YouthBuild champions today’s opportunity youth who aspire to improve their lives and communities by building the skills and resources to reach their full potential. Through hundreds of YouthBuild programs, these young people pursue their education, prepare for future careers, and grow into community leaders—building brighter futures for themselves, their neighborhoods, and our world.
79% of YouthBuild enrollees in the U.S. obtained a high school diploma or equivalency, or other credentials
Students learn job skills for construction industries, as well as for other high-demand careers like healthcare, retail, and information technology
Over 320 YouthBuild programs operate in nine countries
With love and respect, YouthBuild partners with opportunity youth to build the skillsets and mindsets that lead to lifelong learning, livelihood, and leadership. In the United States, opportunity youth are young adults between the ages of 16 and 24 who are out of school and out of work. In many countries outside of the US, this group may include those between 15 and 29 years of age.
Within the opportunity youth population, YouthBuild primarily serves young people who lack a high school diploma and financial resources. These young people are in greatest need of our support, and they are our greatest source of untapped potential to create more equitable economic growth and transform the world. YouthBuild works and makes a difference for young people that other networks exclude.
Opportunity youth are cut off from the systems that would otherwise help them develop the knowledge, skills, and sense of purpose that lead to productive livelihoods. All too often, they are viewed by society as a problem, not part of a solution.
Globally there are over 269 million young people who are not in employment, education, or training
The global youth unemployment rate is nearly 3.5 times higher than that of adults
In the United States, opportunity youth are twice as likely to live in poverty and eight times as likely to have dropped out of high school
Society’s failure to engage these young adults costs an estimated $55 billion in the United States alone
Our work at YouthBuild Global is fully informed by our programs, whose on-the-ground knowledge of serving opportunity youth—and whose feedback about their needs—drives our work.
Tsakane Ndhlovu,
YouthBuild South Africa Graduate
Stand with YouthBuild students, graduates, and program leaders around the world to make opportunity a reality for all young people.
No two YouthBuild programs are exactly alike. Locally, programs may vary in scope, focus and duration, according to local community contexts and needs, funding, and partnerships. Are you ready to help build brighter futures for the young people supported by YouthBuild programs?
FEATURED PARTNER
Burlington Stores, Inc., a national discount retailer offering low prices every day on brand name merchandise for the entire family and home, has partnered with YouthBuild Global. For two years in a row, as part of Burlington’s renewed community giving approach, focusing on value, Burlington stores nationwide have held a customer fundraising campaign to benefit YouthBuild Global. Thank you, Burlington Stores, for partnering with YouthBuild USA and standing with the YouthBuild movement!
GLOBAL FEATURED PARTNER
Since 1995, Prudential Financial and YouthBuild have partnered to support YouthBuild programs and to connect YouthBuild students to quality livelihood opportunities around the world. Initiatives include hiring partnerships, livelihood coaching provided by Prudential employee volunteers to students and graduates, sponsorship of financial literacy trainings, and generous financial support for YouthBuild Global and YouthBuild programs.
