Mayor Rahm Emanuel today was joined by policy experts and researchers, city departments and sister agencies to announce the Youth Quality of Life Index and Scorecard, a first-of-its-kind measurement of Chicago’s youth investments over time and tool to score future budgets and policies for potential youth impact. The Index and Scorecard will be developed by a working group of independent experts and academics to measure and analyze how Chicago youths’ quality of life has evolved over time.

“The Youth Quality of Life Index and Scorecard is a win-win – it will take a cradle to career look at the lives of youth across Chicago and determine specific policies and city programs that help our kids grow and become successful in the 21st century economy,” said Mayor Emanuel. “By bringing together independent experts to put Chicago’s youth investments to the test to inform how we can make the most powerful impact for our future generations.”

Independent experts from Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago, UIC Great Cities Institute, Lurie Children’s Hospital, The University of Chicago Urban Labs, YWCA of Metropolitan Chicago, Chicago Urban League and Thrive Chicago will make up the working group. City departments and sister agencies that will act as advisors include: the Mayor’s Office, Department of Family and Support Services, Chicago Public Schools, Chicago Park District, Chicago Public Libraries, Chicago Housing Authority, Chicago Department of Public Health and the Mayor’s Office of People with Disabilities.

“We owe it to our youth to use the evidence we have to make sure we are giving them the best chance to succeed,” said Bryan Samuels, Executive Director of Chapin Hall. “If we can close the gap between what we know and what we do, Chicago’s youth will be safer. They will be healthier. They will be better educated. And they will thrive.”

The working group will use statistical data, evidence-based metrics and academic research to analyze current policies and city programs underway for youth in neighborhoods across Chicago, and determine the impact they have on Chicago youths’ quality of life. Initial work will include the:

• Review of academic research, existing indexes and collective impact measures to identify key indicators of success and progress of youth;
• Inventory of City-based programs that both directly and indirectly impacting youth; and
• Alignment of current programs with relevant indicators to determine the impact current policies and investments have on children.

“This is another example of how Chicago is banding together for the sake of our youth,” says Sandra Abrevaya, President and Chief Impact Officer for Thrive Chicago, an organization that also uses data to measure citywide progress on youth and will be supporting this effort. “This is more than an academic effort—this is about creating a drumbeat for us all to look at our collective performance and to find ways to do more for our deserving young people.”

The Index and Scorecard will gauge how government investments at the local, state and federal level are impacting the lives of our youth over time while also assisting the City of Chicago and governments around the country in efforts prioritize investments and advocate for policies, programs, and resources that positively impact youth. It will be broken out into four areas of analysis: social, emotional and physical health; education and skill development; safety; and access to basic needs such as housing and food. Analysis will reflect age brackets between birth-8, 9-15 and 16-24. Currently no scorecard to evaluate investments for youth exists at the municipal level.

"The Index and Scorecard will provide valuable insight into how our policies and programs support the well-being of Chicago's children," said DFSS Commissioner Lisa Morrison Butler. "There is growing interest in assessing, measuring and tracking outcomes so that we can deliver even stronger results for our children."

The City of Chicago investments in youth programming has more than tripled since 2011. This year, more than $75 million local funds will be invested across early education, out of school time and enrichment programming; job initiatives; youth violence and mentoring; health and homelessness; and the arts, including media, library and parks services.

The preliminary Youth Quality of Life Index and Scorecard is expected to be released in early summer 2018 for use in the City’s 2019 budget.

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