The Arizona Statewide Youth Development Task Force was created by Executive Order in 2004. The Task Force met over the course of a year to develop recommendations in four policy areas: education, youth workforce development, youth voice and advocacy, and positive youth development.

The Arizona Statewide Youth Development Task Force is working to build a comprehensive framework for youth development that will support the positive development of youth and the successful transition from youth to adulthood. 
This framework will work to bridge the systems that serve youth (government, community-based organizations, philanthropy, business and others) to build a comprehensive continuum of learning opportunities (both in school and out), to identify funding that would support these opportunities, and to focus on the developmental needs of youth.

All youth in Arizona are prepared to work, contribute and succeed in the 21st Century.

• Involve youth as active participants in development, implementation and evaluation.
• Create recommendations that are replicable in communities throughout the state.
• Develop recommendations that benefit all youth from all parts of the state.
• Provide recommendations and strategies for individuals, groups and institutions with whom youth interact.
• Prioritize use of existing resources and identify new resources to ensure successful implementation in the most cost effective way.
• Ensure the youth development system has an evaluation that addresses the gaps in critical needs (health, education, workforce, recreation, and enrichment) and tracks progress.
• Ensure a youth development system that is locally driven, flexible, provides options and meets the needs of special populations.
• Include a call to action to youth and representatives from the public, private, community-based and faith-based sectors to address youth issues.
• Include best practices of positive youth development.
• Develop recommendations that are culturally relevant and sensitive.

Tammy Paz-Combs
(602) 364-0417
tcombs@az.gov