Newark’s youth workforce development system has historically focused on summer jobs. Studies have shown that cities that take proactive approaches to limiting idle time through summer youth employment programs also decrease the likelihood of youth delinquency and increase protective factors that build resiliency in young people.

Newark’s summer youth employment program grew from 1,000 youth in 2014 to serving 3,000 by 2018 and now stands as a national model with its inclusion of core program components such as mentoring, banking and financial literacy, job readiness training, jobs matched to youth’s interest, and defined career pathways. This city-wide effort dovetailed with other citywide initiatives to increase post-secondary credentials and connecting more than 2,000 residents with high paying jobs from local employers.

However, the city’s youth workforce system operated largely in silos, while young people disconnected from traditional schools or work had to navigate multiple agencies and systems on their own.

To address this issue, Newark Opportunity Youth Network (NOYN) formalized the city’s first collective impact approach to youth workforce development by establishing the Newark Youth Workforce Collaborative. Through the Collaborative, systems leaders and direct service providers work together to share data and contribute to a city-wide youth workforce system.