The Center for the Advancement of Youth Development (CAYD) was developed and designed to build the capacity of youth serving organizations. We fill the gap for youth serving organizations by providing the community with staff with opportunities to access high quality training, evaluation, and technical assistance without leaving the community. Our staff has content knowledge and applied expertise in youth and families we are able to translate research into community-based interventions.

It is our mission to improve the life outcomes of youth by improving the organizations that serve them. We are housed at Rhodes College, a liberal arts college in Memphis, that has community engagement in its institutional mission.

CAYD sustains itself with contracts and grants. Currently we are primarily funded by the Tennessee Department of the Mental Health and Disabilities Services through a contract to serve as the Lead Evaluator for the JustCare Family Network System of Care Implementation in Shelby County. This multi-year grant in addition to funding from the Urban Child Institute and contracts with several community based non-profits to conduct empowerment evaluations and trainings are integral to the sustainability of the CAYD. Not to mention that we receive considerable in-kind supports from Rhodes College and a national network of Affiliate Faculty.

Our approach is based on principles of empowerment evaluation, community based participatory and action research, and liberation scholarship.