Best Practice Number Five

Assesses critical issues of area youth at least every three years.

Explanation:

An understanding of the local youth community allows youth grant-makers to make informed decisions.  Assessing the status of local youth may impact how proposals will solicited (responsive or pro-active), which grants will be funded, or the types of community service in which the YAC engages.

Recommendations for YACers:

Consider the pros and cons of different approaches to collecting information, including conducting surveys, focus groups, individual interviews, using existing data from other sources, or other means.

  Consider partnering with other local youth-serving organizations to gather information. 

Make sure that you are gathering information from youth who represent the many kinds of diversity found in the local community.