Director's Statement
Dear Reader:
Within the next 20 years, the Youth Development work of Community Educational Services – and hundreds of other organizations like us - will become the basis for maintaining America’s economic, political strength, and hopefully, moral strength.
CES’ work was once considered critical only to low-income populations. When CES was created in 1969, the U.S. was an economic, job-creating powerhouse. The issue that brought CES into being was that certain people – based on color, ethnicity, gender – were being denied access to this economic engine. Government and foundation funding was made available so that we could address these inequities. Of course, there were also loftier goals involved. With the support of our funders and donors, we sought to develop young people who would lead and participate in social change as well as building their skills for socio-economic advancement.
Things are different now.
Now, the U.S. economy is losing predominance. Blue-collar work is practically extinct, the middle class is shrinking, unethical corporate leadership has led several companies to bankruptcy, the information economy calls on companies to function differently, employees migrate repeatedly from company to company, and both the political and business leadership of America are grappling with their roles in the face of potentially catastrophic environmental collapse and geo-political violence.
Now, parents and young people and business leaders and political leaders are realizing that the skills needed to address these issues for individuals and society as a whole go far beyond getting good grades in school. Stung by Arthur Anderson and Enron, segments of corporate American know that social responsibility is an essential element of maintaining a profitable bottom line. Looking at the growing divide between rich and poor as well as the changes being wrought by the information economy, nervous parents understand that their children need communication, collaboration, and leadership skills as well as the Three R’s. Here in San Francisco, every school principal has been trained in the elements of youth development, and there is a growing effort to create healthy learning environments in the schools. The school district and the City have also made great strides in working together to provide a broader educational and developmental experience for youth.
On a national level, companies such as Ford, Intel, Microsoft, and McGraw-Hill have united to form the Partnership for 21st Century Skills (www.21stcenturyskills.org), which is promoting the notion that all segments of society have to band together in order to raise the next generation with academic excellence, global awareness, and social responsibility; communication and collaboration skills; critical thinking and problem solving skills; innovation and creativity skills; health and wellness; and other skills needed for the exciting, somewhat frightening future that is already upon us.
Yet, we still refer to project-based learning in arts and sciences and community service as “enrichment”, as if this kind of learning is secondary to something that is “core” and more important.
But the world is changing, not always in directions we want it to go. And like it or not, these changes are demanding that Youth Development move front and center as our nation’s core strategy for developing young people, inclusive of, but secondary to academics.
Thank you for your interest in our work. I hope that in examining this website, you will discover the different ways in which CES is engaged in this critically important work.