Though there are many workforce development initiatives in the city targeting opportunity youth, each type of program faces a distinct set of challenges.
COMPREHENSIVE SERVICE STRATEGIES: By implementing a training approach that focuses on hard and soft skills, BACH has facilitated a bridge between local opportunity youth and viable careers in health care. When job readiness programs are
supplemented with industry-specific skill training, potential hires are more equipped for long-term professional success. Programs throughout New Orleans successfully target and serve opportunity youth, yet few programs provide comprehensive training specific to the health care sector. Y.O.S.T represents a promising health care training opportunity. The program shows great potential to expand its efforts if participants were also provided the resources to earn the necessary high school credentials needs to advance beyond entry-level positions.
OUTREACH & FOSTERING SECTOR PARTNERSHIPS: Promoting existing health care development programs is essential to establishing career pathways for prospective employees. It is important to not only focus on occupational training but to also establish strong mentorship connections. BACH achieved great success in implementing a workforce pipeline because the approach was initiated by large institutions with the financial capacity to make sense of the fragmented workforce development system. Although sector workforce pipelines require large sources of capital to function, career pathways are a realistic tool that can be used to capitalize on the programs that already exist. Connecting the resources provided by existing workforce development programs is the first step to establishing career pathways within the health care sector.
LINKING EDUCATION & TECHNICAL TRAINING: Many high school graduates lack exposure to a learning experience that adequately prepares them for success. An effective workforce system should strive to link education and job training
opportunities. A collaborative strategy which connects primary and secondary schools, social services and workforce development agencies can help youth overcome the challenges of navigating the labor market. Additionally, work-based education programs paired with remedial educational programs give employees the flexibility and opportunity to gain the needed educational requirements to achieve career advancement. By creating and strengthening these institutional partnerships and implementing work-based educational programs, it is possible to create a
productive workforce development environment that affords career opportunities to all residents of the NEWCITY area.
Survey
All too often, communities plan for youth without actually consulting them. The research team conducted a survey to hear the voice of NEWCITY youth and include them in the conversation.
The survey was conducted over several afternoons at the Sojourner Truth Neighborhood Center (STNC) and the surrounding area. The survey question topics mirror the sections of this report:
education, recreation, safety, and how children view their neighborhood. Most questions were open-ended to allow youth the ability to provide a meaningful answer using their own
knowledge and feelings. The final section of the survey allowed for even more creativity by asking the children to draw their favorite part of their neighborhood. The survey instrument is in Appendix 5-1. Children who could read completed the survey themselves, with
administrators nearby to answer questions, and children who could not read were given the survey in an interview format while survey administrators recorded their answers. The survey took 10-20 minutes to complete and participants received candy as a reward upon completion of the survey. The study team categorized open-ended responses into groups and entered coded data into an Excel database.
In total, 34 children ages 6-16, mostly from the Treme/Lafitte neighborhood, were interviewed.
Results were limited because the survey was only administered at STNC and in the nearby neighborhood. Schools were not used as interview locations due to the complications of attaining required consent forms within the time constraints of the project. Despite the limitations, the surveys provided valuable insight into the perspectives of NEWCITY youth.
There were a few clear results from the school questions. The children attended 15 different schools, which reflects data included in this report that area youth attend schools all over the city. In addition, 44% commute by school bus and 75% claim a commute time of 30-45 minutes to get to school. Students participate in a variety of activities in school, including dance, track, basketball, and marching band. “Activities” was overwhelmingly the favorite school feature, and
“uniforms” was the least favorite. The majority (82%) plan to continue their education after high school. When they grow up, nearly as many children wish to enter the health care field (26%) as want to play professional sports (29%).
When asked about recreation, almost all responded that they utilize the STNC in some capacity.
This was expected as most of the surveys were conducted at the STNC. The second most utilized after-school destination was a neighborhood church (68%). It was noted that students did not know the Lafitte Greenway by name, but upon further description of the Greenway, children realized they did use it.
In regards to their neighborhood and safety, survey respondents ranked a number of different elements as their favorite neighborhood feature, from their friends to second lines and other activities. Neighborhood safety and violence reduction was an issue that many children highlighted in the interview. Almost half (44%) stated that their least favorite aspect of their neighborhood was violence. Additionally, 32% of respondents indicated that a reduction in violence would make their neighborhood a better place to live.