Opinion Archives | Page 2 of 83

Five shifts that would change everything_feature: black teenage girl speaks with black female adult

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Five shifts that would change everything

A podcast discusses five concrete changes that can be made in any youth development setting.

learning environments What John King's teachers were actually doing_feature: group of students listens to black male teacher outdoors teaching them about plants

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What John King’s teachers were actually doing

Helping youth thrive is about designing learning environments that prioritize consistency, challenge, and agency.

Structure, control and leaving room, youth environments _feature: image of clay pot spinning on record player

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Structure, control and leaving room

Youth practitioners play a critical role in shaping youth environments by establishing norms, safety, and a larger vision — not by controlling...

child abuse, child welfare, foster care:Unhappy Child Sitting On Floor In Corner At Home

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Children suffer when child welfare ignores the evidence base

Child abuse deaths are needles in a haystack. But we’ve spent half a century making the haystack bigger.

Child safety was never meant to look like this_feature: A sad little girl hugging her parent to feel safe, tearful.

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Child safety was never meant to look like this

The U.S. invokes child protection to justify family separation, prolonged detention and forced placements, but this distorts the origins of child safety.

Look inside_What MCA taught us about gratitude, growth and growing up_Pass the Mic 4_feature: black and white image of three youths sitting on curb

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Look inside: What MCA taught us about gratitude, growth and growing up

MCA’s legacy, when seen through a developmental lens, offers a clear example of how gratitude can emerge alongside maturity, identity and purpose.

Why agency, voice and coherence is the work_feature: group of diverse youth smiling

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Why agency, voice and coherence is the work: Supporting social, emotional and academic well-being and thriving in challenging times and contexts

From a developmental perspective, coherence is not something young people are told they are part of; it is something they feel.

Twice a refugee _feature: This black-and-white image depicts a dramatic scene of a person holding their head, seemingly distressed, while standing under long, vertical shadows resembling prison bars. The composition and the strong contrast between light and dark create an intense atmosphere, evoking feelings of confinement, mental struggle, and isolation. The texture of the ground and the person's silhouette add depth to the emotional narrative of the photograph.

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Twice a refugee

A young, LGBTQ refugee shares their journey from Africa to Trump's United States and then Canada, highlighting the fear permeating immigrant communities.

arts program grants, arts-based mental health, Big Thought: young man with tattoo on arm working on drawing

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Big Thought: The ecosystem intermediary behind Dallas City of Learning

Big Thought brings arts education into the community and tackles other opportunity gaps.

When accomodations exist on paper but not in practice_how ACT testing fails students with disabilities: male high school student taking test on laptop

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When accommodations exist on paper but not in practice: How ACT testing fails students with disabilities

Students with disabilities face barriers when trying to access standardized testing accommodations, especially those without strong adult support networks.

The empty desk_A student's view of the siege in our hallways_feature: shadowy classroom with empty desks

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The empty desk: A student’s view of the siege in our hallways

A junior at Columbia Heights High School in Minnesota gives a glimpse into what it's like to be student during the ongoing...

From systems leadership to learning ecosystems stewardship_feature: group of kids watch an educator giving a presentation outside

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From systems leadership to ecosystems stewardship: A next step for OST intermediaries?

The benefits of comprehensive learning ecosystems are vast, but a vital part of maintaining and stewarding them will fall on OST programs/intermediaries.

service learning, youth workers: Happy young volunteers in gloves collecting, sorting food for needy people

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They age out — then we hire them. What happens next matters most.

Despite the vital role of young staff, we know little about how these experiences shape their development and which workplace practices help...

An invitation to learn reflect and act together for equity-centered thriving: group of diverse youth happily works at table together

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An invitation to learn, reflect and act together for equity-centered thriving

A new podcast features foundational thinkers, exemplary youth practitioners and policy leaders discussing what it takes to support equity-centered thriving.

restorative professional development for youth workers_workshop outdoors, connecting to nature_feature: group of people standing outside with blue, partly cloudy sky

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A restorative approach to professional development for youth workers

Jen Curry of Change Impact highlights restorative professional development for the youth workforce, detailing six ways organizations can implement it.

From chronic absence to chosen presence: chronic absenteeism, Classroom with light wood desks and bright blue chairs and no students

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From chronic absence to chosen presence: The case for new measures, especially for high schoolers

Looking at what motivates students to attend when they don’t have to could be the secret to helping communities reduce chronic absenteeism.

On readiness to change, youth development_feature: three youths at youth organization even happily discussing something

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On readiness to change

Katherine Plog Martinez speaks with Arielle Lentz about the importance of youth organizations' readiness to implement science-based youth development.

climate decision-making, Climate change: youth at street protest with many signs amd large deep yellow banner with black text, "We are the ones we've been waiting for."

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The missing voices in climate decision-making: Youth

Why are youth left out of climate decision-making spaces and conversations about the climate crisis we will inevitably inherit?

College students can help close the gap between demand and availability for afterschool programs_feature: young woman with group of excited young children around model volcano in afterschool program

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College students can help close the gap between demand and availability for afterschool programs

These collaborations benefit the institutions and partner organizations, the college students serving in these afterschool program roles and local youth.

The new federal education tax credit_A time to make lemonade_feature: young teacher helps a student in afterschool art program

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The new federal education tax credit: A time to make lemonade?

Large youth-serving organizations could take advantage of a new federal education tax credit originally meant to establish a national voucher-like program.