Neighborhood violence affected school attendance and young people's sense of safety.
D04 · Research & Evaluation
Investing in Our Future
A community-centered mixed-methods study of education, safety, resources, and resilience among marginalized youth.
Qualitative ResearchSurvey ResearchCommunity DataPolicy
The question
Turn lived experiences and survey evidence into concrete recommendations for community investment and youth support.
Approach
- 01Interviews with teachers, parents, and young people
- 02Student survey on attainment, violence, and education quality
- 03Integrated themes of alienation, resilience, and access
- 04Actionable recommendations for programs, schools, and funders
Key findings
Participants described alienation from schools alongside limited access to educational, employment, and mental-health resources.
Family and community support remained powerful sources of resilience, hope, and a desire to give back.
From evidence to action
The work connected community evidence to a specific investment agenda: violence prevention, trauma-informed support, tutoring and mentoring, deeper community engagement, and increased public funding for education and youth programs.