The American Youth Policy Forum (AYPF) announces the inauguration of The Harold Howe II Youth Policy Fellowship to be awarded each year to a promising young scholar or scholar-practitioner. The Fellow will carry out a self-designed project on significant issues in youth policy, practice, research or program evaluation, focusing particularly on disadvantaged youth. The Fellowship is supported under a grant from the Ford Foundation. The first Fellowship will be available for work commencing in the Summer or Fall of 2003.

AYPF envisions that this prestigious Fellowship award will help initiate a professional career in the youth policy arena. It is designed to help attract talented and high-achieving scholars to the field of youth work and youth policy development, and expand the knowledge base for improving policy and practice. The work of the Fellows will at the same time contribute to the expertise of AYPF and of the youth policy field, as Fellows carry out an in-depth exploration of an important issue or initiative. Such projects will help to extend and deepen AYPF's current work in developing youth policy reports on effective interventions for youth.

It is expected that in the 12-month period of the Fellowship, a report will be produced of high quality and based on rigorous analysis. The resulting paper will be published and disseminated by AYPF and may be the basis for an article in a peer- reviewed journal. It is also anticipated that the scholar's project may be the basis for one or more AYPF forums to be held on Capitol Hill.

Deadline for proposals is March 1, 2003. The intention is to announce the first Fellowship awardee early in May 2003. Fellows will receive a stipend of $25,000 and, if not otherwise available, health insurance.