Making a difference for Iowa's Youth

The Youth Policy Institute of Iowa (YPII) is a leader in promoting policies and practices that make a difference in the lives of youth. As a non-profit intermediary organization, YPII partners with a wide variety of youth-serving organizations and public agencies to develop, evaluate, and expand services and opportunities for youth in Iowa. Positive youth development and authentic youth engagement are hallmarks of our approach to creating positive change.

Whether you are a policymaker, youth agency administrator, or front-line youth worker, we believe that every youth we impact deserves our collective best effort – to craft policies, develop strategies, and implement programs that are informed by research, delivered with compassion, and motivated by an ongoing desire to help young people achieve their full potential.

National Pathways to Adulthood
June 27 – 29, 2012
YPII to present a workshop at the National Pathways to Adulthood Conference on Transitioning Youth. [Read more]

May is National Foster Care Month
May 1, 2012
Foster Care Month is a time to acknowledge those who help children and youth in foster care find permanent homes and connections.
[Read more]

YPII launches new website and look
April 16, 2012
YPII recently transformed their brand to more clearly articulate its role as an intermediary organization focusing on youth policy and services in Iowa.

We believe that the best ideas, policies and services for young people come through collaboration among multiple stakeholders - including youth themselves. YPII brings together people and ideas to develop innovative solutions and facilitates processes to leverage and expand resources for youth.

Much is known about high quality youth programming and effective youth work practice. YPII has been instrumental in bringing that knowledge and related tools to Iowa through youth program quality assessments and youth development training. We are continually working to identify and share information and resources on best practices that can be implemented in Iowa.

Monitoring the delivery and effectiveness of youth services is essential to improving programs and informing policy. YPII works with public and private agencies and systems to develop manageable data collection processes and evaluate key youth outcomes.