Conrad N. Hilton Foundation Foster Youth Career Pathways Grant

Geographic Scope: New York City, NY

Focus Areas:

• Career development for foster youth and justice-involved youth
• Employment and educational opportunities
• Economic security and self-sufficiency
• Workforce collaboration and training
• Cross-sector partnerships and advocacy
• Career exploration and readiness

Grant Period: 3 years

Goals:

• Increase percentage of young people achieving critical career milestones from 60% (2023) to 90% by 2028
• Dismantle systemic barriers to employment and education for foster youth aging out of care

Eligible Populations:

• Young adults with experience in foster care systems
• Young adults with justice system involvement
• Youth transitioning out of NYC foster care

Background: According to Center for Urban Future's 2020 ACS Report on Youth in Foster Care: barely 1 in 5 has finished high school or earned a high school equivalency degree, and only 1 in 3 has a verified source of income at time of discharge.

Funded Activities:

• Enhanced Career Development Resources: Align and improve career development models to meet employer and labor market needs
• Improved Workforce Collaboration: Launch "Make It Work" collaborative to connect foster youth with tailored training programs, improve retention, and address workforce challenges using data-driven solutions
• Cross-Sector Partnerships and Advocacy: Build coalitions to promote data-sharing, collaboration, and policies that improve career outcomes for youth transitioning out of care
• Career Exploration and Readiness Opportunities: Provide innovative career training, workshops, fairs, and tools for practitioners and youth

Partners: Center for Fair Futures, NYC Administration for Children's Services (ACS), WPTI