21,750 of all 16 to 24 year olds in Louisville/Jefferson Co, nearly one in seven, are neither working nor going to school, according to a report released last month by Measure of America.
The causes consequences can be complex and long-standing for individuals and the community-at-large. “Disconnected youth are cut off from the people, institutions, and experiences that would otherwise help them develop the knowledge, skills, maturity, and sense of purpose required to live rewarding lives as adults.”
Focusing attention on the increased rates of disconnection for black and Latino youth, particularly for those living in highly-segregated neighborhoods, the report states communities must turn their attention to the root causes, not the symptoms, of disconnection.
“Knitting disconnected, opportunity-scarce communities into the fabric of our wider society and creating meaningful pathways within them is the answer to youth disconnection.”
Kristen Lewis, Co-Author of “Zeroing In On Race and Place: Youth Disconnection in American Cities”
For more information on the Louisville’s disconnected youth …
- See an analysis of how the rate of disconnected youth and young adults in Louisville compares to its 14 peer cities
- Read the Courier-Journal article, July 6, 2015
- Read the WFPL story, June 17, 2015