United States Department of Agriculture Rural Information Center

Rural Youth Employment

Contents

Image: NRCS employee surveys pond site near Palmer, AK.

The image on the right is of a USDA National Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) summer employee near Palmer, AK. (source: NRCS Photo Gallery. NRCS photo by Ron Nichols, 1997. online: http://photogallery.nrcs.usda.gov/JPG/AK/NRCSAK97003.JPG

Introduction

A major issue in rural America, for leaders, and the community, as a whole, is that of youth employment and the associated out-migration. One of the greatest threats to non-metro communities is the loss of its youth. When youth leave a community, they, in many ways, take with them the future of that community.

In taking steps to make rural communities places where young people want to stay, communities must ensure not only that young people are ready to enter the work force, but that there are jobs for their youth. This guide includes a variety of planning and funding resources, and more to assist communities trying to improve career opportunities and prepare their youth for the workforce. It also contains resources on building community school-to-work programs.

This resource guide was revised and updated by Patricia LaCaille John June 2005.
Rural Information Center Publication Series; no. 61 2005.
Last Modified: July, 2008

Rural Youth Issues

  1. California's Rural Youth. Katherine E. Heck, and others. Davis: 4-H Center for Youth Development, Department of Human and Community Development, University of California, 2004. 48 p. http://fourhcyd.ucdavis.edu/extending/pubs/report/pdf/ca_rural.pdf

  2. Frontier Youth: Living on the Edge. Santa Fe, NM: National Clearinghouse for Frontier Communities, 2003. 30 p. Conference 2003 Notes are now archived at AgriWellness. Copies are available from AgriWellness for a small fee.http://www.agriwellness.org/ConfInfo.htm

  3. Issues Facing Rural Youth: A Compendium of Research, Reports, and Public Opinion Polls. Compiled by: Nancy Valentine, James Kahler, Susan Cippoletti. Washington, DC: National 4-H Headquarters, 2005. 14 p. http://www.national4-hheadquarters.gov/library/ruralresearch.pdf

  4. Rural Students at Risk: In Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas. Richard Tompkins, Patricia Deloney. Austin, TX: Southwest Educational Development Laboratory, 1994. 91 p.

  5. Rural-Urban Connections. SRDC Series #228. Mississippi State, MS: Southern Rural Development Center, 2002. 67 p. http://srdc.msstate.edu/publications/228_rural_urban.pdf

Rural Youth Migration

  1. "Alaska's 'Brain Drain': Myth or Reality?" Jeff Hadland. Monthly Labor Review. 127, no. 5 (2004): 9-22. http://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/2004/05/contents.htm

  2. Attracting and Retaining Young Adults to the Pennsylvania Heartland. University Park: Penn State College of Agricultural Science-Cooperative Extension, 2003. 69 p. http://www.extension.psu.edu/workforce/Briefs/TP-COVER_TOC.pdf

  3. Maine's Disappearing Youth: Implications of a Declining Youth Population. Merritt T. Heminway. Briefing Paper prepared for the Maine Leadership Consortium, Augusta, Maine. May 2002. 11 p. http://www.umaine.edu/mcsc/GEDC/presentations/Merritt%20Heminway%20brief.pdf

  4. Migration and Youth Migration from Aroostook County: Trends, Factors, and Implications; Final Report. Charles S. Colgan, Bruce H. Andrews. Portland: University of Southern Maine, Center for Business and Economic Research, 2004. 87 p.

  5. Understanding the Employment Experiences and Migration Patterns of Rural Youth and Young Adults. Steven Garasky. Paper Presented at the NLSY97 Early Results Conference Sponsored by the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Joint Center for Poverty Research held November 18-19, 1999, in Washington, DC. 21 p. http://ideas.repec.org/p/wop/jopovw/143.html

Youth Employment

  1. "Agents of Change: Thoughts on Youth Development." Karee Teague. Journal of Extension. 39, No. 2 (2001): 4 p. http://www.joe.org/joe/2001june/comm2.html

  2. "Collaborative Problem Solving: Financial Education for Youth." Judy McKenna, Jan Carroll. Journal of Extension. 37, No. 5 (1999): 7 p. http://www.joe.org/joe/1999october/a3.html

  3. "Reaching Migrant Farmworker Youth Through 4-H Career and Workforce Programs." Celina G. Wille. Journal of Extension. 37, No. 5 (1999): 4 p. http://www.joe.org/joe/1999october/iw4.html

  4. "'Second-Chance' Strategies for Female School Dropouts." Katheryn Parker Boudett, Richard J. Murname, John B. Willett. Monthly Labor Review. 123, No. 12 (2000): 13-32. http://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/2000/12/contents.htm

  5. "The Transition From School to Work: Education and Work Experiences." Julie A. Yates. Monthly Labor Review. 128, No. 2 (2005): 21-32. http://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/2005/02/contents.htm

  6. Web Links (Youth and Workforce Development Resources). Washington, DC: National Youth Employment Coalition. 7 p.
    http://www.nyec.org/weblinks.htm

  7. "Youth Employment During School: Results From Two Longitudinal Surveys." Donna S. Rothstein. Monthly Labor Review. 124, No. 8 (2001): 25-52. http://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/2001/08/contents.htm

  8. "Youth Employment in the United States." Donna S. Rothstein. Monthly Labor Review. 124, no. 8 (2001): 6-17. http://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/2001/08/contents.htm

  9. "Youth Initiation into the Labor Market." Lynn Huang, Michael Pergamit, Jamie Shkolnik. Monthly Labor Review. 124, No. 8 (2001): 18-24. http://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/2001/08/contents.htm

  10. Youth Resource Links (Employment, Training, Career, and Education). Washington, DC: National Youth employment Coalition. 5 p.
    http://www.nyec.org/youth.htm

Youth Entrepreneurship

  1. Entrepreneurship Education: Learning by Doing. Washington, DC: Appalachian Regional Commission, 2004. 48 p. http://www.arc.gov/images/programs/entrep/Learning_By_Doing.pdf

  2. Entrepreneurship Initiative. Washington, DC: Appalachian Regional Commission, 4 p. http://www.arc.gov/index.do?nodeId=19

  3. Fostering Entrepreneurship in Youth. Washington, DC: Appalachian Regional Commission, 3 p. http://www.arc.gov/index.do?nodeId=2070

  4. Resources for Young Entrepreneurs. Washington, DC: SCORE Association. http://www.score.org/resources_young.html

  5. "Serious Business": Teaching Entrepreneurship Skills to Youths. Fred D. Baldwin. Appalachia, January - December 2002: 4 p. http://www.arc.gov/index.do?nodeId=1558

  6. "Youth Entrepreneurship. James R. Lindner, Kathryn J. Cox. Journal of Extension. 36, No. 5 (1998): 6 p. http://www.joe.org/joe/1998october/rb2.html

School-to-Work Programs

  1. Building School-to-Work Systems in Rural America. Hobart Harmon. Eric Digest, EDO-RC-97-7. Charleston, WV: ERIC Clearinghouse on Rural Education and Small Schools, 1998. 6 p. http://www.ericdigests.org/1998-3/rural.html

  2. Building Strong School-to-Work Systems: Illustration of Key Components. Stephen F. Hamilton, Mary Agnes Hamilton. Ithaca, NY: Cornell Youth and Work Program, 1999. 113 p. http://cywparchive.human.cornell.edu/pubs/system_building.pdf

  3. 'Business Partnerships for American Education': Employer Involvement in the National Academy Foundation's High School Career Academies. Katherine L. Hughes, Melinda Mechur Karp, Margaret Terry Orr. Journal of Vocational Education and Training. 54, No. 3 (2002): 365-394 http://www.triangle.co.uk/pdf/viewpdf.asp?j=vae&vol=54&issue=3&year=2002
    &article=5_Hughes_JVET_54_3&id=198.202.222.83

  4. "Creating Work-Based Learning Opportunities for Students in Rural Schools." Hobart L. Harmon. The High School Magazine, 6(6), (1999): 22-27. http://www.ael.org/rel/rural/pdf/harmon99.pdf

  5. Experiences and Lessons of the School-to-Work/Youth Apprenticeship Demonstration. Research and Evaluation Report Series 97-E. Washington, DC: U.S. Department Labor, Employment and Training Administration, 1997. 277 p. http://wdr.doleta.gov/opr/fulltext/document.cfm?docn=6121

  6. "Linking School-to-Work and Rural Development." Hobart L. Harmon. Forum for Applied Research and Public Policy, 15(1), (2000): 12-15. http://www.ael.org/

  7. Local School-to-Work Partnerships: Early Lessons from Pennsylvania. Anita Kane, William J. Stull. Publication Series No. 6. Philadelphia: Temple University Center for Research in Human Development and Education, 1999. 11 p. http://www.temple.edu/lss/pdf/publications/pubs1999-6.pdf

  8. Looking Forward: School-to-Work Principles and Strategies for Sustainability. Washington, DC: American Youth Policy Forum and the Center for Workforce Development, Institute for Educational Leadership, 2000. 42 p. http://www.aypf.org/publications/index.htm

  9. Rural Schools and the Workforce Investment Act. ERIC Digest ED448967. Lionel J. Beaulieu. Charleston, WV: ERIC Clearinghouse on Rural Education and Small Schools, 2000. 7 p. http://www.ericdigests.org/2001-3/rural.htm

  10. School-to-Work: Making a Difference in Education; A Research Report to America. Katherine L. Hughes, Thomas R. Bailey, Melinda J. Mechur. New York: Institute on Education and the Economy, Teachers College, Columbia University, 2001. 48 p. http://www.tc.columbia.edu/centers/iee/STWrelease.HTM

  11. "School-to-Work Programs: Information From Two Surveys." Mary Joyce, David Neumark. Monthly Labor Review. 124, No. 8 (2001): 38-50. http://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/2001/08/contents.htm

  12. Work-Based Learning. ERIC Digest No. 187. Michele Naylor. Columbus, OH: ERIC Clearinghouse on Adult Career and Vocational Education, 1997. 7 p. http://www.ericdigests.org/1998-1/work.htm

Community Planning Resources

  1. Collected Case Study Evaluations of the Appalachian Regional Commission's Educational Projects. Nicole Bartfai, and others. Rockville, MD: Westat, 2001. 170 p. http://www.arc.gov/index.do?nodeId=552

  2. Creating Economic Opportunities for Every Young Person: Lessons From The Hitachi Foundation's Partnership in Education and Economic Opportunity Initiative. Leah Totten, David Dodson, Julie Thomasson. Chapel Hill, NC: MDC Inc. May 2000, 84 p. http://www.mdcinc.org/docs/workforce_pub_opportunities.pdf

  3. Getting In, Staying On, Moving Up: A Practitioner's Approach to Employment Retention. Tony Proscio, Mark Elliott. New York: Public/Private Ventures, 1999. 32 p. http://www.ppv.org/ppv/publications/publications_description.asp?search_id=19&
    publication_id=100

  4. A How to Guide for Creating Employment and Entrepreneurship Opportunities for Youth. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, 2002. 17 p. http://www.hud.gov/offices/hsg/mfh/nnw/resourcesforcenters/nnwcreatingemployment.pdf

  5. Improving Career Outcomes for Youth: Lessons from the U.S. and OECD Experience. Robert I. Lerman. Washington, DC: The Urban Institute, 2000. 65 p. http://wdr.doleta.gov/opr/fulltext/document.cfm?docn=6151

  6. Improving the Economic and Life Outcomes of At-Risk Youth. Robert Ivry, Fred Doolittle. New York: MDRC, 2003. 22 p. http://www.hewlett.org/Archives/Publications/improvingOutcomes.htm

  7. Job Corps: Comparison of Federal Program with State Youth Training Initiatives. GAO/HEHS-96-92. Washington, DC: U.S. General Accounting Office, 1996. 22 p. http://www.gao.gov/archive/1996/he96092.pdf

  8. Multiple Employment and Training Programs: Funding and Performance Measures for Major Programs. GAO-03-589. Washington, DC: U.S. General Accounting Office, 2003. 53 p. http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d03589.pdf

  9. Preparing Youth for Employment: Principles and Characteristics of Five Leading United States Youth Development Programs. Glenda L. Partee. Washington, DC: American Youth Policy Forum, 2003. 13 p. http://www.aypf.org/publications/PreparingYouthforEmployment.pdf

  10. Preparing Youth for the Workforce: Exploring Employer Engaging in the Chicago Region. Samuel P. Whalen, Jan DeCoursey, Ada Skyles. Chicago: Chapin Hall Center for Children at the University of Chicago, 2003. 99 p. http://www.chapinhall.org/article_abstract.aspx?ar=1374

  11. Supporting Youth Employment: A Guide for Community Groups. Carol Clymer, and others. Philadelphia: Public/Private Ventures, 2002. 63 p. http://www.ppv.org/ppv/publications/assets/19_publication.pdf

  12. Taking Stock: A Review of U.S. Youth Employment Policy and Prospects. Thomas J. Smith. Revised. Philadelphia: Public/Private Ventures, 2002. 33 p. http://www.hewlett.org/Archives/Publications/takingStock.htm

  13. Youth Entrepreneurship Community Development Model. Alburn, AL: Economic Development Institute, Auburn University, 2002. 54 p. http://www.auburn.edu/outreach/ecdi/archives/archivedprojects.htm

  14. Youth Program Initiative: Training Packets. Austin: Texas Workforce Commission, 2003. 12 v. http://www.twc.state.tx.us/svcs/youthinit/ypi.html

Federal Funding

Youth Employment and Training Programs

U.S. Department of Labor

  • Job Corps is a no-cost education and vocational training program that helps young people ages 16 through 24 get a better job, make more money and take control of their lives.

    At Job Corps, students enroll to learn a trade, earn a high school diploma or GED and get help finding a good job. The program pays a monthly allowance. Job Corps supports its students for up to 12 months after they graduate from the program.

    800-733-JOBS (800-733-5627)

    http://jobcorps.doleta.gov/

    Locate a local Job Corps Campus: http://jobcorps.doleta.gov/center.cfm

    • WIA Youth Activities (17.259) is a formula-funded youth program that serves eligible low-income youth, ages 14-21, who have barriers to employment. Service strategies prepare youth for employment and/or postsecondary education through strong linkages between academic and occupational learning. Funds are allocated to State and local areas on a formula distribution determined by the number of unemployed individuals in areas of substantial unemployment; the relative excess number of unemployed individuals in a State; and the relative number of disadvantaged youth in a State.

    http://www.doleta.gov/youth_services/Formula-Funded.cfm

    State Workforce Development Agencies: http://www.dol.gov/cfbci/links.htm
U.S. Department of Defense

    National Guard Civilian Youth Opportunities (12.404), known as the National Guard Challenge Program is a 22-week, quasi-military, residential program, for drug free, 16 to 18 year old high school dropouts who are unemployed and not currently involved with the legal system. The residential phase is followed by a 12-month post-residential mentoring period. Subject to program funding levels, successful completion of the residential phase entitles graduates up to a $2200 stipend if the graduate goes on to college, vocational-technical learning institutions, a job, or returns to school. The program operates in 24 states and Puerto Rico.

    http://www.defenselink.mil/ra/html/challenge.html

U.S. Department of Education

    Grants to States for Incarcerated Youth Offenders (84.331) provides grants to the designated State Correctional Education Agencies to establish a postsecondary education or postsecondary vocational training program for eligible incarcerated youth offenders.

    http://www.ed.gov/programs/transitiontraining/index.html

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

    Chafee Foster Care Independence Living (93.674) helps ensure that young people involved in the foster care system get the tools they need to make the most of their lives. They may have opportunities for additional education or training, housing assistance, counseling and other services up to the age of 21.

    http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/region10/programs/region_10_chafee.html

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development U.S. Office of Personnel Management

  • Federal Student Temporary Employment Program (27.003) provides students an opportunity for part-time temporary employment with Federal agencies in order to allow them to continue their education without interruptions caused by financial pressures.

  • Federal Summer Employment (27.006) provides summer employment primarily for college students and high school students.

Additional Employment, Training, and Assistance Programs

Corporation for National and Community Service

    AmeriCorps (94.006) addresses pressing education, public safety, human, and environmental needs of our Nation's communities by encouraging Americans to serve either part or full-time. AmeriCorps members may receive education awards for qualified postsecondary education expenses or to pay off qualified student loans.

    1-800-942-2377 (or TTY: 1-800-833-3722)

    http://www.americorps.org/

U.S. Department of Labor

  • Registered Apprenticeship and Other Training (17.201) stimulates and assists industry in the development, expansion, and improvement of registered apprenticeship and other training programs designed to provide the skilled workers required by the employers in the U.S. Individuals applying for acceptance into an apprenticeship training program must be at least 16 years old.

    Registered Apprenticeship:
    http://www.doleta.gov/atels_bat/
    http://www.careervoyages.gov/apprenticeship-main.cfm

    Locate State Programs: http://bat.doleta.gov/bat.cfm

  • Employment Service (17.207) provides a variety of placement-related services without charge to job seekers and to employers seeking qualified individuals to fill job openings.

    http://www.doleta.gov/sga/sga/00-107sga.cfm

    America's Service Locator (Career One-Stop Center), http://www.servicelocator.org/

  • Native American Employment and Training (17.265) supports employment and training activities for Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian individuals in order: to develop more fully the academic, occupational, and literacy skills of such individuals; to make such individuals more competitive in the workforce.

    http://www.doleta.gov/DINAP/

Department of the Interior

    Indian Employment Assistance (15.108) provides vocational training and employment opportunities to eligible American Indians.

Journals

    Full-text Journals

    Career and Technical Education Research (CTER)
    CTER Managing Editor
    NCRVE
    1900 Kenny Road
    Columbus, OH 43210-1016
    http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/

    Journal of Extension
    U.S. Cooperative Extension System
    http://www.joe.org/

    Monthly Labor Review Online
    U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
    2 Massachusetts Ave, NE
    Room 2850
    Washington, DC 20212
    202-691-5200
    http://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/mlrhome.htm

    Subscription Journals

    Agricultural Education Magazine
    Agricultural Education Magazine
    Texas Tech University
    Department of Agricultural Education and Communication
    P.O. Box 42131
    Lubbock, TX 79409-2131
    806-742-2816 ext. 231
    http://www.depts.ttu.edu/agedmagazine/

    Career Development for Exceptional Individuals (CDEI)
    Council for Exceptional Children
    P.O. Box 79026
    Dept. K03082
    Baltimore, MD 21279-0026
    888-232-7733
    Email: service@cec.sped.org
    http://www.cec.sped.org/

    Career Development Quarterly
    National Career Development Association
    10820 East 45th Street, Suite 210
    Tulsa, OK 74146
    866-367-6232
    http://www.ncba.org/membersonly/cdq.htm

    Employment and Training Reporter
    MII Publications, Inc.
    733 15th Street, NW, Suite 900
    Washington, DC 20005
    800-524-8960
    Email: service@miipublications.com
    http://www.miipublications.com/etr.htm

    Rural Special Education Quarterly
    American Council on Rural Special Education
    Utah State University
    2865 Old Main Hill
    Logan, UT 84322-2865
    435-797-3728
    Email: acres@cc.usu.edu
    http://extension.usu.edu/acres/publications.html

    Journal of Vocational Behavior
    Elsevier
    Customer Service Department
    6277 Sea Harbor Drive
    Orlando, FL 32887-4800
    Email: usjcs@elsevier.com
    http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/622908/description#description

    Youth & Society
    Sage Publications, Inc.
    2455 Teller Rd.
    Thousand Oaks, CA 91320
    800-818-7243
    Email: journals@sagepub.com
    http://yas.sagepub.com/

Organizations

American Youth Policy Forum
1836 Jefferson Place, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20036-2505
(202) 775-9731
Email: aypf@aypf.org
www.aypf.org

American Youth Work Center
1200 17th St. , NW, 4th Fl.
Washington, DC 20036
202-785-0764
Email: info@youthtoday.org
http://www.youthtoday.org

Boys and Girls Clubs of America
1230 W. Peachtree St., NW
Atlanta, GA 30309
404-815-5700
Email: info@bgca.org
http://www.bgca.org/

The Bureau for At-Risk Youth
135 Dupont St.
PO Box 9120
Plainview, NY 11803-9120
800-999-6884
Fax: 800-262-1886
Email: info@at-risk.com
http://www.at-risk.com/

Children's Defense Fund
25 E St., NW
Washington, DC 20001
202-628-8787
800-233-1200
Email: cdfinfo@childrensdefense.org
http://www.childrensdefense.org/

Covenant House
460 West 41th Street
New York, NY 10036
212-613-0300
Fax: 212-727-4992
Email: info@covenanthouseny.org
http://www.covenanthouse.org/

Institution for Youth Development
P.O. Box 16560
Washington, DC 20041
703-433-1640
http://www.youthdevelopment.org

Jobs for America's Graduates
1729 King St., Suite 100
Alexandria, VA 22314
703-684-9479
Fax: 703-684-9489
http://www.jag.org/

Jobs for the Future
88 Broad Street
Boston, MA 02210
617-728-4446
Email: info@jff.org
http://www.jff.org/

The Corps Network
666 11th Street, NW, Suite 1000
Washington, DC 20001
202-737-6272
Fax: 202-737-6277
http://www.corpsnetwork.org/

National Clearinghouse on Families & Youth
P.O. Box 13505
Silver Spring, MD 20911-3505
301-608-8098
Email: info@ncfy.com
http://www.ncfy.com/

National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth (NCWD/Youth)
c/o Institute for Educational Leadership
4455 Connecticut Ave. NW, Suite 310
Washington, DC 20008
877-871-0744
TTY: 877-871-0665
http://www.ncwd-youth.info

National Community Education Association
3929 Old Lee Highway, Suite 91-A
Fairfax, VA 22030-2401
703-359-8973
Email: ncea@ncea.com
http://www.ncea.com/

National Dropout Prevention Center/Network
Clemson University
209 Martin St.
Clemson, SC 29631-1555
864-656-2599
Email: ndpc@clemson.edu
http://www.dropoutprevention.org/ndpcdefault.htm

National 4-H Council
7100 Connecticut Avenue
Chevy Chase, MD 20815
301-961-2800
www.fourhcouncil.edu

National Network for Youth
1319 F Street, NW, Suite 401
Washington, D.C. 20004
202-783-7949
Email: info@nn4youth.org
www.nn4youth.org

National Youth Employment Coalition
1836 Jefferson Place, NW
Washington, DC 20036
202-659-1064
Email: nyec@nyec.org
http://www.nyec.org/

Public/Private Ventures
2000 Market Street, Suite 600
Philadelphia, PA 19103
215-557-4400
http://www.ppv.org

Washington Internship Institute
1776 Massachusetts Ave., NW, Suite 201
Washington, DC 20036-1921
800-435-0770
Email: info@ielnet.org
http://www.ielnet.org

USDA, Rural Information Center
National Agricultural Library
10301 Baltimore Ave., Room 132
Beltsville, MD 20705-2351
ric@ars.usda.gov
1-800-633-7701