YouthNet of Greater Kansas City: Programs for youth development, after-school, teens, parents, youth workers.

YouthNet considers the release of assessment results of out of school time programs to be a very important next step in the evolution of the youth development sector overall and in Kansas City specifically. YouthNet believes that changes in national priorities due to 9/11, in combination with the current economy, make this truer than ever. Only by taking this leap will money continue to flow to the youth serving sector and only then can there be any hope of increased investment.

The following examples demonstrate the context in which the youth serving sector exists.

A White House Task Force for Disadvantaged Youth was commissioned on December 23, 2002 “to develop for his [President Bush’s] consideration a comprehensive Federal response to the problems of youth failure, under existing authorities and programs, with a focus on enhanced [Federal] agency accountability and effectiveness.” The task force’s report was released in October, 2003. The leading paragraph under Holding Programs Accountable for Results reads “Providing funds to grantees in order to support proven interventions does not in itself guarantee results. Youth programs must implement these programs correctly and must monitor their service delivery and program outcomes.” One of its conclusions: “The Task Force recommends launching a major effort to work with applicants and programs over the next several years to strengthen the accountability and performance of organizations receiving Federal funds to operate programs for disadvantaged youth. The Task Force believes an increased emphasis on performance measurement as both a program management tool and a means to communicate program impact will improve the effectiveness of youth-serving programs while providing federal agencies the necessary information to hold grantees accountable for results.
In a February 1, 2004 article in The Kansas City Star regarding President Bush’s proposed $2.3 billion budget, “Bush said that he would virtually freeze many domestic spending programs with less than 1 percent increase for domestic discretionary spending outside the military and domestic security.” Youth serving agencies will have to ‘set themselves apart’ to become more competitive for increasingly limited investments from government sources as well as private funders whose financial resources have diminished in the current economy.
Education is still seen as the primary provider for the development of America’s youth. Increasingly money is being placed on education programs and away from youth development programs. The looming local example is the Kauffman Foundation. Even the Kauffman Fund which is housed at The Greater Kansas City Community Foundation has increasing numbers of grants supporting classroom activities.
The Partnership for Children commissioned a study of public attitudes toward public funding of out of school time programs in the states of Missouri and Kansas. A consistent finding was the concern about accountability.
Opponents of the Community Backed Anti-Drug Sales Tax (COMBAT) promise a much tougher fight when it comes up for renewal in seven years. Prevention agencies must be prepared to demonstrate effectiveness to increase the likelihood that the fund is renewed by the public.
Reporting out assessment results is already being piloted through the Quality Rating System at the early childhood level in the metro area and in a limited number of sites across the state of Missouri. Most likely, it is a matter of time before the elementary school age and teen programs are asked to provide their results.
DonorEdge software, developed by The Greater Kansas City Community Foundation for gathering, measuring and reporting information about nonprofits for use by donors asks for performance results. It also asks if the program has an external monitor has been accredited.

Business has market forces at work to determine whether its products or services are quality. If they are not, customers will not purchase them. Public education has an entire infrastructure including accreditation that lets the public know whether education is quality. The youth sector will be marginalized and under funded until mechanisms are in place that let public and private funders know that they are getting a solid return on their investments.

This document initiates a new collaboration between "ABC Agency" and YouthNet. By signing this collaboration agreement:

1. "ABC Agency" agrees to integrate Kansas City Youth Programs Standards of Quality Performance (also known as Standards) into its day-to-day program operations.

2. YouthNet agrees to coordinate technical assistance, training and other capacity building activities deemed helpful by "ABC Agency" to enhance its success in implementing the Standards, based upon an agreeable schedule which is subject to YouthNet’s time allocation and financial resources.

3. "ABC Agency" agrees to share annual quality assessment ratings to relevant stakeholders including but not limited to funders and parents.

4. "ABC Agency" agrees to commit an executive leader to participate in a YouthNet collaborating agency executives committee that will address an agenda including but not limited to: identifying common challenges to quality improvement efforts and seeking to define solutions; identifying strategies to increase investments from public and private sources in order to expand their quality driven programs.

"ABC Agency" will enroll young people in its programs, use a computer software program of its choice to track daily participation and regularly use the data for program analysis.
"ABC Agency" and YouthNet will agree upon a daily attendance target based upon available facilities and requirements of quality standards.
"ABC Agency" will develop a Quality Improvement Committee (QuIC) to oversee quality improvement efforts. The recommended composition of the QuIC will be: a board member, an executive leader, middle manager, front line youth worker, two young people, a parent and the agency’s YouthNet liaison. This committee will be responsible for developing annual quality improvement goals, identifying capacity building needs and making needed organizational changes to ensure goals are met. It will meet quarterly thereafter to review progress. If "ABC Agency" already has a quality issue committee in place with which the YouthNet liaison can affiliate, that committee will suffice. The committee must communicate assessment results and quality improvement efforts to the agency board.
"ABC Agency" agrees to participate in research projects and pilot projects that can add to knowledge about effective youth programs. Such research must be culturally relevant to each collaborating agency. Final approval of research projects will be through consensus of the collaborating agencies.
"ABC Agency" staff members will participate in the 24 clock hour Advancing Youth Development curriculum (AYD) or 15 clock hour AYD for supervisors training. If a comparable curriculum is in regular use, it will be reviewed to assess whether it satisfies the youth development training requirement. If staff members do not have a college degree, they will meet with YouthNet staff to discuss enrollment in the youth development certificate programs offered through the Metropolitan Community College system (full scholarships are available).
"ABC Agency" agrees to participate in an annual quality assessment process by an objective third party (not YouthNet) whereby the results will be made available to stakeholders, including but not limited to parents and funders.
When "ABC Agency" defines program needs that are to be met by contracting with other providers, it will give preference to fellow YouthNet affiliate agencies.

YouthNet will actively and consistently look for ways to leverage funding for the YouthNet Collaboration. This in no way limits the agency in its own fund raising efforts.
The YouthNet liaison will provide staff work (circulating agendas, taking meeting notes, etc.) and serve as a resource for the QuIC or other program improvement committee as it assembles action plans for quality improvement.
YouthNet will identify and coordinate appropriate resources in response to quality improvement action plans that are developed in partnership with agencies.
YouthNet will conduct a confidential assessment at least once during the course of the year to provide the agency with feedback about its progress incorporating quality standards.
YouthNet will identify and train a third organization to conduct annual assessments at no cost to agency.
YouthNet will increase communication among YouthNet collaborating agencies by: 1)facilitating a monthly Learning Community for front line staff, managers or other appropriate staff of collaborating agencies which will focus on quality standards and 2) facilitating meetings of YouthNet collaborating agency executives at an agreed upon frequency.
YouthNet will regularly access youth-related research from national organizations such as the Board on Children, Youth and Families and the Forum for Youth Investment and provide the information to collaborating agencies for their use.
YouthNet will develop and maintain a list of program services available for contracting by other YouthNet agencies.