Bank On Cities: Connecting Residents to the Financial Mainstream (2011)
This toolkit provides municipal leaders with a step-by-step guide for launching “Bank On” initiatives that help working families avoid high-cost check cashing and other fringe financial services.
Preventing Gang Violence and Building Communities Where Young People Thrive (2010)
This toolkit draws upon lessons learned over three years from the California Cities Gang Prevention Network, a 13-city network sponsored in collaboration with the National Council on Crime and Delinquency to identify strategies for reducing gang violence and victimization.
Creating a Youth Master Plan (2008)
This action kit offers tips and advice for the development of a city-schools youth master plan to more effectively coordinate services, identify and address unmet needs, and make better choices in allocating resources.
Helping Families Achieve Financial Stability (2008)
This action kit focuses on steps that city officials can take to help families avoid debt and predatory lending, save and build assets, and achieve long-term financial stability.
More YEF Institute action kits and toolkits
Expanding Options: City Roles in Creating High School Alternatives for Struggling Students (2010)
This report draws upon lessons learned from a YEF Institute project funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in which five cities increased the choices available to students who struggle in traditional high school settings or are at risk for dropping out.
Community Wellness: Comprehensive City-School Strategies to Reduce Childhood Obesity (2010)
Published by the YEF Institute and the American Association of School Administrators (AASA) with support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, this report features the experiences of six communities where city and school district leaders partnered in the development of community-wide wellness plans.
Combating Poverty: Emerging Strategies from the Nation's Cities (2008)
This report highlights local poverty reduction strategies from 13 cities across the nation. The survey responses compiled in the report demonstrate how municipal leaders are well-positioned to lead citywide initiatives to reduce poverty.
Setting the Stage for New High Schools: Municipal Leadership in Supporting High School Alternatives (2007)
Published with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, this report outlines seven key policy conditions that facilitate the expansion of alternatives and options for dropouts and other students who struggle in traditional high school settings.
More YEF Institute case studies and lessons learned reports
Fully Incorporating Prevention in Comprehensive Youth Violence Reduction Strategies (2011)
Within a comprehensive violence prevention strategy, pursuing and sustaining preventive efforts to minimize future violence well in advance typically poses the greatest challenge for municipal leaders. This action guide, published as part of the California Cities Gang Prevention Network initiative, highlights strategies, action steps and existing city approaches to prevention.
Evaluating Comprehensive Strategies to Reduce Gang-Related Violence (2011)
This action guide, published as part of the California Cities Gang Prevention Network initiative, highlights strategies and action steps for evaluating comprehensive gang violence prevention efforts.
Reducing Gang Violence through Reentry Services (2011)
The risk of recidivism is extremely high for the growing numbers of formerly incarcerated people are released from prison, jail, or other correctional facilities. This action guide, published as part of the California Cities Gang Prevention Network initiative, highlights strategies and action steps for delivering effective reentry services, particularly to gang-affiliated individuals
Authentic Youth Civic Engagement: A Guide for Municipal Leaders (2010)
Published with support from the Surdna Foundation, this guide offers practical tools for promoting meaningful youth participation in local government.
More YEF Institute strategy guides
InstaPoll on Youth Curfews (2005)
This 2005 NLC poll of local officials in 436 cities provides data on how many cities enforce youth curfews, and their views on the effectiveness of curfews in fighting juvenile crime, truancy, and gang violence. The poll also offers a comparison with survey results from 2003, 2001, and 1999.
Strengthening Families in America's Cities: A Survey on Municipal Conditions, Policies, and Resources for Children and Families (2003)
The report finds that cities are constrained in efforts to support children and families by tight fiscal conditions and that cities' greatest strengths in meeting the needs of children and families are in recreation and elementary through high school education.
Strengthening Families in America's Cities: Early Childhood Development (2003)
Among the findings are that early learning opportunities are seen as critical needs in cities; four in ten city officials dedicate funding to early childhood; city leaders believe their cities have a stake in early childhood success; and local officials strongly support federal policies benefiting families with young children.
Leaving Young Workers Behind (2003)
This report by Northeastern University's Center for Labor Market Studies highlights how over the long term young men are facing falling earnings and how fewer high school students are able to gain a foothold in the job market.
More YEF Institute research reports