Chapin Hall

The Youth Data Collaborative (“the Collaborative”) is a research-practice partnership of youth-serving nonprofit and public agencies that leverages Chapin Hall’s data and policy expertise to surface insights from data, inform decision-making, and improve outcomes for young people. Read a complete description of the services the Collaborative offers.

The Collaborative is embedded in Chapin Hall’s Integrated Data Systems team, a national leader in administrative record linkage, database development, and analysis. This expertise in developing customized data reports is the cornerstone of our work, and allows partners to better understand the strengths and needs of the youth they serve, and how youth are engaging with their programs and other systems. In addition to these data products, the Collaborative provides tailored partner engagement and capacity-building, allowing organizations to see their data in context and connect with other partners around shared experience and strategies for improvement.  

Although Chapin Hall convenes the Collaborative, its nonprofit and public agency partners jointly set priorities for and lead our evolving work. This ensures that our efforts work to meet the needs of practitioners. These partners contribute on-the-ground perspective for needs of the service ecosystem and vision for how data can inform their work. In turn, Chapin Hall provides the legal and technical expertise to ensure appropriate access, storage, use, and reporting of data on youth, while our research team works to create new analysis and reports that meet that vision. The work of the Collaborative guides efforts to improve programs that serve more than 150,000 youth in Chicago. 

The Collaborative nonprofit and public agency partners include: 

• After School Matters
• Chicago Department of Family and Support Services
• Chicago Housing Authority
• Chicago Public Schools – Office of Student Support and Engagement
• SGA Youth and Family Services
• Youth Guidance

As the research partner and convener of the Youth Data Collaborative, Chapin Hall brings considerable experience helping organizations design effective policies, strategies and programs that deliver results.  Dr. Nick Mader, a Senior Researcher at Chapin Hall, brings his experience in analyzing linked administrative data to understand how youth experience—and are influenced by—many institutions and supports in the community. Christian Denes, a Senior Policy Analyst at Chapin Hall, has 20 years of policy and program improvement experience with the City of Chicago’s human services department, and as an education and youth development practitioner. 

Email us to learn more about the Youth Data Collaborative at Chapin Hall.