Youth Opportunity Grants:
Lessons Can Be Learned from Program, but Labor Needs to Make Data Available
GAO-06-53: Published: Dec 9, 2005. Publicly Released: Dec 9, 2005.
Additional Materials:
- Highlights Page:
- Full Report:
- Accessible Text:
- Additional Data:
Contact:
(415) 904-2272
contact@gao.gov
Office of Public Affairs
(202) 512-4800
youngc1@gao.gov
The Youth Opportunity Grant program (YO) represented an innovative approach to improving education and employment opportunities for at-risk youth by targeting resources in high poverty areas and incorporating strategies that experts have identified as effective for serving this population. The Department of Labor (the Department) awarded 36 grants in 2000, and the program continued for 5 years. The Department had used a similar approach on a smaller scale in previous programs, but little information is available on the impact of these other programs. In order to understand what can be learned from the Youth Opportunity Grant program, GAO examined the grantees' implementation of the program, challenges they faced, and what is known about the program's outcomes and impact. To view selected results from GAO's Web-based survey of the Program Directors, go to GAO-06-56SP (http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-06-56SP).
Grantees used a variety of approaches to build the infrastructure of the YO program, provide services to at-risk youth, and conduct outreach efforts. While grantees set up centers and trained core staff to deliver services, they differed somewhat in their approaches, depending on circumstances within their communities. In addition, grantees employed a combination of strategies to provide youth services, including collaborating with other providers and inventing unique programming. To recruit this hard-to-serve target population, grantees used a range of techniques, from partnering with juvenile justice agencies, to combing malls for eligible youth. Fast program start up, conditions in their communities, and the characteristics and needs of the youth challenged the grantees;however they used features of the program design to address some of these difficulties. Many grantees struggled to set up the program, especially within the Department's time frame. In addition, grantees felt encumbered by the drugs, violence, and a lack of jobs in their communities as well as the obstacles facing their clients, such as low academic achievement and lack of family support. Grantees used the discretion and other components built into the program design to address many of these challenges. For example, in response to safety concerns, an urban grantee elected to provide transportation for youth attending evening events. However, grantees and others said more planning time would have been beneficial. Grantees and others reported that the youth and their communities made progress toward the YO program goals, but the program's impact is still under study. Grantees reported that they had enrolled about 91,000 youth nationwide, many of whom completed high school, entered college, or found employment after enrolling in the program. In addition, grantees and others said that the grants had benefited their communities. However, without an impact analysis, it is not known whether these events would have occurred in the absence of the program. The Department contracted for a $24 million evaluation of the program that included plans for an impact analysis; however, agency officials are unsure if the analysis will be completed.
Recommendation for Executive Action
Status: Closed - Implemented
Comments: In 2008, Labor posted to its Web site the final Youth Opportunity Grant Impact and Evaluation report, as well as the data used to generate the report.
Recommendation: To continue to improve efforts to serve at-risk youth and in order that researchers can evaluate the quality of information and determine possible impact of the program, the Secretary of Labor should take the actions necessary to complete the impact analysis of the Youth Opportunity Grant program and release the data and all related research reports from the program's evaluation.
Agency Affected: Department of Labor
Explore the full database of GAO's Open Recommendations
»
Jan 8, 2021
-
Fair Labor Standards Act:
Tracking Additional Complaint Data Could Improve DOL's EnforcementGAO-21-13: Published: Dec 9, 2020. Publicly Released: Jan 8, 2021.
Dec 18, 2020
-
Amateur Athletes:
The U.S. Center for SafeSport's Response and Resolution Process for Reporting AbuseGAO-21-128R: Published: Dec 18, 2020. Publicly Released: Dec 18, 2020.
Dec 1, 2020
-
Military Child Care:
Off-Base Financial Assistance and Wait Lists for On-Base CareGAO-21-127R: Published: Dec 1, 2020. Publicly Released: Dec 1, 2020.
Nov 18, 2020
-
Drug Misuse:
Agencies Have Not Fully Identified How Grants That Can Support Drug Prevention Education Programs Contribute to National GoalsGAO-21-96: Published: Nov 18, 2020. Publicly Released: Nov 18, 2020. -
Federal Social Safety Net Programs:
Millions of Full-Time Workers Rely on Federal Health Care and Food Assistance ProgramsGAO-21-45: Published: Oct 19, 2020. Publicly Released: Nov 18, 2020.
Oct 1, 2020
-
Child Care Facilities:
Federal Agencies Need to Enhance Monitoring and Collaboration to Help Assure Drinking Water is Safe from LeadGAO-20-597: Published: Sep 28, 2020. Publicly Released: Oct 1, 2020.
Aug 21, 2020
-
Federal Employees' Compensation Act:
Comparisons of Benefits in Retirement and Actions Needed to Help Injured Workers Choose Best OptionGAO-20-523: Published: Jul 23, 2020. Publicly Released: Aug 21, 2020.
Aug 13, 2020
-
Social Security Disability:
Information on Wait Times, Bankruptcies, and Deaths among Applicants Who Appealed Benefit DenialsGAO-20-641R: Published: Aug 13, 2020. Publicly Released: Aug 13, 2020.
Aug 10, 2020
-
Child Welfare and Aging Programs:
HHS Could Enhance Support for Grandparents and Other Relative CaregiversGAO-20-434: Published: Jul 10, 2020. Publicly Released: Aug 10, 2020.
Jul 29, 2020
-
Economic Adjustment Assistance:
Actions Needed to Better Address Workers' Needs and Assess Program EffectivenessGAO-20-521: Published: Jul 29, 2020. Publicly Released: Jul 29, 2020.
Looking for more? Browse all our products here