Recently Nebraska Children and Families Foundation’s Connected Youth Initiative (CYI) convened partners from across the state for our Imagining the Future: Older Youth Convening, bringing together 50 participants representing community organizations, state agencies, philanthropy, and national partners. Facilitated by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, the event focused on strengthening our shared vision and strategy for supporting systems-involved older youth in Nebraska, ensuring they have the opportunities and connections needed to thrive.
Setting the Stage: An Evening with Young Leaders
The convening began with an evening reception that welcomed more than 20 young leaders from across the state. Their voices, experiences, and ideas helped set the stage for the work that followed and reminded us why authentic youth partnership is essential to meaningful systems change. Who knows better what could be improved than those who experienced that system firsthand?
Young leaders shared that they felt heard, valued, and energized by the opportunity to contribute directly to shaping future priorities.
The most common theme among what young people said they need and want for themselves and their peers? COMMUNITY and CONNECTION.
That theme came through clearly in the young leaders’ own words. When asked what helped them along their journey, several pointed to the relationships and support systems that made a difference:
- “My PALS worker gave me hope. Not just to be okay, but to thrive.”
- “Community is huge.”
- “I’ve never seen so many programs for young people my age as there are in Nebraska.”
- “My PALS worker gave me a safe place and offered to meet me where I was at. She made me believe in myself and made me believe I could go to college.”
When asked what their happiest life would include, many included goals around financial stability, emotional health and finding a way to advocate for youth currently experiencing out-of-home care or other challenges:
- “(I want to) own a business.”
- “Be a community advocate.”
- “I want to learn about finances and savings and know how to invest my money for the future.”
- “Stability.”
- “Be independent.”
And when asked what adults and the systems they work within could do better, the message was just as clear:
- “Listen and hear.”
- “Give youth the best options possible — give us choices.”
- “Help youth build confidence.”
- “Build relationships with us.”
The hopes young people shared for stability, connection, financial well-being and purpose reinforced why this work matters. Their vision for their futures helped guide partners as they moved into conversations about shared goals and long-term systems change.
Defining Our Shared Focus
The next day, cross-sector partners engaged in the StriveTogether framework to refine a shared focus on population, geography, and desired outcomes. The group identified the following population definition for the work of this sub-committee:
Young people between the ages of 14 and 26 who have experienced at least one night of out-of-home living because of public system involvement in the State of Nebraska.
The group will continue refining the shared result statement and the conditions of well-being at the next meeting.
Looking Back to Move Forward
An impactful data walk highlighted Nebraska’s journey in serving systems-involved youth over the past two decades, offering a baseline for where we need to go next. One of the most encouraging themes from both young people and partners was an appreciation for the intentional opportunity to learn together across systems and sectors.
The data revealed a powerful story of progress. Since 2010, Nebraska has seen significant positive trends in outcomes for older youth and young adults with foster care experience which reflects years of intentional investment, collaboration and innovation. These results demonstrate that Nebraska is not only helping shape national practice for transition-aged youth, but more importantly, creating meaningful change in the lives of young people across our state. As young people move into adulthood, they became the parents, employees, business owners, leaders and community members who will help shape Nebraska’s future. The progress reflected in the data walk is a reminder that investing in young people today strengthens our communities into the future.
Cross-sector partners shared that a highlight for them was connecting historical context and outcomes with current challenges and future possibilities. Many expressed excitement about the momentum and shared commitment emerging from the convening.
Thank You
Thank you to everyone who joined us for this event, and to the hundreds of partners who have supported this work over the past two decades. We’re especially grateful to the young adults who spoke up, even when the changes they championed may benefit future generations more than their own. Your presence and your voice show a deep commitment to building a brighter future for Nebraska’s young people.
This convening reinforced something Nebraska has learned time and time again – that lasting change happens when young people, communities, public systems, philanthropy and service providers work together towards a shared goal. The energy in these rooms reflected not only pride in how far we’ve come but also hope about what is possible when we continue to center young people’s voices in shaping their future.
We also want to recognize our own Lincoln and Carissa for their outreach efforts, which helped bring strong youth participation and meaningful engagement to the process.
What’s Next
We will reconvene this group of cross-sector partners and young leaders on November 3rd to keep this work moving forward.continue refining our shared vision, results and strategies. Together, we will build on the momentum of this convening and create conditions that help all young people impacted by system involvement thrive and reach their full potential.
Learn more about Nebraska Children’s Connected Youth Initiative at https://neconnectedyouth.org/
Nebraska Children’s mission is to create positive change for Nebraska’s children through community engagement.
Growing the Good Life 
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