Youth employment has a lasting, positive impact on the lives of millions of young people. Youth employment:
- Puts young people on a pathway toward self-reliance,
- Allows them to cultivate skills that will serve them for years, and
- Positions them for future success and prosperity.
But despite the growing number of youth actively seeking employment, 1.5 million young people are currently unable to secure a job.
The YES Project is a national initiative launched by America’s Promise Alliance that brings together youth, employers, and a diverse network of stakeholders and advocates working to support and grow our youth workforce so that every young person seeking a job can find a job.
If we hope to achieve this goal, we all have a responsibility that every young person is ready, connected, and supported.
to enter the workforce with confidence.
to the networks, relationships, and resources needed to access new opportunities.
with coaching, access to information, as well as affirming and healthy work environments.
I #PledgeYES to do my part to ensure young people are ready to enter the workforce with confidence; connected to the networks, relationships, and resources needed to access new opportunities; and supported with the training, coaching, and skills needed to excel.
I am committing to:
- Connect young people with employment opportunities and valuable contacts;
- Give advice on the job search and interview process; and
- Provide support to young people after employment.
Three Opportunity Youth Forum Communities were selected to join the YES Project’s Action Roundtable cohort. Action Roundtables consist of communities working to improve youth employment outcomes by convening diverse stakeholders and moving them towards action. Cohort members contribute to existing youth employment systems, assist with youth job placement, and/or create pathways for youth employment. Learnings from our Action Roundtable cohort will inform the actions communities across the country can take to increase youth employment.
The Los Angeles Opportunity Youth Collaborative
Thrive Chicago
Capital Workforce Partners
Ancestral Lands Hopi Program
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FSG and Talent Rewire
FSG, a mission-driven consulting firm, and its Talent Rewire initiative are committed to increasing youth employment. Check out FSG’s research highlighting the ways employers are innovatively Investing in Entry-Level Talent and learn about Talent Rewire’s Innovation Lab, which helps employers pilot new approaches to supporting, retaining, and advancing frontline talent.
The YES Project is possible thanks to the generous support of Citi Foundation and State Farm.
The Steering Commitee for the YES Project can be found here.