and Web-based resources. These supports help strengthen program quality by disseminating innovations, best practices, and strategies on key topics such as staff development, sustainability, outcome based planning, partnership development, and working with young adults;
- Quality assurance through the management of the YouthBuild USA Affiliated Network, which sets program design and performance standards, collects and analyzes data on YouthBuild program outcomes, and accredits outstanding programs;
- Grants and loans amounting to several million dollars per year in public and private funds. In 2005 YouthBuild USA granted over ðÎ9 million to local programs.
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Advocating for YouthBuild programs
YouthBuild USA represents and advocates for YouthBuild programs by:
- Bringing more than $700 million in federal funds since 1994 to low income communities for 226 YouthBuild programs;
- Raising funds from corporations, foundations, individuals, and others to support YouthBuild programs;
- Coordinating the National YouthBuild Coalition of nearly 1,000 members to build majority bipartisan support in both houses of Congress;
- Supporting the development of 13 state-level YouthBuild coalitions (California, Georgia, Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, New Jersey, Ohio, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas, and Wisconsin) that aim to secure state funding, sponsor youth events, maintain and improve program quality and accountability, and shape public policy regarding low-income youth;
- Bringing public attention to the YouthBuild network and issues facing youth in transition.
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Developing future leaders
YouthBuild USA and the network of local programs offer students and graduates opportunities for:
- Personal growth, career development, and academic advancement through counseling and support from YouthBuild staff and community leaders;
- Leadership roles in the National Alumni Association and the national Young Leaders Council, youth conferences, and other organizations that support young people;
- Civic engagement and community service through building affordable housing and advocating for their communities both locally and nationally;
- Asset building through the YouthBuild National Individual Development Account Program and the YouthBuild Asset Trust for Graduates, and the Helene D. Stoneman Scholarship and Civic Leadership Program to provide funds, financial education, and mentorship to help YouthBuild achieve economic independence.
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Contributing to the youth development field
YouthBuild USA’s role in improving opportunities for low-income youth extends beyond the YouthBuild network and involves:
- Sharing the philosophy, principles, and best practices that make YouthBuild work with other youth development practitioners through the YouthBuild Academy for Transformation and Youth on Board;
- Partnering with national organizations (such as America’s Promise, Voices for National Service, Campaign for Youth, National Youth Employment Coalition, Youth Service America, Youth Policy Action Center, Forum for Youth Investment, and NASCC) to affect public policy and to expand the resources for effective
programs reconnecting disadvantaged youth with education, employment, and service;
- Working with international organizations interested in establishing YouthBuild-like programs and helping to develop good policies and training capacity for addressing youth unemployment in the developing world.
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