On June 17, DC Action launched a community discussion series – District Futures: Guaranteeing Quality Jobs for Youth of Color – with the DC Fiscal Policy Institute (DCFPI) and New Futures, a college and career success organization serving youth across the region. At the event, we brought together 7 youth leaders and 17 adult allies with close ties to Northeast DC to share their insights on what young people, ages 16-24, need in order to thrive in today’s economy, and how a Youth Jobs Guarantee policy could be designed to deliver results. Over the next three months, we’ll continue bringing these discussions to all four quadrants of DC.
This work builds on DCFPI’s 2024 report, A Quality Job Guarantee Would Ensure DC Youth Can Fully Participate in DC’s Economy. The report defines the District’s racially inequitable youth unemployment crisis, presents research on proven workforce development models to address the root causes of this inequity, infuses solutions with the lived experiences of young people, and presents a Youth Jobs Guarantee as a conceptual framework to spur full and equitable workforce participation.
The Youth Jobs Guarantee proposal addresses stark racial disparities in the District’s labor market: in 2024, 27.7% of Black District youth (16 -24) were unemployed – a rate 3.6 times higher than that of white youth1. In 2023, DC Action began to lay the groundwork for youth employment policy solutions by conducting focus groups with youth ages 14-24 experiencing structural barriers to workforce participation, and contributed findings to DCFPI’s report. These young people told us it’s harder to prepare for, find, be hired for, and keep jobs when experiencing economic instability, parenthood, homelessness, neighborhood violence, under-resourced schools, or highly-punitive interactions with law enforcement. They believed DC’s existing youth employment programs fell short in rectifying deep and chronic racial inequities in the labor market.
At its core, the Youth Jobs Guarantee calls on the District to make a bold commitment: every young person facing structural barriers to employment should have access to a year-round job that provides a livable wage, benefits, and the wraparound supports needed to thrive. Research on the proven-practice of subsidized employment 2 and the consistent calls we hear from young people for fair wages and access to holistic supports reinforce the case for a guaranteed job program. Additional research, ongoing review and refinement with community, and demonstration projects are needed to move the Youth Jobs Guarantee from research-based concept to a fully developed policy ready for enactment and implementation. Policymakers committed to reducing racial disparities and building an inclusive District economy should engage in the process, connecting the perspectives of their young constituents and expertise of youth development providers in their communities to the policy development process. While more work remains, District leaders have an opportunity to champion a lasting investment in the District’s next generation of talented and ambitious young workers.
The District Futures series brings the Youth Jobs Guarantee concept back to the experts on youth unemployment in our communities: young people and adult allies who are able to evaluate its planned design through the lens of lived experience. At each event, attendees are introduced to the design elements of DCFPI’s Youth Job Guarantee proposal and how they respond to the District-specific needs of youth experiencing structural barriers to employment. Then, youth and adult attendees rotate through facilitated Visioning Cafés to discuss how the policy could most effectively implement integrated support services, employer partnerships, quality jobs and strong programmatic linkages to next-step career readiness programs and pathways. Finally, the events conclude with attendees committing to action to spread the word, engage in advocacy on the themes of the day, or further refine a Youth Jobs Guarantee proposal.
At our Northeast event, our co-hosts at New Futures guided attendees in imagining the Youth Jobs Guarantee as a programmatic bridge to postsecondary education, credentialing, apprenticeship, and early career opportunities. Their CEO, Dr. Sherrod Williams, challenged us to:
“… think not only about policy design, but about young people’s lived realities. What would it mean for a young person to have stable income while pursuing a credential? What would it mean for them to build work experience connected to their career goals? What would it mean for employers to see young people not as charity, but as talent? And what would it mean for DC to make a clear commitment that every young person deserves a pathway to opportunity, dignity, and economic participation?”
Two clear themes emerged from the discussions that followed:
- Youth thrive when employment is paired with intentional relationships and holistic support. Perhaps the most essential recommendation we heard– and the most complex to implement– was the need to challenge traditional adult and employer assumptions about young workers and to adapt early work experiences to the realities of their lives. Young people shared how their lived experiences challenged rigid workplace demands, specifically: the urgent and unpredictable demands of parenting, the impact of community violence on focus and wellbeing, the heightened safety concerns among immigrant communities, the prolonged process to receive mental health support, the lack of affordable and reliable transportation, and the difficulty prioritizing reliability at work when managing financial pressures at home. While these challenges can impact workers of all ages, young employees are learning how to manage them with fewer resources and less experience than adults. Youth attendees called for programs and employers to respond to these realities with developmentally-appropriate flexibility instead of penalizing them.
There was strong consensus that guidance from trusted adults, mentors, and peers who understand youth experiences are essential as youth navigate competing demands in their lives. Young people said they value supervisors who demonstrate emotional intelligence, provide flexibility, and create a work culture focused on growth and development. Attendees suggested building partnerships with youth development organizations that can help employers gain clearer understanding about youth needs, effective communication, management, and goal-setting approaches, and facilitate referrals to available supports. They also highlighted the value of peer cohort models that foster belonging, peer support, and shared learning.
This feedback reflects the principles of Positive Youth Development (PYD), which focuses on nurturing skill-building through trusted adult relationships and investing in young people’s developing assets. Researchers at Child Trends have developed the PILOT Assessment to help educators and employers integrate PYD into career readiness programs. This assessment should be used in the development of the Youth Jobs Guarantee, in required employer and supervisor training, and referenced as an evaluative tool after the program is launched.
- Quality jobs create pathways for long-term economic mobility, not just short-term employment. Youth leaders made clear that the success of a Youth Jobs Guarantee should not be measured by whether they get a job, but whether the program leads to lasting career growth. Quality jobs were described as those offering at least $20/hour, healthcare, flexible schedules and opportunities for advancement. These priorities were especially important for youth who had experiences with housing instability, parenting responsibilities, and financial responsibilities within their families.
Youth envisioned work experiences built on mutual accountability, where employers extend grace while maintaining high expectations, demonstrating a vested interest in developing young people into skilled, reliable employees. They emphasized the importance of clear workplace expectations, work plans structured for growth and mastery, professional development, and opportunities to “level up” their responsibilities, title and compensation over time. They also recommended that the Youth Jobs Guarantee provide exposure to multiple roles within a career field and connect participants with mentors to improve on the job. Ultimately, youth viewed the value of the program in the professional networks, transferable skills, and future career opportunities it would help them generate in addition to immediate income and valuable work experience.
District Futures Northeast affirmed the core, conceptual elements of the Youth Jobs Guarantee, including the need for year-round work experience, fair pay, high-quality jobs, and access to supports and services to address barriers. It also challenged us to be even more intentional as the policy is developed, elevating the need to integrate Positive Youth Development principles, especially in the preparation and practices of partners and employers engaged in the program.
We look forward to continuing these conversations at our next event in August, which will focus on the participation of LGBTQ+ youth experiencing homelessness. Stay tuned for future blogs highlighting what we learn through the series. If you’re interested in attending a District Futures event, please let us know and look for an invitation to our upcoming events in Southeast, Northwest, and Southwest DC!