Youth In Transition

Who are youth in transition? While it is difficult to know the exact number, it is estimated that there are between 3 to 7 million youth, ages 14 to 24, in the U.S. who are out of school and out of work for substantial periods of time. The majority of them are not connected to any positive social support system. They include youth who are or have been in the juvenile justice or foster care system, teen parents, school dropouts and other young adults who are not working. The goal of CCFY's work in this area is to connect such youth to the labor force, institutions of education and training, and a social support network by age 25.

The Youth Transition Funders' Group (YTFG) is a group of national foundations working together across issues such as juvenile justice, foster care and out of school youth to have greater impact, influence and leverage on policies and programs that support youth in transition. To learn more, view YTFG's publication, Powerful Pathways: Framing Options and Opportunities for Vulnerable Youth.

Learn what community foundations are doing. In 2003, CCFY surveyed the field to learn how community foundations have been addressing issues related to youth in transition. CCFY thanks the 30 community foundations that shared their work on behalf of older youth. Survey responses can be viewed here.

Read more about youth in transition:

• Youth in Transition Survey Results -- Spring 2003
• Connected by 25 Grantee Summaries -- 2004