ACT for Youth aims to effect positive outcomes for youth by instituting policy changes reflecting youth development principles in schools and local government agencies. The ACT for Youth partnerships often serve as the catalyst for community change, advancing new attitudes about youth, providing training, and influencing schools and government-all of which are necessary precursors to broad, community-level change.
The AYD Partnership offers professional development for youth workers in New York State. Using a train-the-trainer model, teams of trainers from a variety of youth serving organizations are recruited, trained and then supported in the provision of AYD trainings in their home counties or regions.
AYD's on-line resources include tools for trainers such as facilitators tips, program planning guide, newsletters, and selection of trusted websites on youth development.
The schedule of AYD training can be found on the AYD Events Calendar: .
The CITY Project promotes civic engagement, workforce preparation, and asset development among youth 14-18 years old. The program provides opportunities and support for low-income youth to meet the challenges of growing up. Working in partnerships with caring adults, CITY Teen Leaders identify local problems by using various types of community mapping and then design projects to create lasting changes in their communities.
This program carries out research and outreach to understand and enhance community supports and opportunities for young people making the transition to adulthood, particularly low-income and minority youth. Supports and opportunities of interest include work, service, schools, and mentoring relationships. The program also seeks to strengthen the links between research and the practice of youth development.
This program gives youth, ages 9 to 15, from low-income families the time, space, and support to practice food skills. In addition, through the experiential teaching method youth gain communication skills and respect for each other as they work together.
This site summarizes Cornell's research on this topic and provides links and resources for information on detecting, treating, and preventing self-injurious behavior (SIB) in adolescents and young adults.
This program engages youth in online science, technology, and math experiences. Youth collect data on human performance from their own lives, input numbers into a database, and compare their results with those of other teens.
This program trains parents, community volunteers, and educators to deliver investigative science experiences to youth about animals, chemistry, engineering, environment, nutrition, plants, and textiles. The curricula are adaptable to many audiences but special attention has been given to engaging girls, Native Americans, and children with special needs.
www.human.cornell.edu/che/HD/Outreach_extension/risky-decision-making-in-adolescents.cfm
Recent research shows that teens make bad decisions not because they think they are invulnerable or haven't thought about the risks. This website links to articles and additional information on research by Valerie Reyna and the implications for theory, practice and public policy.
This project educates adults about HIV/AIDS, child/adolescent development, and intergenerational communication strategies in order to reduce HIV-related risk and stigma among children, teens, and their adult caregivers. The goals are to: reduce youth risk for HIV infection; reduce adult participants' risk for HIV infection and increase their role-modeling of safer behaviors; and reduce HIV-related fear and stigma.
Thinking Like a Scientist is a science education program developed by to encourage highschool students to think scientifically about everyday, real-world problems. The curriculum consists of 13 stand-alone lessons which discuss the scientific method using issues and ideas which are relevant to high school students.
