Many organizations work together to coordinate youth services statewide and promote positive youth development. This section highlights and links to NYS youth development resources and networks.

Youth Development Organizations in NYS:

Association of NYS Youth Bureaus The Association of New York State Youth Bureaus is a unified network of locally administered Youth Bureaus/Boards that provides leadership in policy, planning and coordination of strategies for its membership to promote the comprehensive well-being of youth and families.
OCFS: Office of Youth Development and Regional Contacts The Office of Youth Development (OYD) was created to design, coordinate and promote innovative strategies to advance youth development. These strategies will cut across all disciplines at the state and local levels. The goal is for all New York State youth to reach their full potential and become healthy, productive adults. The Office of Youth Development staff work collaboratively within OCFS and with other state agencies, youth bureaus, local governments, contract agencies, schools, public and private organizations, the faith-based community, and with young people and their families. The Effective and Promising Practices website of OCFS is designed to be a resource for professionals and stakeholders interested in advancing programs and practices that are designed to achieve positive outcomes for the children, families, and communities of New York State.
SED Student Support Services: The Student Support Services network, funded by the NYS Education
Department, is comprised of seven regional centers and three statewidecenters. The network provides professional development and resourcesfor schools, families and community organizations to foster a safe and
healthy school climate for students. The regional Student SupportServices centers cover multi-county regions and work with school districts by providing training in Youth Development, skills-based health education, out-of-school time, positive behavior, school completion and supportive learning environments. The statewide centers each work in conjunction with the regional centers in specific areas of School Safety, School Health Services, and Coordinated School Health
Advancing Youth Development (AYD) The main goals of the Advancing Youth Development Project are to increase the knowledge and skills of frontline youth workers and to promote key principles of youth development in New York State agencies and programs serving young people. The project offers workshops and training of facilitators across the state on a regular basis. By using a train-the-trainer approach, AYD has established training teams in 52 out of the 57 counties and maintains an active network of youth workers.
Reality Check Reality Check is a New York State initiative engaging teens to de-normalize and de-glamorize tobacco and tobacco use by exposing the manipulative marketing practices the tobacco industry uses to target teens. Active chapters exist in most counties in NYS.
4-H 4-H is the youth development program of Cornell Cooperative Extension. Through hands-on learning, the 4-H Youth Development Program in 57 counties in New York State and in New York City creates supportive, fun learning environments that help youth and adult volunteers reach their fullest potential as capable, competent, and caring citizens.
The Empire State Coalition is committed to working on behalf of runaway, homeless and street youth. Youth have the right to be safe, healthy and prepared for the future. The Empire State Coalition brings together agencies and individuals from throughout New York State who share our ideals and who, by serving youth in the full context of their families, their cultures and their communities, provide a continuum of services that works towards making that ideal a reality. As an advocacy organization, the Empire State Coalition is a collective voice to: 1) Promote voluntary strength-based services for youth and their families. 2) Advocate for resources in every community, 3) Share ideas and expertise; disseminate information, 4) Network for a full range of quality services, 5) Develop program models to meet new and changing needs.
NYS Recreation and Parks Society (NYSRPS) The New York Youth Sports Association (NYYSA) is a division of NYSRPS in cooperation with the New York State Office of Children and Family Services (NYSOCFS), dedicated to bringing together professionals and volunteers (youth sports administrators, coaches, officials and parents) to enhance youth development through recreation and the youth sports experience. The NYYSA provides members with continuing education, scholarships, publications, sporting equipment company contacts and networking opportunities in an attempt to keep sports a safe, fun, positive and healthy experience for the youth of New York State. The NYYSA offers numerous opportunities throughout the year for volunteers and professionals to enhance their knowledge in a variety of areas including At-Risk Youth training seminars, effective coaching and officiating techniques and educational sessions for parents and recreation directors.