State of the Field: Cross-Sectoral Youth Development

The purpose of this paper is to provide information on the latest research and trends in the area of cross-sectoral and holistic strategies for positive youth development globally and particularly in developing countries. These approaches incorporate efforts that intentionally leverage resources, networks, and expertise across multiple development sectors in a collaborative fashion in order to respond to the complex development challenges of youth. They also include multiple components to address diverse needs, such as interventions providing wraparound services for youth. This paper presents information on positive youth development frameworks and foundational principles that undergird holistic, cross-sectoral strategies, as well as other sector-specific topics. Concepts from this paper are also discussed in two other reports which have been written on the topics of youth education in conflict- and crisis-affected environments and youth workforce development (USAID, 2013a & b).