On September 22, YouthBuild Global President and CEO John Valverde spoke on a plenary panel at the National Youth Employment Coalition’s (NYEC) 2026 D.C. Summit in Washington, D.C. The annual convening brings together practitioners, youth leaders and partners to engage directly with federal policymakers and advance investment in young people and the programs that support them.
The panel, “Building Pathways That Actually Lead Somewhere: Lessons from Top Youth Workforce Models,” looked at how effective youth workforce programs are structured, how they connect to labor market opportunity and what it takes to sustain results over time. Valverde was joined by Candace Bacchus, director of programs at The Corps Network; Hannah Greene, manager of workforce partnerships at Educate Maine; and Wendy-Anne Roberts-Johnson, president and CEO of the Philadelphia Youth Network.
Valverde spoke about how the YouthBuild model combines love, wraparound support and hands-on training as young people complete their education, earn industry-recognized credentials and move into family-sustaining careers. He also discussed the importance of employer partnerships that help graduates advance beyond their first job, work YouthBuild Global is deepening through its Catalyst Pilot.
“Young people come to YouthBuild ready to work hard for their futures,” Valverde said. “What makes the difference is meeting them with care, the right support and the modern training that connects to real careers. It meant a lot to be in the room with leaders, practitioners, young people and policymakers who share that commitment and want to keep building on what works.”
In YouthBuild programs around the world, young people who are out of school and out of work reclaim their education, gain job skills and credentials, and become leaders in their communities. These young people are in greatest need of access to the tools to succeed, and they are our greatest source of untapped potential to bolster economic mobility and transform the world. In YouthBuild’s environment of love, respect, high expectations, community, and agency, young people overcome barriers and build long-term professional and personal success.
As headquarters for the YouthBuild movement, YouthBuild Global unifies and partners with this expansive network of YouthBuild programs around the world, championing opportunity youth as they achieve their ambitions and reach their full potential.
Across the United States, approximately 4.3 million young people between the ages of 16 and 24 are neither employed nor enrolled in school. Often referred to as opportunity youth, these young people are too frequently defined by potential barriers rather than their immense potential. YouthBuild programs around the world operate at the intersection of education, workforce readiness and positive youth development, partnering with these driven young leaders as they complete high school or equivalency credentials, gain hands-on training in high-demand fields, develop skills through service and prepare for long-term, family-sustaining careers.
YouthBuild Global unifies and partners with an expansive network of more than 300 YouthBuild programs around the world—including over 230 programs in 47 U.S. states and territories. From training, technical assistance, capacity building, and innovative program enhancements to leadership development, financial stability, and narrative change and public policy, YouthBuild Global serves as a convener, collaborator and catalyst for the entire YouthBuild movement. For almost 50 years, YouthBuild programs have championed young people who are out of school and out of work as they reclaim their education, gain job skills and credentials, and become leaders in their communities.
