PASE Network News

The Wallace Foundation, University of Pittsburgh, and the Forum for Youth Investment recently released "Well-being and Well-becoming Through the Arts: A Picture of Mattering for Youth of Color," a new report identifying seven key elements of "culture-centered, community-based" youth arts programs that can provide a sense of belonging, identity affirmation, and skill development. The report defines culture-centered, community-based youth arts (CCYA) programs as those that integrate high-quality arts learning experiences with community-based youth development practices and culturally sustaining approaches. Through interviews, the researchers identified key elements of these programs and highlighted recommendations, including increased funding to teaching artists. The report comes with a companion practitioners’ guide, and you can join a March 31, 2025 webinar from 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM to learn more about takeaways and actionable insights from the report. 

Young Futures has announced the Call Me Maybe Challenge, $500K in funding for schools and nonprofits working to tackle the phone policy debate in education, with funding seeded by Pinterest and supported by Pivotal Ventures and Susan Crown Exchange. This challenge will fund solutions that meet schools and student populations where they are, offering actionable models and tangible solutions that work for a given community to enhance learning while reducing the negative impacts of phone use in schools. The funding model is designed to give young people a real voice in policy decisions related to technology use. The first step is to take an eligibility quiz, and prospective applicants can also attend an information session on March 31, 2025. Check out the full RFP on the Young Futures website – applications are due by April 9, 2025. 

On Thursday, April 17, 2025 at 6:00 PM, join Next100 and partners for a unique youth-led, youth-focused NYC Mayoral Forum, during which young people will engage directly with mayoral candidates and push for answers and solutions on the issues they care about most—from housing, education, and public safety to job access, child welfare, and mental health. The forum will highlight what matters to New York City youth and hold candidates accountable to youth needs and priorities. Participants will bring to the dialogue their lived experiences with policy, ensuring often overlooked concerns of young people get the attention they deserve from our city’s leaders. Save your spot on the Eventbrite page. The Youth in Focus mayoral forum follows all IRS guidelines for nonpartisan candidate forums hosted by 501(c)(3) organizations and is intended to be an opportunity for the public to learn more about the stances of candidates vying for the Democratic nomination for Mayor of New York City in this summer’s Democratic primary. 

The Opportunity Youth Congressional Liaison Program (OYCL) is a virtual, part-time, three-month paid fellowship for youth ages 16 to 26 to equip them with the skills and tools they need to directly advocate to lawmakers. Congressional Liaisons will join online trainings twice a month, participate in short assignments and check-ins, and share their experiences with each other as they learn to be advocates for themselves and their communities, speaking up on behalf of Opportunity Youth to hold politicians accountable to the communities they serve. This program, which offers $2500 in compensation, was designed with and for Opportunity Youth (young people who have been disconnected from both school and work) to level up their advocacy skills and connect to others working for more equitable access to opportunity. Learn more about the program and past cohorts on the Forum for Youth Investment website and apply by April 14, 2025.