Risky Business: Building Resources for At-Risk Youth (Denver, Colorado) Summary: Overview of the Strategy Risky Business: Building Resources for At-Risk Youth is a comprehensive, useable and innovative publication. It is perhaps the most useful tool for ensuring equity of opportunity for all students. This publication and the work of the author have made a significant impact on the opportunities for all students. The author, Alexander "Sandy" Thomson says it best, "It is not meant to compete with other publications written by fellow academics. It is a generalist's portrait nonpartisan, drawn from articles, books, web searches, and correspondence with colleagues. This manual should not be viewed as final and unalterable. Instead, what began as a product for resources and professional development should become the 'blueprint' because while it provides a framework, its objectives and strategies can be modified as conditions and needs change." This manual includes the following sections: Section 1: An overview of at-risk youth in the new millennium Section 2: Strategies and programs for at-risk youth from around the globe Section 3: How everyone prospers when schools, families, communities and businesses work together Section 4: How safe learning environments are paramount to student success Section 5: Professional development materials and resources that support at-risk youth All the components (school-based strategies, work-based strategies, and connecting activities) are integrated throughout this publication. The strategy templates and all other sections provide excellent examples of how these components come together to support all students. The Need Risky Business: Building Resources for At-Risk Youth was created because Colorado is committed to building a comprehensive School-to-Career System across the state. The goal of this project is to enhance the school and career outcomes and opportunities for youth at-risk through building local capacity. The Colorado School-to-Career System is framed around CPR: building capacity, policy and results. One of the biggest barriers to systems development was the lack of comprehensive strategies to support all students. Many exciting and innovative approaches have been developed, however these practices are often specific to one partnership, school or local community agency. School-to-Career Partnerships were clamoring for effective strategies that they could use to address each and every student. In a state that prides itself on local control, sharing information and developing an overall state level structure for all students seemed impossible. Through a cooperative planning process, the seed that became Risky Business: Building Resources for At-Risk Youth was planted. This publication addresses the need identified by the local partnerships to have access to effective practices for all students. Meeting the Need Risky Business: Building Resources for At-Risk Youth provides a comprehensive look at effective practices for each population addressed in the School-to-Work Opportunities Act. Each category has three examples from Colorado, two national strategies and one international program, combined in a descriptive template. Over 60 partnerships contributed to this publication from Colorado and across the country. Nine countries outside the United States also have information included. Risky Business: Building Resources for At-Risk Youth began as part of a state-level management plan for at-risk youth in March of 1998. This document received further support after convening a statewide Policy Forum for youth with disabilities in September of 1998. Through most of 1999, Risky Business: Building Resources for At-Risk Youth was researched and written. In late 1999 this publication was unveiled to rave reviews, and has since been utilized across a myriad of systems and individuals across the state. The funding, resources and support for this publication came from a variety of sources. The Colorado School-to-Career Partnership Office provided a grant award. Partnerships from across the state contributed to the effective examples. The Colorado Departments of Education and Labor provided technical support. The George Lucus Education Foundation and National Organizations supported this effort through information sharing. The Results The impact of this project is widespread and profound. Each and every day calls come into the office requesting this publication. The last quarterly reports collected from each partnership show extensive use of the practices included in this manual. The regional needs assessments show that partnerships are using these strategies and report a lifting of frustration regarding how to best serve and connect all students to School-to-Career opportunities. This publication is multifaceted in demonstrating results for students, families, organizations, agencies, businesses and school systems, statewide. Each of the over 60 programs described in Risky Business have proven results, which are described in Section Two of the publication. Reflections This publication had a great impact on the ability of local partnerships to improve services to those individuals who become disenfranchised with the system. At the state level we tried many ways to address the technical assistance needs of partnerships struggling with at-risk youth. Previously, our results were mediocre at best. Risky Business: Building Resources for At-Risk Youth was the answer. This publication far-and-away exceeded our expectations. Having this manual available sooner is the only change that would have made a difference. A more comprehensive approach to looking at those most at-risk should be considered by other partnerships. Having experts provide limited information on a very specific population does not support the notion of a comprehensive School-to-Career System. Examples Example 1: Professional Development and Teacher Preparation Denver Public Schools is using Risky Business: Building Resources for At-Risk Youth to train principals on serving at-risk youth. These administrators will then train the staff and use this publication as a resource guide in each school. The University of Colorado at Denver is using Risky Business: Building Resources for At-Risk Youth as a textbook in special education and social work. Example 2: Workforce Investment On the western slope of Colorado, the city of Montrose has convened over 50 representatives for their youth council (under the Workforce Investment Act). This broad-based representation includes health, education and human services that provide assistance to at-risk youth. Risky Business: Building Resources for At-Risk Youth will be adopted as their fundamental guidelines in helping structure more comprehensive service delivery and cross-system maintenance through resource convergence. Example 3: Community Involvement The Colorado Springs area (second most populated area in the state) is holding a conference on at-risk youth. The content of Risky Business will be used for the subject matter of the conference. This is the first time a conference will include such a comprehensive view of at-risk students. In the past, workshops would only address a specific population. For more information on Risky Business: Building Resources for At-Risky Youth ­ Colorado School-to-Careers Consortium, contact: Sandy Thomson Colorado School-to-Careers Consortium 5869 South Kenton Way Englewood, CO 80111 (Phone) 303/771-5274 Back to The Award page

	Funding for the All Means All School-to-Work Project has ended. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of contact information listed here. Additionally, awarded programs that we profile may no longer exist. We are publishing this information as it may be relevant to the current work of assisting youth with disabilities in the transition from school to post-school opportunities.
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