The Youth Opportunity Movement: Turning Young Lives Around

Less educated youth are less likely to find employment. And they're more likely to experience social problems such as crime, drug or alcohol abuse, teen pregnancy or welfare dependency.

Secretary of Labor Alexis Herman wants to help empower these young people, and give them more control over their personal destinies. The Youth Opportunity Movement is an all-encompassing strategy of the Department of Labor, working through local communities to build partnerships between government, community- and faith-based organizations and business leaders - and also with youth.

On one level, it is a $1 billion investment in community programs to train and empower young people. On another level, it is about inspiring young people to abandon perceptions of barriers and seize opportunities to be the best they can be. On yet another level, it is a strong partnership with local leaders and local communities.

All our young people need skills. All adults have a responsibility to give young people the skills they need. The purpose of the Youth Opportunity Movement is to convince an entire generation that if they want to succeed, there is no barrier they cannot overcome.

Youth Opportunity Can Bridge the Gaps

The Youth Opportunity Movement offers a way to bridge gaps and break cycles that lead to poverty and despair. In conjunction with the recently enacted Workforce Investment Act, the U.S. Department of Labor awards Youth Opportunity grants to qualifying communities. This funding enables communities to establish "one-stop" service centers where youth can access a wide range of services and resources, and to form community-wide partnerships.

Effective strategies to help at-risk youth find employment must address personal, societal, academic and professional challenges. Job training alone is not enough: while young people need "hard" career-oriented skills, such as computer training, they also need "soft" skills, such as learning how to interview for a job. While various programs have succeeded in treating parts of the problem, the Youth Opportunity Movement will apply a "360 approach" by focusing on the whole person and engaging the whole community.

A Call to Action

The Youth Opportunity Movement is a call to action. It provides the chance for every American-employers, individuals and young people-to be part of the solution. It is because of this involvement at the grassroots level that Youth Opportunity is a movement rather than a program or initiative. Every American who is prepared to take on the challenges that face out-of-school youth in his or her community can become a part of the movement.

Yes, I Want to Get Involved!

There are many ways to become a partner in the Youth Opportunity Movement:

• Consider applying for a Youth Opportunity grant.

• Get in touch with your local Workforce Investment Board to find out if they are applying for a Youth Opportunity grant.

• If your city already has a grant, continue to support its implementation and the partnerships that have been created.

• Consider volunteering with any of the wide range of Department of Labor programs that help out-of-school youth.