The Brookings Institution recently released an interactive tool that takes a comprehensive look at the state of the job market for America's youth in the nation for each of the 100 largest U.S. metropolitan areas. Users are able to select a city from the dropdown menu and then view data about the specific employment rates, disconnected youth, race/ethnicity, education levels, and poverty status. Interested users are also able to download this information. The report also includes a number of strategies to reduce youth joblessness and labor force underutilization.

The National Poverty Center released a working paper bibliography that summarizes research on the structure and effectiveness of workforce development programs. The paper covers evidence on the overall effectiveness of job training and other active labor market programs, several proposals to improve them, and the impact of the Great Recession on workforce development in the U.S. It also discusses the growing skills and earnings gaps between rich and poor Americans, and provides evidence on training and advancement programs.

Project SEARCH, run by Cincinnati Children's Hospital, provides employability skills training and workplace internships for individuals with significant disabilities, particularly youth transitions from high school to adult life. Project SEARCH now has program sites throughout the United States and the United Kingdom, and works with youth with chronic illnesses, traumatic injuries, rehabilitation issues, and other disabilities, and generates a plan that addresses their vocational, educational, training, and employment goals.

This brief from the Youth Transition Funders Group highlights challenges in current policy related to youth education and employment and offers recommendations for change. The brief is targeted at policymakers and philanthropic organizations interested in funding youth employment and education initiatives. It emphasizes philanthropic collaboration as a means to shape the scope of future initiatives.

The Center for Studying Disability Policy and Mathematica Policy Research released a report summarizing policies and programs that the United States and 10 other Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) countries are using to provide income support and vocational rehabilitation to transition-age youth with disabilities. The report examines common barriers that inhibit a large portion of young Americans with disabilities from transitioning into adulthood with gainful and stable employment. The four major themes that emerged from the report are: 1) a range of efforts has been made to promote employment, 2) investment in large-scale pilot projects has been helpful to governments to identify what works, 3) most countries are operating programs at various government levels designed to improve access to adult services for people with disabilities, and 4) all countries have actively pursued solutions to the problem of inadequate coordination of youth and adult services.

The U.S. Social Security Administration, Office of Retirement and Disability Policy, released an article presenting an overview of two projects in the Social Security Administration's Youth Transition Demonstrations: California's Bridges to Youth Self-Sufficiency and Mississippi's Model Youth Transition Innovation. These programs provided transitional assistance for youth with disabilities who are entitled to Social Security benefits. Key outcomes are reported in the article, along with highlights from two youth who successfully completed the programs.

This is the monthly newsletter, which is authored by the Division of Youth Services (DYS), U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), Employment and Training Administration (ETA). It includes headlines of news from the Department of Labor; funding opportunities; opportunities for youth, youth adults, and teachers; publications; program resources; and a calendar of events.

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) recently announced the availability of nearly $20 million in grant funds to provide youth offenders with employment-related training and supportive services to improve their long-term employment prospects. This funding will provide former offenders, ages 14 and older, with targeted training for high-growth industries and in-demand occupations in their communities. DOL anticipates awarding four $5 million grants that will be targeted at serving youth offenders in high-poverty, high-crime communities. Any non-profit organization with 501(c)(3) status with the capacity to implement multi-site, multi-state projects can apply for this funding. The solicitation for grant applications can be found at http://www.doleta.gov/grants/find_grants.cfm. Applications must be received by 4 p.m. Eastern Time on May 1, 2012.

In 2004, Casey Family Services underwent an organizational change to help establish permanency for children and youth with special needs in foster care called “Move to Greater Permanence” (MGP). This report details the planning, implementation, agency processes, and outcomes as a result of the organizational change. Authors provide lessons learned to help child welfare providers and human service organizations utilize when conducting similar organizational change.

At the end of 2010, the unemployment rate for teens ages 16 to 19 in New York City was 40 percent, and youth aging out of the foster care system were faring even worse in the labor market. From the Center for an Urban Future, this study analyzed the challenges that foster youth face in attaining and maintaining employment once they age out of the foster care system. Authors also looked at protective factors in the foster care and workforce development systems that can help better serve this population, and offer recommendations for program improvement.