Comfort Zone Camp and New York Life Foundation announce a free one-day program for children and teens, ages 5-17, who have experienced the death of a parent, sibling or guardian. Comfort Zone offers activities designed to break the isolation bereaved kids often feel, provides a community of peers who can personally relate to their experience, and shares healthy coping skills for managing grief in their daily lives. In addition to a variety of traditional camp activities, campers and their mentors participate in age-based support groups designed to give each camper the opportunity to talk about their experiences and receive support and validation from their peers. The event takes place on September 26, 2015 at New York Life. Registration is required.

Listen to the recording and view a Storify wrap up of a conversation about how integrating youth development practices and design thinking can transform schools and learning. On July 31, 2015, the Forum for Youth Investment hosted a conference call and discussion Embedding Youth Development in Schools: A Thought Leader Conversation. This thought-provoking discussion between Karen Pittman, co-founder and CEO of the Forum for Youth Investment, and Michele Cahill, one of the principal architects of New York Cities' redesigned high schools and funder, while at the Carnegie Corporation, of some of the country's most innovative high school reform initiatives. Michele also wrote the concept paper that founded PASE.

In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month in October and in partnership with Hostos Community College, the Latino College Expo hosts, Parents & Students Creating a Stronger College Process Partnership, an event to increase family involvement and support in the college process. The October 3, 2015 event will include student and parent tracks focused on such topics as financial planning, the applications process, and managing stress during the application process. For more information and to register call (347) 871-8068 or email LCE25more@gmail.com

Philanthropy New York released Education Funders Research Initiative: A Case Study on Moving Philosophically Diverse Funders to Common Priorities, produced by an external researcher documenting the formation, challenges and ultimate success of the Education Funders Research Initiative – a collaboration that brought together funders with very different approaches to education reform, and differing views on controversial topics such as testing and accountability, charter schools and the Common Core. The author of the study, Thomas J. Hilliard, Senior Fellow at the Center for an Urban Future, documents the initiative’s three primary components: collaboration, research and communication, examines the key strategies in each area, and draws out lessons learned for each.

Congratulations to Evie Hantzopoulos, Executive Director and Global Kids on their recent visit to the White House! On July 23, 2015, two NYC high school students from Global Kids participated in First Lady Michelle Obama's Reach Higher "Beating the Odds" Summit at the White House. First Lady Michelle Obama welcomed more than 130 college-bound students from across the country. The event celebrated the students and also focused on sharing tools and strategies they can use to successfully transition to college and the resources they will need to complete the next level of their education. Watch the YouTube video of the summit. Evie sits on PASE's Program Committee.

Brooklyn Community Foundation and its Crown Heights Advisory Council announce a request for proposals from nonprofits, residents, and community groups for advocacy projects that address top neighborhoods concerns, including housing rights, cross-cultural relationships, youth opportunities, and policing. The funds will be distributed through the Crown Heights Grants Program of the Foundation’s Neighborhood Strength initiative. View complete grant guidelines and application. The submission deadline is September 23, 2015.

The Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD) has released the Summer Youth Employment Programs (SYEP) Ladders for Leaders Request for Proposal (RFP) through the HHS Accelerator system. DYCD is seeking organizations to administer the Ladders for Leaders (paid internships) service option of SYEP. Contractors will provide intensive work readiness training to high school or college youth, ages 16-22, who have prior work experience, either paid or volunteer. It is anticipated that the contract term will be from January 4, 2016 - January 3, 2019. A pre-proposal conference will be held on August 19, 2015 at 2:00 pm at 2 Lafayette Street, 14th Floor Auditorium, New York, NY 10007. The RFP is due September 17, 2015 at 2:00 pm via the HHS Accelerator system.

Global Concerns Classroom (GCC) offers a year-long program that assists high school educators in formal and non-formal classroom settings to engage with students in examining the core dimensions of global competency through a rigorous, but flexible program. Open to secondary schools (grades 9-12) in the NYC, Chicago, and Boston metro areas, the program includes five lessons on the theme of the year (Global Climate Impact); an out-of-school global youth summit; a community action plan; and an international field visit for dedicated teachers and students. Registration is required for participation. To learn more, email global.concerns@concern.net.