National Network for Youth

National Network for Youth (NN4Y) was founded in 1974 as the National Network of Runaway and Youth Services (NNRYS). Back then, NNRYS was the membership association of community-based organizations that had emerged in the 1970s to focus on the needs of youth in runaway and homeless situations. Today, NN4Y represents more than 500 community-based organizations that provide an array of services to youth and families in the United States and territories.^[1] NN4Y members work with their neighborhood youth, adults, associations, and regional and state networks of youth workers to provide street-based services, emergency shelter, transitional living programs, counseling, and social, health, educational and job-related services to over 2.5 million youth each year.

Funding

Many of NN4Y's members receive funding through the federal Runaway and Homeless Youth Act of 1974.^[2] Funds and practices from the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act,^[3] the McKinney-Vento Act on homelessness,^[4] and the Workforce Investment Act^[5] also assist local runaway and homeless youth program operators in leveraging state and local and private funding and accomplishing their mission with a positive youth development philosophy. NN4Y was the architect of the federal Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (RHYA) and still considers that law today as their primary public policy accomplishment. Additionally, NN4Y works closely with Learn & Serve America to engage young people in youth led, youth initiated volunteerism projects in their communities.

Activities

National Network for Youth (NN4Y) has five focus areas: public policy, professional development, program dissemination, development and publication of training and information materials, and Symposium.

• Public Policy: includes education, networking, training, materials, and policy work to connect with federal, state, and local lawmakers. NN4Y advocates for sound youth policy and protects key legislation and spending affecting youth legislation; educates and guides members of Congress, their staff, and Administration officials and provides testimony at governmental hearings; works in coalition with other national youth and homelessness organizations to promotes the healthy development of youth and families; distributes information to state, local and national policy makers.
• Professional development: NN4Y provides skills-based training and dissemination of evidence-based programs, through workshops and conferences. NN4Y works with community-based organizations, schools, state agencies and in state and local health departments and clinics. Training specialties include HIV prevention, adolescent health, sexual and reproductive health, youth development, and sexual minority youth.
• Program Dissemination: NN4Y distributes information about prevention programs that have proven to reduce health risk-taking behaviors to community-based and youth organizations, health educators, and state and local health education agencies nationwide.
• Materials Development & Publication: NN4Y publishes training materials (i.e., Effective Youth Advocacy, Laws for Unaccompanied Youth, Homeless Parents and Welfare, etc.), two member e-newsletters, a quarterly printed newsletter, fact sheets, issue briefs, occasional papers, and other resources for youth advocates.
• Symposium: NN4Y’s annual conference in Washington, D.C. brings together youth workers, young people, decision makers and local, state, and national leaders from across the country. Symposium offers a forum for networking and information exchange as part of the continued development of youth workers.

See also

• Timeline of children's rights in the United States
• History of youth rights in the United States

References