New Jersey Sets the Stage for Statewide Support of Opportunity Youth Through New Grant Program SUBHEAD: NJ Governor signs NJ YouthBuild Act, creates statewide YouthBuild grant program

Newark, NJ – Last month, Governor Phil Murphy signed the New Jersey YouthBuild Act (S3781/A5582) into law, creating a grant program within the Department of Labor & Workforce Development for YouthBuild programs statewide. The bill outlines a commitment from the state to utilize federal funding to support the program up to $4.5 million in its first year.

YouthBuild serves opportunity youth – young adults between the ages of 16 and 24 who are neither in school nor employed – as they earn the knowledge, training, and opportunities that lead to long-term professional and personal success. Founded in 1978 by Dorothy Stoneman, YouthBuild offers young people an opportunity to earn their high school diploma while gaining on-the-job training and industry-recognized credentials for in-demand careers. Through the YouthBuild process, young people can chart a new path to success, surrounded by a supportive community committed to developing skilled leaders for the local workforce.

There are currently 223 YouthBuild programs in 47 U.S. states and territories, and 61 YouthBuild programs in 14 other countries. In 2022, YouthBuild served over 5,000 young people across the United States, with 87% of participants entering the program without high school credentials, and 75% leaving the program with a high school diploma or equivalency, or other credentials.

“Through this grant program, New Jersey is laying a foundation to equip even more young people across the state with the tools they need to build brighter futures for themselves and their neighborhoods,” said John Valverde, president and CEO of YouthBuild USA. “Opportunity youth are our greatest source of untapped potential, and the YouthBuild model is uniquely designed to unleash that power through education, career training and leadership development. I commend Governor Murphy, legislative champions and the incredible New Jersey Opportunity Youth Coalition for seeing young people for who they truly are, and who they can become.”

There are currently only four YouthBuild programs still operating in New Jersey — YouthBuild Newark, United Community Corporation YouthBuild, Isles Youth Institute, and the Housing Authority of the City of Elizabeth (HACE) YouthBuild. YouthBuild Newark, which was founded in 2003, is an initiative of the Newark-based nonprofit organization Opportunity Youth Network (OYN). OYN is one of the founding organizations of the New Jersey Opportunity Youth Coalition (NJ OY Coalition) involved in the policy advocacy work in support of bill S3781. The NJ OY Coalition consists of a group of young people and organizations invested in removing the barriers to opportunity youth’s success. Their support in policy advocacy efforts was key to the bill's passage. 

YouthBuild programs and community-based organizations (CBOs) that plan to implement YouthBuild programs will be able to apply for grant funding - a critical step toward ensuring the sustainability of the work being done to serve opportunity youth statewide. Applications for grant funding will be available during the 2024 fiscal year. 

Last week, Senator Joseph Lagana, one of the prime sponsors of the NJ YouthBuild Act, and Robert Clark, the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of OYN, co-authored an op-ed detailing the impact that the Act will have throughout the state.

“Since we first began our work in 2003, I have seen countless young people be empowered to transform themselves, their families, and their communities through the YouthBuild model,” added Robert Clark, the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of OYN. “The signing of this bill is a historic moment for New Jersey and will help ensure that this evidence-based program is available throughout the state.”

Visit https://www.newark-oyn.org/ to learn more about opportunity youth and OYN initiatives. A full list of the bill’s sponsors/cosponsors can be found below:

Senator Joseph Lagana

Senator Joseph Cryan 

Assemblywoman Lisa Swain

Assemblyman Erik Simonsen 

Assemblyman William Sampson

Assemblyman Antwan McClellan

Assemblyman Roy Freiman

Assemblywoman Gabriela Mosquera