National Commission on Resources for Youth


The National Commission on Resources for Youth was an American program established in 1970. The Commission was charged with identifying and promoting youth participation in schools and communities across the United States, and was largely funded through the US Department of Health, Education and Welfare through their Office of Human Development and the Division of Youth Activities within the Office of Youth Development, with additional support from the Ford Foundation.

Activities

In addition to publications and studies on a range of youth participation topics, the Commission held meetings, training events and conferences across the country, with youth engagement in schools and community development seeing a significant increase. The Commission succeeded in seeding national movements in youth voice, youth participation, and community youth development. Aside from defining and fostering these efforts across the nation, the Commission provided expert knowledge and resources to support ongoing activities long after its closure.
The National Commission on Resources for Youth was preceded in federal legislation by the National Youth Administration, a 1930s federally coordinated youth program. Its recent political successor is the Tom Osborne Federal Youth Coordination Act, passed in 2006 to direct federal interaction among youth-serving agencies and grant programs. Several national organizations today trace their roots to the Commission, including the Forum for Youth Investment and Youth On Board.

Publications by the Commission