Happening at NYEC – February Newsletter
NYEC Launches CT Statewide Youth Ecosystem
O
n February 2nd, NYEC proudly launched the CT Youth Employment Statewide (YES) Taskforce, part of the overarching effort to establish a CT Statewide Youth Ecosystem.
NYEC proudly launched the CT Youth Employment Statewide (YES) Taskforce, an action-focused working group of an array of youth-serving partners, including state agencies, youth services providers across sectors, workforce investment boards, and youth leaders, tasked with co-creating and accomplishing goals to advance youth employment opportunity and access in CT. The YES Taskforce will also work to streamline processes, increase collaboration, expand career opportunities, and create pipelines, especially for opportunity youth. The YES Taskforce will initially prioritize establishing a statewide flexible funding pool, statewide system & outreach process, a real-time asset map, and development of statewide Youth Empowerment Project (YEP) Resource Specialists.
The YES Taskforce is part of the overarching effort to establish a CT Statewide Youth Ecosystem, a system of support to align efforts across workforce boards, state agencies, direct service providers, funders, educational institutions, and other partners to strengthen services, inform policy, and attract funding for youth services. NYEC will also be launching a Statewide Youth Navigator Learning Collaborative, a learning space for youth navigators across various sectors, and a Statewide Youth Advisory Council, to increase unity and collaboration across youth action boards and youth advocacy groups.
Connect with NYEC to engage with the YES Taskforce and statewide youth initiatives.
Empowering Futures: Where Community Wellbeing Meets Workforce Readiness
Empowering Futures is a no-cost, flexible mental health pre-apprenticeship curriculum that helps organizations build stronger, more diverse behavioral health talent pipelines while preparing participants for real-world success.
The curriculum equips lear
ners with workforce-ready skills—like de-escalation, trauma-informed care, cultural responsiveness, and professional communication—reducing onboarding challenges and improving readiness for Registered Apprenticeships and entry-level roles.
By implementing Empowering Futures, organizations can respond to urgent workforce shortages, strengthen community wellbeing, and create clear, equitable onramps into mental health careers.
Fill out the Interest Form today to get started!
Employers Align with NYEC to Advance Early-Career Workforce Priorities
The National Youth Employment Coalition (NYEC) recently convened employers representing healthcare, semiconductor manufacturing, hospitality, financial services, housing, water infrastructure, and the U.S. Navy Maritime Industrial Base to formally launch the Youth Champion Employer Council — a national employer-led platform focused on strengthening early-career pathways.
Across industries, employers emphasized the importance of collaborating and partnering with NYEC and its members to help shape career-connected talent pipelines, improve onboarding and retention strategies, and align workforce systems to support long-term advancement for young talent. Shared priorities included stronger employer–community alignment and a coordinated employer voice in workforce policy.
To advance this work, NYEC is launching a 2026 Employer Engagement Workshop Series — a bi-monthly, employer-led forum designed to translate these priorities into practical workforce solutions.
We invite employer leaders committed to developing young talent to join the Youth Champion Employer Council. NYEC partners are encouraged to refer employer leaders who should be part of this growing network.
To learn more, contact Julia Frohlich Kim.