Building Opportunities for Young People

America’s youngest workers have been disproportionately affected by challenges of thriving in today’s labor market. Millions of young adults are out of school and out of work. For those who find work, jobs are too often less than ideal, offering low wages, no benefits, poor supervision, and irregular hours and schedules. Not connecting to work can have lasting effects, including long-term unemployment or long-term employment in low-quality jobs.

We have engaged in a number of projects to learn more about how a variety of organizations – youth development, public workforce, community-based, education, and others – are working with young adults and employers. This work includes not only preparing young adults with the skills, connections, and experiences needed to succeed in employment, but importantly, working directly with employers to create more equitable and inclusive employment practices.

See our publications below.