“Pathways to Opportunity: Apprenticeships and Breaking the Cycles of Poverty for Young People Experiencing Homelessness” looks at how to make apprenticeship programs more accessible to young adults experiencing homelessness. At a moment in time when eviction moratoriums ended, many young adults without stable housing or financial support are particularly vulnerable. The main findings of the report include:
- Housing insecure young adults need income, housing, mentorship, and academic and career preparation to succeed in career pathways like apprenticeships. A failure to connect them with these resources may leave young adults stuck in a cycle of low-wage jobs, poverty and chronic homelessness.
- Most nonprofits agencies cannot provide all of these supports, making collaboration across providers and systems critical. Housing and workforce development initiatives are often siloed. Although recent policy initiatives have helped mitigate this division, frontline practitioners who support young adults need a tool that helps them easily identify partners and resources outside of their respective agencies. Young Invincibles created the Pathway to Stability Framework as a foundation for such collaboration.
- Connecting young adults with the resources and opportunities that they need to thrive will require the cooperation of multiple stakeholders, including the businesses, government agencies, schools, unions, nonprofits, and philanthropic organizations. The report outlines steps that each of these groups can take to help support young adults who want to pursue apprenticeships and other career pathways.