Reconnecting Opportunity Youth and Young Adults

About the National League of Cities Reengagement Network

The NLC Reengagement Network supports city leaders and their partners to improve outcomes for the millions of youth and young adults between 16 -24 years old who are not in school or working, also known as Opportunity Youth and Young Adults (OYYA).

For a growing number of 35 sites across the country, NLC staffing for the Network promotes the sharing and adoption of policies and practices that:

Reengage disconnected youth and young adults
Improve support systems
Remove obstacles to educational advancement

Click Here to View a Map of Sites in the NLC Reengagement Network.

Current Initiative: Reengaging Opportunity Youth in the South, Phase II

The National League of Cities will provide technical assistance to six cities interested in establishing or expanding their capacity to re-engage Opportunity Youth and Young Adults, through its Reengaging Opportunity Youth in the South Phase II initiative. NLC will work closely with cities and their local partners to assess needs and capabilities, consult with Opportunity Youth, create a local implementation plan, and receive tailored support to expand local infrastructure through re-engagement centers or programs. This initiative runs from November 2023 – September 2024.

Benefits of Participating

Individualized support to carry out or update local policy and program scans, strengthen cross-sector teams, enlist youth voices in program and policy design, assemble financial and human resources, and develop implementation plans.
Participation by a team of three in two in-person convenings.
At least one in-person site visit by a YEF Institute staff member.

Eligibility and Application Requirements

The National League of Cities (NLC) welcomes Letters of Interest (LOI) from city government leaders interested in receiving 11 months of technical assistance to establish or expand local capacity to re-engage Opportunity Youth and Young Adults (OYYA) ages 16-24 in education and employment. NLC’s Reengaging Opportunity Youth in the South (ROYS) initiative addresses the urgent need to develop cross-system and cross-sector approaches, resulting in new or expanded infrastructure in the form of reengagement centers or programs.

Cities in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, New Mexico, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia that did not participate in ROYS Phase I.

Benefits

Individualized support to carry out or update local policy and program scans, strengthen cross-sector teams, enlist youth voice in program and policy design, assemble financial and human resources, and develop implementation plans.
Participation by a team of three in two in-person convenings.
At least one in-person site visit by a YEF Institute staff member.

LOI Submission

Recent Initiative: Reengaging Opportunity Youth in the South, Phase I

In 2022-23, the National League of Cities supported these eight cities to create and expand reengagement efforts during Phase I of the Reengaging Opportunity Youth in the South Initiative:

Corpus Christi, TX
Houston, TX
El Paso, TX
Little Rock, AR
Rock Hill, SC
Jackson, MS
St. Petersburg, FL
Louisville, KY

Reengaging Opportunity Youth in the South FY 23-24 Informational Session

The Reengaging Opportunity Youth in the South initiative is made possible with the generous support of the Annie E. Casey Foundation

Complete the LOI

Complete the Letters of Interest (LOI) to join Reengaging Opportunity Youth in the South, Phase II.

COMPLETE THE LOI

Resources

To learn more visit:

Effective Approaches to Reengaging Young Adults

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For more information and questions concerning the Reengaging Opportunity Youth in the Southinitiative, please email reengagement@nlc.org.