The Colorado Youth Development Team (CYDT) is a public-private partnership of youth; young adults; community leaders; youth-serving professionals; and adults who live with, care for or care about young people that raises awareness, promotes, enhances and unites positive youth development (PYD) efforts and strategies across the State of Colorado.

CYDT was born out of the Colorado Advisory Council on Adolescent Health and Youth Partnership for Youth coming together to develop a collective framework and common message regarding PYD in Colorado. The CYDT team strives to institutionalize PYD at both the state and local levels. CYDT Logic Model

CYDT defines PYD as an approach, not a program, that guides communities in developing, implementing & evaluating their services, opportunities & supports so that all young people can be engaged & reach their full potential. PYD is dependent on the use of seven principles: strengths-based, youth engagement, youth-adult partnerships, cultural responsiveness, inclusive of ALL youth, collaboration & sustainability.

In 2008-2009, CYDT conducted research on the policies & practices that support and prohibit PYD in Colorado. Positive Youth Development full report and Executive Summary

CYDT revised its action plan to include recommendations from the statewide research which include:

• Infusing PYD concepts and strategies into state and local infrastructure via Requests for Proposals, Memoranda of Understanding, strategic plans & surveillance measures for adolescent and school health.
• Conducting community-driven PYD trainings in 11 communities across Colorado with technical assistance and regional learning circle follow-up.
• Developing outreach and advocacy materials to enhance and unify PYD efforts across Colorado.

Example outcomes of the plan include: CYDT Goals Map 2010

• Increasing in PYD visibility across Colorado (at State and local level)
• Increasing in youth voice/engagement
• Aligning outcome and evaluation data collection with PYD principles
• Developing policies that require programs to use a PYD approach
• Organizational change that reflects PYD principles
• Increasing in positive outcomes for youth, such as school engagement, community contribution, self-esteem and hope, while also decreasing negative outcomes, such as substance use, teen pregnancy, violence, injuries – driving crashes, etc.)