Disconnected Young Adults: Increasing Engagement and Opportunity

• Main Authors: Pamela Loprest, Shayne Spaulding, Demetra Smith Nightingale
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Russell Sage Foundation 2019-11-01
• Series: RSF: The Russell Sage Foundation Journal of the Social Sciences
• Subjects: youth; disconnected; employment; unemployment; education; training
• Online Access: https://www.rsfjournal.org/content/5/5/221

Even in a strong job market with low overall unemployment, a substantial number of youth are disconnected from work and schooling. Being disconnected during early ages (between sixteen and twenty-four) can have negative impacts on future labor-market success and other outcomes. This article presents data and summarizes the literature on the causes and consequences of youth disconnection. It discusses evidenced-based policies and programs that show promise for engaging or reengaging young people and meeting the needs of particular groups of disconnected youth, including effective education and training programs (both in secondary and postsecondary contexts), targeted reforms to community college systems, strategies for addressing barriers to work and school including provision of comprehensive services, and demand-oriented solutions that improve job opportunities for youth.