ND4Y Mural in Oakland, CA: Our Time is Now!
After two decades of youth policy advocacy, the National Collaborative for Transformative Youth Policy (TYP Collaborative) is building on our legacy by uniting policy and activism to drive transformational change. Our mission is clear: empowering young people to lead the way in shaping policies that affect their lives and futures.
We’re proud to be putting that mission into action, and we’re excited to update you on the progress we’ve made during our first three months as an independent organization. By supporting young people to confront the many challenges affecting their generation, we’re helping to create a future where they can find community, heal, and thrive.
On Economic Power-Building Initiatives
Discussions about the “youth workforce” often focus on job placement, but we believe that it’s equally important to ensure robust policies that support young people’s economic well-being. This includes providing access to paid leave, guaranteed income, and other essential benefits and protections that will help secure prosperous, liberated futures.
Kathy Tran, the power-building strategist at the TYP Collaborative, spoke with Teen Vogue about why paid leave is a priority for young workers. “When people view workers, they view adults; they do not view a 17-year-old who is having a kid and working a job,” she said, highlighting the many responsibilities that young people hold today and the push for policy change that reflects their needs.
For Dame magazine, Kathy discussed the far-reaching impacts of a guaranteed universal income. She explained that “a lot of people assume that young people have multigenerational family support, but there are so many young people who do not.” As parents and caregivers, “young people want to work, but they want to work fulfilling jobs that see them as humans,” she continued. Guaranteed income would deliver more than economic security — it’s about giving young people agency over their lives.
On Collaborative Policy Advocacy
Meaningful community engagement that centers young people’s voice and vision is more important than ever. TYP is raising our voice on Capitol Hill and contributing to resources that can reshape how policy work is done.
We engaged Senators Laphonza Butler (D-CA) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) to help shape vital mental health legislation, and they recently introduced the Strengthening Supports for Youth Act and the Prevention Services for Youth Act. “Each of these policies is critical for supporting the mental health of young people,” explained Madison Trice, a policy strategist at the TYP Collaborative. “We are excited by new grant funding being put toward youth mental health, studies that emphasize the importance of peer support, and increasing guidance for effective youth mental health care.”
Our team also partnered with CLASP on a project to guide nonprofits in prioritizing meaningful community engagement, ensuring that their advocacy efforts align with and advance the community’s vision for economic justice. The report offers more than 50 recommendations for engagement strategies, including how to subvert systemic power dynamics.
Connect with TYP!
As we reflect on the progress we’ve made since launching the TYP Collaborative, we are affirmed in our belief that young people should be at the forefront of the change we seek. Your support is crucial as we continue this journey, and we thank you for helping us make certain that young people’s insight and innovation are centered in realizing youth justice.
Support Youth Powered Policy!
Be a part of co-creating the policies and systems we deserve! With your donation, we'll be able to:
- Flexibly support young people's creative ideas for driving change
- Power youth advocacy and leadership by equitably compensating young people for their expertise
- Launch our crisis fund to help meet our youth partners' urgent needs in case of emergency
- Center joy and community building in our work through celebrations and incentives
Donate through Zeffy where 100% of your donation supports the TYP Collaborative-no administrative or transaction fees. Donating to support Zeffy's mission-making fundraising free for every nonprofit- is completely optional.
