Reconnections: Recovering Disconnected Youth - An Original Blog Series

6.7 million - one in six - young people ages 16 to 24 are out of school and unemployed. 

Reconnections is SparkAction's series of blogs on recovering disconnected youth.  Featuring both experts in the field and opportunity youth as guest bloggers, the series explores the causes of youth disconnection, as well as the policies and solutions for reconnecting young people who are out of school and unemployed, often slipping through the cracks of the system and pathways to success.

Have experience with disconnected youth? Would you like to write for us?  We'd love to add your voice.  Contact Caitlin Johnson, Managing Editor of SparkAction.

Video: What Does Opportunity Mean to You?
SparkAction
October 24, 2012
We get on camera and ask youth and adult allies what opportunity means and why it's important.

Disconnected Youth: A Policy Priority after the Great Recession
Harry Holzer, Georgetown University
September 18, 2012
Reprinted with permission from Spotlight on Poverty and Opportunity

 

Reconnecting Our Youth to Fix Our Economy
John Bridgeland, Civic Enterprises
September 17, 2012
Reprinted with permission from Spotlight on Poverty and Opportunity
 

One in Six Million: My Story from the Edge of "Disconnection"

Torres Hughes, Youth Leadership Institute Youth Ambassador
May 23, 2012

One in six young people ages 16 to 24—more than 6 million across the U.S.—aren't in school and aren't working. That could have been me, but two experiences in particular changed my life...

Plugged In: The Escalera Program and Its Lasting Effects
Ana Hageage, National Council of La Raza
May 22, 2012

From Tragedy, a Step Forward: A Youth Ambassador Speaks Out
Brittany Woods, Youth Leadeship Institute Youth Ambassador
May 21, 2012

No Longer Fighting the Streets and Working to Reconnect Others
Ryan Dalton, Youth Leadership Institute Youth Ambassador
May 21, 2012

The "Stakes is High"
Kwesi Rollins, Institute of Educational Leadership
Apr. 3, 2012


Youth in the Presidents Budget
Kisha Bird, CLASP
Mar. 6, 2012

Half-time in America: Time to Reclaim Disconnected Youth 
Lindsay Torrico, United Way and Roberto Viramontes, First Focus
Feb. 13, 2012

For more on this topic:

*Opportunity Road: The Promise and Challenge of America’s Forgotten Youth is a survey and report aimed to better understand how disconnected youth became detached from school and work and the challenges they face trying to reconnect to society.

The SparkOpportunity Challenge invited young people to submit their solutions. Meet the 10 winners and check out their ideas.