The New Mexico Forum for
Youth in Community (the Forum) functions as a statewide network
intermediary that is both a catalyst and support to the positive
youth development movement. In fulfilling this role, the Forum
engages three strategic intentions:
-
Being
the catalyst for a paradigm shift in the youth
development field from a deficit to an assets framework.
-
Facilitating the building of a broad community of
stakeholders who are guided by positive youth development
principles working toward a common set of positive youth
outcomes.
-
Supporting the positive youth development community of
stakeholders by providing tools, training and technical
assistance to get from paradigm shift to sustained quality
practice.
By convening and connecting a broad
group of stakeholders through partnership, the Forum is working
to achieve a transformative change in youth development. Our
Theory of Transformative Change (ToTC), which speaks
to systemic changes happening simultaneously within and
across different systems, has helped define the areas in
which we work. We accomplish our work in the following ways,
we:
-
engage
youth across all settings in communities;
-
provide
youth practitioner training and field building;
-
offer
program and organizational development around assets and
quality best practices;
-
work
within public/private partnerships and with other funders to
make resources available for assets-oriented positive youth
development work;
-
inform
and mobilize around policy to support the field.
All of the
activities that help accomplish what we do – action research,
advocacy, assessment, facilitation, convening, connecting,
capacity building, mobilizing and network building- are all ways
in which the Forum seeks to be a support to the positive youth
development movement and the stakeholders who are a part of it.
Positive Youth Development occurs from an intentional process
that promotes positive outcomes for young people by providing
opportunities, relationships, and the support to fully
participate.
National 4-H Leadership Trust
