This case study focuses on how the Hartford Generation Work local partnership adapted its efforts to more authentically engage young adults by establishing a youth advisory council called the Young Legends to help shape its work; also discussed are the benefits and challenges of the partnership's efforts. Provided are examples of ways in which…

The majority of youth and young adults in the United States who are out of work are youth of color. To better reach and support all participants, many workforce development programs are increasingly embedding a racial and ethnic equity and inclusion (REEI) approach into job skills training initiatives. Launched by the Annie E. Casey Foundation in…

Growing evidence suggests that Positive Youth Development (PYD), a holistic approach to developing assets and competencies, can help prepare young people for success in adulthood, including success in the workplace. At its core, PYD focuses on creating a supportive, developmentally appropriate learning setting by emphasizing positive…

Youth must navigate various developmental tasks as they transition to adulthood, and during this period of "emerging adulthood," young people explore roles and relationships before committing to the ones they will fill as adults. This brief seeks to identify patterns and transitions during emerging adulthood to obtain a better…

Girls face unique developmental challenges in childhood and adolescence. Compared to boys, girls tend to report more mental health problems, and they are susceptible to reproductive health risks, such as unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmitted disease. While a number of evidence-based programs have been found to be effective at reducing risk…

The transition to adulthood can be a turbulent time. To succeed in this transition, adolescents and emerging adults must advance in several areas of development, such as education, work, financial autonomy, romantic relationships, peer involvement, citizenship, and avoidance of destructive health behaviors. However, some young people who have…

Out-of-wedlock birth rates have not fallen much at all among teenagers. New analyses of existing data sets indicate that becoming an out-of-wedlock parent is a process with three stages: commencement of sexual activity; conception among the sexually active; and pregnancy outcome among those who conceive. Public policy variables such as AFDC…

In this data brief, key characteristics of young adults in the United States at or around age 25 are described. These characteristics include: (1) educational attainment and financial self sufficiency; (2) health behaviors and family formation;and (3) civic involvement. In addition, separate descriptive portraits for the major racial groups and…

Examined in this document are the prevalence of early marriage and childbearing, and the relationship of early marriage and childbearing to divorce and separation. The report focuses on three hypotheses: (1) that marriage between young, unprepared teenagers ends more frequently in divorce regardless of the presence or absence of a child; (2) that…

This computer file contains recent cross sectional data on adolescent fertility by state for 1960, 1965, 1970, 1975 and 1980-85. The following variables are included: (1) births; (2) birth rates; (3) abortions; (4) non-marital childbearing; (5) infant mortality; and (6) low birth weight. Data for both teenagers and women aged 20-24 years are…

This computer file contains recent cross sectional data on adolescent fertility in the United States for 1960, 1965, 1970, 1975 and 1980-85. The following variables are included: (1) births; (2) birth rates; (3) abortions; (4) non-marital childbearing; (5) infant mortality; and (6) low birth weight. Data for both teenagers and women aged 20-24 are…

Examined in this document are the different ways in which the age a woman has her first child might affect her later well-being. Specific questions addressed include: (1) How do teenage mothers compare later in life with young women who postpone their first birth to their early twenties? and (2) If they are less well off, what explanation can…

Examined in this document is the effect the age at which a young woman has her first birth has on her later childbearing. Data from the Michigan Panel Study of Income Dynamics and the National Longitudinal Survey of Young Women are used in conjunction with a review of related literature in examining such factors as fertility, premarital pregnancy,…

The primary purpose of the research presented in this paper is to develop a more complete model of educational attainment. Age at first birth is examined by multiple regression, along with other independent variables that have been found to affect educational attainment, including age at marriage. The second purpose of this paper is to address the…