SYSTEM-INVOLVED YOUTH: FOUR TEENS WITH SERIOUS LOOKS ON THEIR FACES STAND NEXT TO EACH OTHER OUTSIDE IN FRONT OF A WHITE SKYSCRAPER

Report: Expanding education and employment pathways for systems-involved young people

By |

In 2016, the Annie E. Casey Foundation launched LEAP™ (Learn and Earn to Achieve Potential), a national initiative that helps youth and young adults who have been involved in the foster care or justice systems or who have experienced homelessness succeed in school and work. Through partnerships with public agencies, postsecondary education, housing, service providers and more, LEAP partners are working toward improving policies and practices that place more systems-involved young people on positive economic trajectories.

In 2023, Equal Measure, an evaluation partner for the initiative, conducted a series of surveys with LEAP partners to better understand their efforts in tackling the root causes of disconnection from education and careers with systems-involved youth. This report shares findings from Equal Measure's evaluation.

Taking a holistic approach is the dominant and overarching strategy of LEAP partnerships, which focus on implementing many interrelated strategies to improve educational and work outcomes for systems-involved young people.

This includes deep cross-sector partnerships and listening closely to young people while supporting youth leadership.

Their other approaches include:
- supporting youth leadership;
- partnering across systems;
- advocating for and implementing policy change;
- sharing learnings; and
- scaling.