The Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile, Jr./U.S. Bank Foundation has awarded Brighton Center a $57,710 grant to advance the work around Opportunity Youth through the hiring of a full-time Case Manager.
Opportunity Youth are defined as young people between the ages of 16 to 24 who are not enrolled in school or participating in the labor markets (Aspen Institute). In the U.S. there are about 6.7 million Opportunity Youth who are not enrolled in school nor working according to The White House Council for Community Solutions. In Boone, Campbell, and Kenton County there are about 5,445 Opportunity Youth according to the Opportunity Index.
For youth who lack a stable family support, live in poverty, or have been exposed to repeated violence and abuse as children, the path may seem insurmountable.
These youth are at high risk of dropping out of school, engaging in delinquent or criminal behavior, becoming homeless, abusing drugs and alcohol, becoming teen parents, entering into the foster care system or aging out of the system without adequate support which further limits their prospects for labor market success. Traumatic events and the stress that many of these youth experience impact every aspect of their life, including their ability to maintain housing and employment, and achieve educational success.
The Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile, Jr./U.S. Bank Foundation previously funded a planning grant for Brighton Center to develop a comprehensive plan focused on coordinating and aligning a continuum of services for opportunity youth ages 16-24 in Northern Kentucky. Part of the planning included convening Core Partners to identify trends or issues impacting Opportunity Youth, key gaps in services to meet their needs, and help formulate recommendations for improvement to strengthen the continuum of care for Opportunity Youth in our region. The need for a dedicated Opportunity Youth Case Manager arose as a result of that planning process.
Through this investment, Brighton Center will be able to engage and provide support to 80 Opportunity Youth, which will result in removing barriers to employment and moving them toward self-sufficiency. The Case Manager will be part of the broader Youth Career Connections team, and work both inside the Kentucky Career Center as well as be involved with other partners. Their function will be outreach, engagement, and support of youth to connect them to education and work opportunities.
The Northern Kentucky Workforce Investment Board has been an important partner in this work, and will continue to convene key stakeholders through a Youth Response Team.
“The Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile, Jr/U.S. Bank Foundation is a true leader in our region, and we are so grateful for their dedication and commitment to addressing the often complex needs of youth in our community, especially those who are disconnected from work or school. With a low unemployment rate and a high labor participation rate in Northern Kentucky, it is particularly important to ensure all our youth are connected to a career pathway that provides for a livable wage and opportunity for career advancement. This grant is an important step to supporting our youth, and helping them develop a plan for their future.” said Wonda Winkler, Brighton Center’s Executive Vice President.
