With many in the country still out of work, Latino teens are one of the hardest hit segments of the population, and 16 percent of them are not working or in school, according to a recent study.
That figure is for Latino and black teens between the ages of 16 and 19. About 11 percent of white teens the same age are in the same position. About 23 percent of Latinos between the ages of 20 to 24 are not in school or working, versus 17 percent of whites, according to a recent LatinoEdBeat.org article.
The Annie E. Foundation, which conducted the study, estimates that almost 6.5 million teens across the U.S. are out of work and are not in school.
The report, “Youth and Work: Restoring Teen and Young Adult Connections to Opportunity,” suggests making a national youth employment strategy, lining up resources between public and private funders, and encouraging employers to sponsor “earn and learn programs.” The foundation recommends government, philanthropic and community collaboration to address the teen unemployment issue.
An article in the Los Angeles Times has spotlighted a federally-funded $13 million program between the City of Los Angeles and the Los Angeles Unified School District to provide education and job training at 13 youth centers in the city.
