Mayor Rahm Emanuel 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. 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. 

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. 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.