Harvard Launches New Cohort to Transform Youth Success Initiatives

Union County, South Carolina - As communities across the nation strive to enhance youth development, the EdRedesign Lab’s Institute for Success Planning at Harvard Graduate School of Education has taken a significant step forward. Recently, it announced its fourth cohort for the 2025-26 Success Planning Community of Practice, where fifteen communities—including nine returning and six new ones—will collaborate to create tailored resources and support systems for youth.

This initiative is no small feat. It aims to connect each child or youth with a dedicated adult Navigator who will work alongside families to craft a personalized action plan. „Success Planning focuses on the child’s strengths and needs, identifying resources to help them thrive,“ as detailed by the Harvard Gazette. Participating communities, including Orlando, Florida, will work with multisector teams, which consist of leaders from school systems, health and human services, community organizations, and local officials. This collaborative approach is supported by notable organizations like the Barr Foundation and The Wallace Foundation, aiming to ensure that every child has a positive connection to a caring adult.

Communities Joining Forces

In this latest cohort, returning communities like San Antonio, Texas, and Oakland, California, will share their experiences, while newcomers such as Flint, Michigan, and Wilmington, Delaware, bring fresh perspectives. The partnership models developed over the course of this initiative will tackle issues ranging from chronic absenteeism to housing insecurity, focusing on the importance of community-driven efforts for personalized education and youth development.

As they embark on this journey, the initial phase includes a Summer Workshop at Harvard in July. Here, leaders will receive structured guidance to refine their strategies and enhance community engagement, ensuring they start on solid footing.

The Importance of Cross-Sector Collaboration

The collaborative nature of this initiative reflects a growing understanding that tackling complex issues often requires input from various sectors. As highlighted by Ecosystems4Innovating, successful cross-sector collaborations bring together diverse perspectives and resources, which are essential for creating scalable and sustainable solutions. These partnerships are not simply beneficial—they are critical in addressing the intricate challenges faced by youth today.

To attract interest and engagement, it’s vital to identify shared goals among collaborators. Successful examples of such ventures illustrate the potential for impactful outcomes. As the article suggests, establishing clear roles and fostering a culture of open communication can significantly enhance the effectiveness of these collaborations.

Creating Opportunities for Youth

In line with this, the efforts to create equitable ecosystems for youth development are being bolstered by resources such as a guide developed with support from the Annie E. Casey Foundation. This guide emphasizes the need for coordinated initiatives among youth-serving organizations to enhance relationships between young people and adults across various settings, a concept detailed in AECF.

Engaging over 50 youths to craft tools like the Youth Journey Map for Belonging and Opportunity is a testament to the initiative’s commitment to placing young people’s experiences at the forefront of development efforts. It further provides leaders with the means to cultivate safety, build community, and ensure cultural responsiveness.

In summary, as the EdRedesign Lab kicks off another cohort for its Success Planning Community of Practice, the emphasis on collaborative approaches across sectors offers a promising avenue for fostering positive youth development. With the right support systems in place, communities like Orlando and others have a good hand at transforming educational landscapes, ensuring every child can navigate a successful path forward.