In the nation today, 4.6 million young adults ages 16 to 24 are out of school and unemployed. More than one-third live in poverty. For these young people, commonly referred to as opportunity youth, building skills and gaining work experience are key to upward mobility. However, they face significant barriers to entering the labor market.…

On the basis of official statistics, poverty has halved in Ghana over the period from 1991 to 2005. Our objective in this paper is to assess how far this fall was linked to the creation of better paying jobs and the increase in education. We find that earnings rose rapidly in the period from 1998 to 2005, by 64% for men and by 55% for women. While…

Begun in April, 1969, the Department of Defense Domestic Action Program's activities include: loan of equipment to Community Action Agencies; use of DOD facilities for training and recreation; assistance in technical areas; and, general aid. (JM)

The organization, operations, participants, and achievements of the Neighborhood Youth Corps are described. Tables, graphs, and photographs also provide information on this program. (NH)

The two papers in this document were prepared in response to requests by the Department of Agriculture and the White House staff for briefs on welfare and poverty issues. The first paper, "The Administration's Welfare Reform Proposal: Impact on Rural Areas" by Robert Hoppe, discusses major provisions of (1) the proposed Welfare Reform…

This hearing reviews testimony concerning H.R. 2246, the Jobs for Employable Dependent Individuals Act (JEDI). JEDI is a voluntary program whereby states receive additional funds to fight the problem of chronic welfare dependency and poverty. The bill would require the existing Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) to target job training efforts at…

Between the summers of 1986 and 1987, the Coalition on Human Needs interviewed 202 low income people to learn about their experiences with employment, education, their families, and various government programs. The interviewees showed a higher level of participation in the paid labor force than was predicted. According to those interviewed, the…

This paper examines the status of social welfare programs in the United States and recent efforts to reform such programs. It proposes key issues that need to be addressed in any attempt to overhaul the federal welfare system. Welfare reform should ensure that: (1) those families on public assistance are able to meet their basic needs in order to…

This is one of four volumes constituting an intellectual history of a pioneer inner city youth project: Mobilization For Youth, a multi-discipline social agency in New York's lower east side Puerto Rican slum, geared to demonstration, research, and social action in eradicating poverty and attendant ills. It offers insights into the techniques…

It is the purpose of this Act to provide job training and employment opportunities for economically disadvantaged, unemployed, and underemployed persons, and to assure that training and other services lead to maximum employment opportunities and enhance self-sufficiency by establishing a flexible and decentralized system of Federal, State, and…

THE SUCCESSES AND FAILURES OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD YOUTH CORPS (NYC) ARE DISCUSSED IN THIS JOURNAL ISSUE DEVOTED TO THE PROGRAM. IT IS NOTED THAT ALTHOUGH A LACK OF DATA MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO REALISTICALLY EVALUATE NYC, ITS ADMINISTRATORS STRONGLY DEFEND THE PROGRAM'S RECORD IN DECREASING DROPOUTS AND JUVENILE CRIME, AND IN IMPROVING SCHOOL…