Be a Champion for Youth
You can make a difference by supporting the Federal Youth Coordination Act
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Too few of our nation’s young people are reaching adulthood ready for college, work and life. This is true in Indiana, where dropout rates are on the rise and employers report more and more difficulties finding qualified new employees. While there are hundreds of federal, state and local programs that serve children and youth, they are not connected as part of an integrated strategy. Because of this disconnect, youth services are not working as efficiently or effectively as they could – and time, human resources and funding are often wasted.
We must work harder and smarter to improve the landscape of youth development. Creating a safety net for our young people and ensuring that all of their developmental needs are met requires bridging the disconnected efforts of youth serving agencies. By establishing common goals and developing and implementing coordinated strategies, we can better help young people achieve successful adulthood.
The Federal Youth Coordination Act (FYCA) of 2008 (H.R. 7004) seeks to create a White House Office on Children and Youth, which would strengthen the efficiency and effectiveness of youth programs and services by:
- Coordinating leadership and vision across departments and agencies;
- Developing and overseeing interagency implementation of a National Youth Strategy, which would determine the outcomes our nation wants for its youth and the reforms necessary to achieve those results; and
- Providing young people a voice in the policies that impact them directly.
Additionally, H.R. 7004 seeks to provide funding to states that want to create a cross-agency body to coordinate youth services at state and local levels. Indiana currently does not have such a body.
Community Support Was Key – And You Still Can Make a Difference
On March 18, MCCOY sent a sign-on letter in support of the Federal Youth Coordination Act (H.R. 7004) to Representative Mark Souder of Indiana's 3rd Congressional District. The letter was signed by 38 organizations and 109 individuals from across Indiana and urged Souder, Indiana's only representation on the Education and Labor Committee, to support the creation of a White House Office on Children and Youth by signing on as an original co-sponsor of the bill.
Read more.
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