Research Areas
Youth and Community Development
Faculty and researchers at ICYFP affiliate the Center for Youth and Communities have been pioneers in the areas of youth and community development for over 25 years. CYC has established a strong presence as the evaluation research and learning partner for national and regional initiatives aimed at helping to prepare young people for college, work, and life. CYC conducts research and evaluations to measure the impact of existing programs and to develop effective new programs and policies.
Much of CYC's work focuses on supporting strength-based youth development initiatives touching on the civic, social, work, and academic skills young people need to succeed. A sample list of CYC youth development projects follows.
National and Comprehensive Community Initiatives
- Evaluation and research and learning partner for the Skillman Foundation's Good Neighborhood Initiative, which aims to transform six Detroit neighborhoods into safe, healthy, and supportive environments for children, youth, and families over a ten-year period
- Evaluation research partner for America's Promise: The Alliance for Youth, the nation's largest community mobilization project to promote the health and well-being of young people
Workforce Development and Education
- Primary research and technical assistance provider for national youth employment and education programs, U.S. Department of Labor
- Evaluation and technical assistance partner for the GE Foundation's College Bound initiative, which provided supports to schools in 16 urban or low income communities with the goal of doubling or significantly increasing college-going among high school graduates
- Evaluation research partner with the National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship, studying impacts of NFTE programs on financial skills and overall school success of urban, low-income youth
- Evaluation of the national 5-year program, the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Community College Transfer Initiative
- Evaluation partner, with the Nellie Mae Foundation, to study Project Compass, a program focused on academic success, retention, and graduation rates for minority, low-income, and first-generation undergraduate students at four public colleges
- Evaluation and learning partner for the Hitachi Foundation's corporate citizenship initiatives in 30 communities
Service-Learning
- Multi-year national evaluations of the Serve-America and Learn and Serve America programs, Corporation for National and Community Service
- Evaluation of the Community Higher Education School Partnership Initiative
After-School Programs
- Evaluation and learning partner for the Skillman Foundation's network of after-school arts and culture and sports and recreation programs in Detroit
- Evaluation research partner for FIRST, after-school robotics competitions for late elementary school through high school students aimed at building interest in science and technology