National Commission on Resources for Youth

The National Commission on Resources for Youth (NCRY) was an American non-profit organization established in 1966 by Mary Conway Kohler in New York City.[1] NCRY sought to advance the idea that young people should have opportunities to participate in activities that prepare them for constructive lives as adults, what NCRY called "youth participation." NCRY's work was one of the first national, systematic efforts to establish youth development programming in the after-school hours, during school and during summers.[2]

With many Americans, NCRY’s founders believed that too many young people were entering adulthood lacking the skills and commitment to live active, constructive lives, concerns that continue today.[3] Changes in society including longer schooling, urbanization, and limited opportunities to work, reduce experiences that prepare young people for adulthood. NCRY helped schools and youth-serving agencies create activities that include experiences to do work that benefits others, take responsibility for planning and executing projects and collaborating with other youth and adults in activities that improve communities.[4]

Under the leadership of Judge Kohler, NCRY was established by the efforts of a group of influential men and women who had long been concerned about the development of young people. Ultimately, they comprised the board of directors of NCRY. The group included among others a former commissioner of the US Department of Education (Francis Keppel), the president of the Carnegie Corporation (John Gardner), the leader of the team that built the first IBM computers (Charles DeCarlo), the founder of the Gallup Poll (George Gallup) and the creator of the leading work in educational research (Ralph Tyler).

Working with members of its board of directors, NCRY staff and the guidance of young people and those running programs, NCRY developed the following criteria for Youth Participation. • Young people participate in projects that address genuine needs in their community and/or school. • Their actions are challenging to them and make a difference to others. • Young people participate in planning and decision-making that affects other people. They work in partnership with other youth and/or adults. • There are opportunities for critical reflection by youth about what they are doing.

NCRY's projects were supported locally by school districts and community organizations. National support came from the US departments of Labor and of Health, Education and Welfare with additional funding from the Ford Foundation and other private philanthropies.

In addition to publications and studies [5] on a range of youth participation topics, NCRY conducted meetings, training events and conferences across the country.The Commission succeeded in seeding a wide range of efforts both locally and nationally. Even after NCRY closed in 1982, it's work has continued to define and inspire youth participation efforts throughout the country.