Happening Now at NYEC!
National Youth Employment Coalition is proud to announce the pilot phase Youth Champion Communities Mayors Challenge. This is a major national initiative designed to help communities of all sizes assess and substantially improve their capacities to engage and prepare young people for economic mobility and success. The initial framework (YCCF) is a comprehensive framework that seeks to answer the question, “What does a community that best supports its young people truly look like?” This Framework, developed through intensive conversations with community leaders, political leadership, and young people with lived experience from around the country, holds communities to a high standard, while providing them with a roadmap detailing how to get there.
We are excited to be working on the second phase of the Youth Champion Communities (YCC) Mayors Challenge, empowering seven select cities—Albany, NY; Buffalo, NY; Durham, NC; Scranton, PA; Everett, WA; Richmond, VA; and Tampa , FL— to foster success for young people through employment, education, and holistic supports. Each city will form local leadership teams, uniting government officials, workforce organizations, community agencies, and youth with lived experience to address youth disengagement and create pathways to education and careers. This initiative aims to establish lasting, systemic change and ensure all young people have the resources they need to thrive.
We are excited to announce the 2025 National Youth Employment Coalition (NYEC) Annual Forum: Empowering Youth, Transforming Communities, to be held from May 12th-14th, 2025, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. This annual gathering will bring together national leaders, practitioners, policymakers, and young people from across the country to collaborate and drive solutions that address the needs of opportunity youth.
Over the course of three days, participants will engage in insightful workshops, thought-provoking panel discussions, and dynamic networking opportunities. Topics will focus on key areas such as youth employment, education pathways, community development, and innovative strategies for supporting youth who face systemic barriers.
Registration is now open, and we encourage you to submit a speaker proposal if you're interested in presenting your expertise at the forum
Learn about NYEC's 3 pillars
What's new from NYEC
The Intersections between Youth Experiencing Homelessness, Youth Supports and Employment
This literature review highlights the need for ongoing support services alongside
employment and training programs.
Core Practice Brief on Employer Engagement
Exploring Best Practices in the Field serves as an expansion of the NYEC literature review and includes additional findings from focus groups comprised of employers, providers, youth and young adults in New Orleans and Los Angeles.
NYEC Releases First of Its Kind Mental Health Report
A nationwide survey revealed the readiness of youth programs across the United States to respond to the youth mental health pandemic; the processes and systems providers have in place to fight the crisis; and what supports they need to combat this ongoing, life-threatening challenge.
Youth Justice and Employment Community of Practice
Exploring Best Practices in the Field serves as an expansion of the NYEC literature review and includes additional findings from focus groups comprised of employers, providers, youth and young adults in New Orleans and Los Angeles.
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Hear from our members!
"Being a member of NYEC has been the greatest professional development of my career. In addition to supporting the great work that NYEC does on behalf of young people and our programs, being a member has given me a network of incredibly passionate people doing amazing work in communities across the country."
- Glenn Eagleson, former board member and board chair, 20+ year NYEC member