Too many adults fail to appreciate the value of good credit until they’ve suffered the consequences of poor or no credit: diminished opportunity for jobs or housing, exorbitant loan or interest rates, limited access to further credit. But could these
Everyone has money problems. But that’s especially true for young people facing serious employment barriers – such as poverty, unstable housing, or a lack of education or English fluency. For these young people, money can evoke stress or shame. Their family history may bear
At the Youth Employment Policy Forum last Thursday, one researcher illustrated the employment problem facing young people in Massachusetts; the other presented a potential solution. It wasn’t quite “good cop, bad cop,” but it drove the issue home. The Problem The problem,
Returning to civilian life after six years in the army, Edward Morgan, 27, found himself adrift in his native Dorchester. “I did random jobs. I was a driver, a chef. They didn’t last too long. I found myself getting in
Graduates of YOU Boston’s summer employment program gathered yesterday with Mayor Walsh, community leaders, public safety officials, and employers to celebrate the seven weeks they spent working jobs that benefited both the community and themselves. The program participants – all
From the back of the YOU Boston conference room, Khalif McCloud raised his hand to share his thoughts. “Without YOU, I’d still be the street person I was before,” he said. “Without this program, there’s a lot of strife out
Young people who participated in Boston’s summer jobs program last year showed greater job readiness skills, higher academic aspirations, and more positive attitudes towards their communities, according to a study released this month by the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. Of
Mayor Walsh has announced the creation of the Urban Farming Pathways Initiative, a jobs training program for citizens returning from incarceration. The program, which will be overseen by Youth Options Unlimited (YOU) Boston, will train 25 young people in urban agriculture
Lawrence Brown, 26, needed a hand. When the Boston Center for Youth and Families streetworker program (which works with at-risk youth to de-escalate street violence) met Lawrence, they found a determined young person who needed employment. They referred him to Operation Exit,
The Office of Financial Empowerment (OFE), a division of the Mayor’s Office of Workforce Development, recently launched a first-of-its-kind credit-building program for young adults ages 18-28. Over the course of a year, the program aims to introduce young people to the