Spotlight

American Jobs Act Addresses Youth Unemployment At Crucial Time

The President's jobs plan includes proposals for youth employment at a crucial time for America's young people. Youth and young adults under age 25 represent about one-third of the unemployed. Over 3.6 million youth in this age group are unemployed and this summer was the worst on record for teen employment since World War II. The situation is especially bleak for youth of color, who face much higher unemployment rates than their white counterparts; a mere 18.5 percent of Latinos and 14 percent of blacks were employed last month, compared to 32.4 percent of whites. The President's American Jobs Act addresses the youth unemployment crisis in a serious way.

Could Riots Akin to those in Britain Happen Here?

The United States is certainly not England, but there are several indisputable similarities in the underlying issues behind the British riots that raise questions about what happens when disadvantaged youth feel marginalized or wholly disconnected from larger society. The overall youth unemployment rate is now at 17.8 in the United States - but it is much higher for minority youth, at 39.2 percent. In Washington, D.C., the youth unemployment rate is a staggering 50.1 percent. In New York, it is 25 percent. In Oakland, in Philadelphia, in Chicago, in Cleveland, and across the nation, the numbers tell a similar story. And it has not been a quiet summer.

Congress Shines a Light on Reconnecting Disconnected Youth

In recent days, Congressional leaders reintroduced the RAISE UP Act (S. 1608/H.R. 3982) - a dropout recovery bill designed to help communities build a cross-systems approach to re-engage and support millions of youth who are being left behind.

Youth Rally in DC and Around the Country – They Want Jobs!

Several hundred young people from across the country came to Washington last Thursday as part of a youth -led effort to draw national attention to the lack of jobs and lack of opportunity for low-income and minority youth. Organized by the Leaders Investing for Equality Campaign, the rally started in front of the U.S. Department of Education, and the youth marched to the U.S. Department of Labor, adorned in red shirts that read "no schools + no jobs = death".

Just Where's the Cure for the Summer Time Blues?

More than 50 years ago, Eddie Cochran captured the frustration of American teenagers with his hit single Ain't No Cure for the Summer Time Blues. He sang about a young man lamenting that he has to work all summer long, doesn't get time to spend with his girlfriend, and can't borrow the family car if he doesn't have money. Today's teens would sing a much different and far worse song. They can't get jobs in the first place. For the last four summers, America's teens have been employed in record low numbers, and this summer is gearing up to be no different. The number of teens working has declined precipitously over the last decade, falling from 45 percent in 2000 to 26 percent in 2010, a major employment crisis for youth.

A Crisis Ignored

While the national unemployment rate is decreasing, it's on the rise for blacks. But it barely makes news. Headlines continue to trumpet news on the improving national employment picture. For the first time in two years, the country's unemployment rate dipped below 9 percent, falling to a two-year low of 8.8 percent in March.

FY 2011 continuing resolution released

Yesterday, the U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Committee released the full legislative text of HR 1473, the FY 2011 continuing resolution (CR). While, this resolution doesn't eliminate funding for workforce and training programs as H.R. 1 proposed- it does cut some programs that provide pathways to work and education for youth.

March 24 Day of Action

The National Skills Coalition and other members of the Campaign for Youth are calling for a Day of Action on March 24 to protect workforce training and job creation programs from cuts approved by the House of Representatives for next year's budget.

ACTION ALERT: House Bill Decimates Youth Employment, Education, and Training Programs

The nation is in the midst of the most severe economic crisis in the last 80 years. We need the contribution of every individual if we are to break out of the crisis and be competitive in an increasingly interdependent global economy. Yet, on February 19, 2011, the House passed H.R. 1 - Full Year Continuing Appropriations Act, 2011 which proposes draconian cuts to the very resources that support residents in low-income and poor communities across the country, that provide for critical basic needs, and ensure that they are equipped to meet the demands of employers in the 21st century.

NYEC ACTION ALERT: CR ENDANGERS SURVIVAL OF EMPLOYMENT, TRAINING AND EDUCATION PROGRAMS - ACT NOW

On February 11, 2011, the U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Committee released a comprehensive list of spending cuts included in the Continuing Resolution (CR) bill (H.R. 1). Total spending cuts exceed $100 billion, including $81 billion in non-security spending reductions. Cuts to the U.S. Department of Education total nearly $4.9 billion and cuts to the U.S. Department of Labor total approximately $2.9 billion. The CR specifically targets funding provided within the Labor, Health, and Human Services (L-HHS) budget for job training programs managed by the U.S. Department of Labor. With national unemployment rates still hovering around 9% and youth unemployment rates at an astounding 26.3% for youth ages 16-19 and 16.3% for youth ages 20-24, cuts to critical job training, education and skills programs only serves to further devastate efforts to put Americans, both young and old, back to work. If the spending reductions and terminations are enacted, all funding for the Workforce Investment Act (youth, adult and dislocated worker) would be eliminated for Program Year 2011.

U.S. Department of Education to host national youth summit

The U.S. Department of Education is hosting a national youth summit, Voices in Action: National Youth Summit, in Washington, DC, on February 26, 2011. This is a wonderful opportunity for young people to speak directly to senior Obama Administration leaders on how federal policies and resources can best support them in reaching their education goals.

48 Years Later, the Nation Can't Ignore the Urgency of the Moment

On the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said "It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment." These words have profound meaning in 2011.

We Dream a World

This compelling new report presents a broad social and political strategy to drastically change outcomes for young black boys who will come of age in the year 2025. It is the product of five years of research and brainstorming by a diverse set of scholars, researchers and other thought leaders in the African American community.

Building Pathways to Postsecondary Success for Low-Income Young Men of Color

Many of the millions of young men of color who have dropped out of school have the talent, ability, and aspirations for a better future and can benefit from being connected to a supported pathway to postsecondary credentials. This tremendous pool of talent and potential, if properly supported and channeled, can help close the skills gap in the United States and greatly contribute to the nation's productivity and competitiveness.

In Their Own Words

This compelling video tells the story of four young men of color living in distressed communities who faced obstacles to completing high school or accessing employment. Through the Youth Opportunity program, they received the support they needed to finish high school or gain employment skills. Anyone who thinks they can define the experiences of these young men should watch this video and hear their stories In Their Own Words.

President Obama's $50 Billion Public Works Plan Must Include A Jobs Strategy for Youth

President Obama recently called for a $50 Billion Public Works Plan. This plan must ensure that youth and young adults are integral participants in this plan. Last year, the Campaign for Youth proposed a jobs strategy that would link youth to our economic recovery. This strategy is still relevant.

If Not Now, Then When?

As America's youth face an unprecedented unemployment crisis, only further exacerbated by the recession, what can lawmakers do to help this vulnerable population? Youth experts and advocates focused on the urgent need for Congress to intervene and aid disconnected youth at the "Working for Change" public policy forum on Capitol Hill this summer.

Speak Out for Youth Employment

Time is running out for our nation's youth. In a last ditch effort to secure funding for summer and year-round youth employment, the National Youth Employment Coalition (NYEC) - a member of the Campaign for Youth steering committee - is coordinating a "Speak Out for Youth Employment" Day of Action on Tuesday, May 11.

Critical Investments for Critical Times

Out of school youth are more likely to be unemployed or drop out of the workforce completely, and have increased involvement with the welfare and legal systems, a new Brookings Institute report confirms. The report also report recommends federal investment in youth development programs to reconnect out of school, out of work youth.

Featured Work

CFY actively submits comments, recommendations, and testimony to the Administration and Congress to improve outcomes for youth and increase investments in communities to support reconnecting youth. Read the Campaign's letter to the House and Senate Budget Committees.

The Kids Aren't Alright

Young workers have been especially hard hit by the recession, according to a report released last week by the Economic Policy Institute (EPI). As older workers delay retirement or reenter the workforce because of the bad economy, teenagers and young adults face an even greater unemployment crisis.

ARRA Created Jobs for Youth

The Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration released a report last week detailing the immense success of the youth job program made possible in 2009 by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Youth Summer Jobs

In a disappointing move Tuesday, the Senate voted down the Youth Summer Jobs Amendment, proposed by Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) to provide $1.5 billion through the Workforce Investment Act for summer jobs programs and year-round employment, continuing education and support for young people.

One Year Later

A year ago, Congress passed and the President signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), providing much-needed money to help communities across the country, including investments in programs that serve disconnected youth - ages 16-24, out of school, and out of work.

World-Class Education

To contend with our increasingly competitive global economy, our nation needs a highly-skilled workforce. This will not be possible if current realities aren't addressed. An estimated one third of high school students will not graduate. Minorities and those living in high-poverty areas are even less likely to complete their high school education.

Linking Youth to Our Economic Recovery

We all know that putting people back to work will help the economy. What if, in the process, you could make your community a better place? A job that revitalizes your neighborhood could also provide on-the-job training for a youth or young adult who would otherwise struggle to find a job.

America's Youth Need a Jobs Forum, Too

Youth in high poverty communities, those with disabilities and black teens – whose “official” unemployment rate rose nearly eight points this month to 49.4 percent – have been particularly hard hit. Unless their needs are addressed through recovery or other jobs legislation, youth and young adults – especially those with limited education and job skills – will be left behind when the economy recovers and jobs become available.