Rising Futures: Career & Education Pathways For System-Impacted Youth Leaders

Support for foster and systems-impacted youth

Long Beach South Bay South LA

Pilot or new project, program, or initiative (testing or implementing a new idea)

In 2022, while establishing a youth diversion network in LA County, the Dept. of Youth Development traced how involvement with the justice system leads to barriers that prevent youth from accessing employment. Barriers range from interruption of school and learning loss, to facing bias and stigma while job-seeking. CCEJ’s diversion program keeps 100 youth out of the juvenile justice system annually by clearing their records, an important first step to removing barriers to success. However, youth in our programs tell us they need more support to build confidence for job-seeking, increase “soft skills” like addressing conflict in school and the workplace, and deepen their knowledge of education and career pathways. CCEJ’s pilot initiative builds on the success of CCEJ’s diversion work to support system-impacted youth by increasing their likelihood of enrolling in postsecondary education, increasing their ability to pursue their career of choice, and expanding their network of support.

"Rising Futures” is a new initiative to expand resources and support for the 500 youth who participate in CCEJ’s diversion and youth leadership programs annually. The majority of youth (85%) in CCEJ’s programs are Black, Latine, Asian/Pacific Islander, or Bi/Multi-Racial. At least 25% are system-impacted due to direct contact with the criminal legal system or through family or friends who have been affected. In its pilot year, this program will serve up to 50 youth from Long Beach and the South Bay, split between high school youth (grades 10-12) and young adults (ages 18-25). The program's goals are to help youth explore education and career pathways for their future, while building relationships with peers who are interested in social justice. The program will start with a kick-off career panel in Summer 2025 to recruit interested youth, followed by monthly workshops at the CCEJ office in Long Beach from October to May. Workshops will include traditional topics like goal-setting, financial education and resume-writing as well as developing youths’ intra- and inter-personal skills with topics like navigating imposter syndrome, preventing burnout through wellness, using Restorative Dialogue to address conflict, dealing with microaggressions, and facilitating dialogues through an inclusion & equity lens. Youth will receive a certificate of completion and will be connected to more than 250 adult alumni of CCEJ’s youth programs for mentorship and career development.

LA County youth who participate in Rising Futures will 1) Increase their skills to pursue goals for their future (i.e. finding a career that matches their interests/passions and knowing how to pursue it, applying for a job/education program, interviewing skills, utilizing restorative justice practices to navigate conflict in and outside of the workplace, etc.); 2) Build a network of strong connections with their peers and community at large, and 3) Elevate their confidence to navigate and succeed in their workplaces and/or education. After the pilot year, CCEJ will continue Rising Futures with expanded activities such as site visits to workplaces, youth-led creative initiatives, and youth-led convenings and conferences. CCEJ will exchange lessons learned through the “Rising Futures” program with other education and career development programs, thereby increasing the ability of all youth in LA County to succeed and thrive in their careers as their full authentic selves.