MY TURN is a dropout prevention and intervention solution for small, high-poverty cities. The organization works with in-school and out-of-school youth, ranging in age from 14 to 21, as they make gateway decisions in their lives. The objective is to equip all MY TURN youth with the life plans and tools they will need to succeed. Since 1984, MY TURN has guided 22,000 young people through critical life decisions, helping them go on to college and to jobs with a future. This year, the organization will serve 2,000 youth in 14 gateway cities in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island.

Evaluation Status: High-Level Apparent Effectiveness

MY TURN, with a long commitment to performance measurement, has undergone several evaluations of its school-to-work programs and shown positive results. MY TURN is currently undertaking an implementation study of its out-of-school services to understand better and improve the delivery of its programming. These efforts will help the organization prepare for a rigorous impact evaluation in the future.

EMCF Investment

Since 2003, the Foundation has invested $7.8 million in MY TURN to develop and implement its business plan. During the course of EMCF’s current one year, $1.25 million investment (made in March 2009), MY TURN will continue to strengthen internal operations and diversify its funding base.

For more information, visit MY TURN’s website at www.my-turn.org.