Key Variables Of Advanced Prediction Of Disconnection In 2024, 510,727 young Californians between the ages of 16 and 24 – 10.8% of the age group, or roughly one in nine – were neither in school nor working. This report examines that population, the opportunity youth of California, drawing on five data sources to move beyond…

Disrupting The Disconnected Youth Pipeline The Opportunity Youth Coalition (OYC) is a major systems-level effort led by Workforce Connections (WC), the Local Workforce Development Board for Southern Nevada, and over 30 key partners aimed at reconnecting youth ages 16 to 24 who are not in school or working. This population – often referred to as…

Addressing Youth Disconnection In The Los Angeles Region This report is supported by the Alliance for Children’s Rights, the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, The Aspen Forum for Community Solutions at the Aspen Institute, the Walter S. Johnson Foundation, and Stuart Foundation; and is conducted by New Ways to Work, a leading non-profit consulting firm specializing…

Youth disconnection, a term referring to individuals ages 16 to 24 who are neither in school nor at work, is a significant concern in California, across the country, and around the globe. In 2022, close to 525,000 teens and young adults in California were disconnected from education and employment, resulting in a disconnection rate of…

According to the latest American Community Service data, taken in 2021, there are over 570,000 young people ages 16-24 in California who are disconnected from school and work.  This represents 20% increase from 2019. In the evolving landscape of our modern economy, one of the most critical, yet often overlooked challenges we face is how…

This brief paper serves as an update to the 2020 Los Angeles County Disconnected or (Opportunity) Youth report. According to data collected through the 2021 American Community Survey (ACS), there were just under 1.2 million 16-24-year-olds living in LA County, and 12.9% (~144,000) were neither in school nor at work. These data indicate a decrease…

The importance of engaging teens and young adults in education and employment opportunities is well documented and cannot be overstated, yet a significant number of 16-24-year-olds in California are disconnected from both. The short- and long-term consequences that stem from youth disconnection are varied – ranging from significant personal and social challenges to considerable losses…

This report shares the story of how two local coalitions with over 100 partners aligned their collective impact initiatives, resources, and skills to create systemic change in the Los Angeles region and captures the experience of efforts to increase access to and success in workforce and career development programs for opportunity youth (OY) those 16-to…

In 2021, the City of Los Angeles (LA) was home to approximately 3.9 million people, making it the second most populous city in the country. Given its size, it is not surprising that LA is also home to the second largest population of teens and young adults (ages 16- 24) who are neither in school…

A historical account of the New Ways legacy from 1972 – 2007. New Ways to Work first opened its doors in 1972 as a 20 member collective concerned with issues facing women as they sought to combine work with raising a family. Throughout the seventies and eighties, New Ways promoted and helped define alternatives to…