In 1995, the Anne E. Casey Foundation launched the Jobs Initiative (JI) in six cities to change labor market prospects for low-income young people in order to help them get jobs that could move their families out of poverty. The JI attempts to change the way employers recruit and supervise workers and how work is structured; to prepare workers and create conditions for their success; and to reach thousands of low-income people. After about 4 years, evaluation of the $30 million program showed that many successes have been achieved. JIs in Denver, Milwaukee, New Orleans, Philadelphia, St. Louis, and Seattle have enrolled nearly 12,000 workers and placed about half of them in jobs, paying $7-$11 per hour plus benefits, with more than 2,100 employers. Factors contributing to program success include the following: (1) designing the right mix of employment strategies for low-income job seekers; (2) engaging employers in workforce development; (3) providing support services; (4) understanding the interface of soft skills and race; (5) improving retention and advancement; and (6) integrating JI principles into regional workforce strategies to benefit low-income workers throughout each region. Half-way through the initiative, the JI sites are using lessons learned to improve their programs. Policy recommendations include using federal training funds to incorporate the successful practices used by the JIs and expansion of the lessons learned into systemic change of the labor market. (Contains 38 references.) (KC)