Here are the steps to becoming a QYD Community™:

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1. Ask the QYD Project™ to present the QYD concept to your community.

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2. Assess where your community is already supporting youth, and whether at least 70% of the benchmarks can realistically be achieved within 9 months.

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3. Create a local QYD Steering Committee (note: at least 40% of the members must be 13-19 years old).

 

4. Appoint a Chair or Co-Chairs for the Steering Committee.

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5. Submit a non-binding 'Letter of Intent & Understanding' to the QCC (QYD Credentialing Committee) to officially get started with the QYD process.

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6. Within 15 days, the QCC will either approve the request to begin the project, or recommend additional preliminary actions before beginning the benchmarking process.

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7. Upon approval by the QCC, the Steering Committee will introduce and invite the community to the QYD Project™.

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8. The Steering Committee and QYD staff will come together at monthly meetings. The committee may form 'Benchmark Groups' to work on different benchmarks.

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9. The local QYD Steering Committee and Benchmark Groups will plan and implement strategies to achieve each of the benchmarks that support local youth in different ways.

 

10. When at least 70% of the benchmarks have been achieved, the Steering Committee may request approval as a certified QYD Community™ from the QCC.

 

11. Within 30 days, the committee will hear if their application to become certified has been approved.

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12. Upon being notified of their QYD credential, the Steering Committee will invite community members to celebrate the actions taken to support local youth!

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13. The committee will continue working on the remaining benchmarks, as well as sustaining those they've already met.

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The QYD™ Manual has the complete recipe to becoming a QYD Community™. Download it to learn more: