In the nation today, 4.6 million young adults ages 16 to 24 are out of school and unemployed. At the same time, there are roughly 7 million job openings, and employers are clamoring for skilled workers. What's wrong with this picture? These young people, commonly referred to as "opportunity youth," must overcome significant barriers to…

Programs of study are the most recent in a series of federal efforts to create a more transparent and rational system for school-to-work transition for all youth. The current article places this construct in the context of today's labor market and the new focus on college and career readiness for all students. It then provides evidence indicating…

The Social Security Administration is funding a random assignment evaluation of six demonstration projects to improve employment and other outcomes for youth ages 14 to 25 who are either receiving disability benefits or are at high risk of receiving them in the future. This report reviews the Youth Transition Demonstration (YTD) projects, located…

A follow-up audit evaluated the program effectiveness of three Kulick Youth Opportunity pilot grants. For the 105-participant sample in the initial audit, earnings were analyzed to determine whether youths' earnings increased or decreased in the year after the initial evaluation. Separate earnings analyses were performed for calendar year 1999 for…

The Human Environment Center held a national conference on Youth Conservation Jobs and Service in May, 1981, in Washington, D.C., attended by approximately 100 representatives of minority, employment, youth, environmental, and national service interests. The conferees concurred that the Young Adult Conservation Corps (YACC) and the Youth…

This 2-volume set contains 10 papers, 5 in each volume, that review and evaluate findings from the Youth Research and Technical Assistance Project, whose purpose was not only to explore studies and evaluations related to youth training and employment programs but also to provide a broader synthesis of evidence, findings, and research from related…

At the request of the United States Senate Budget Committee, a study was conducted to analyze present federal programs affecting the youth labor market and to consider a number of alternative options. The study showed that in 1981 the unemployment rate among white youths aged 16-21 was 15 percent, more than twice the average rate for the labor…

This compendium contains evaluation briefs on 49 youth programs that were assessed by the American Youth Policy Forum. The programs were selected because they demonstrate that careful application of the following principles can lead to powerful results for youth: adult support, structure, and expectations; creative forms of learning; combination…