Chapter 1: Introduction: A New Way Forward

The idea for this book started as a series of conversations between colleagues from the Forum for Youth Investment and the University of Pittsburgh School of Education. Over a weekend in Pittsburgh in the fall of 2018, we discussed how research evidence clearly supports the notions that relationships and context shape learning and development across settings and that current educational systems are not equipped to address this. We talked about how current approaches in out-of-school time (OST)—like the decades-old attempt to professionalize the youth development workforce—are not making the progress needed. We discussed how we need a paradigm shift across the youth fields. These conversations ultimately led to the development of the four themes that guide this volume: 1) the value of an ecosystem framework for moving youth fields forward, 2) the need to better make use of the science of learning and development, 3) the aspirational idea of the allied youth fields, and 4) the critical importance of centering equity and justice. And they led to a series of ambitious initiatives called the Readiness Projects—of which this volume is one—aimed at changing the odds for youth by using science-informed strategies to upend inequities and accelerate progress (Readiness Projects, 2020; Chapter 16 by Irby et al. in this volume).