How Economic Justice
Can Create Economic
Prosperity:
The Year Up Model
Overview of Year Up: The Opportunity Divide
The country’s fastest
growing demographic groups
are receiving the least amount
of education
The “livable wage” job market
is increasingly demanding
higher levels of skill from its
workforce
• More than 40% of public high
school students who manage to
graduate are unprepared for
either college courses or anything
beyond an entry-level job
• 40% of all jobs in the US
require the use of technology
and on average pay 45% more
than jobs that do not require
the use of technology
• Less than 10% of low-income
individuals ever earn a college
degree
• The minimum wage is not a
livable wage in most American
cities
• By 2035 the United States will be a
majority minority country
• By 2015, 8 out of 10 jobs will
require some form of postsecondary education
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Overview of Year Up: The Effect on our Society
4.4M disconnected young adults, of
which 1.7M have graduated from high
school or obtained a GED, but remain
out of work and out of school
Roughly half of the 1.7M live in the top
30 metropolitan areas in the US
Note: “Disconnected” defined as not in school, not employed or in the military and no education beyond high school
Year Up works exclusively with low-income, at-risk 18 to 24 year olds
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Overview of Year Up: Our Mission
Year Up’s mission is to close the
Opportunity Divide by providing
urban young adults with skills,
experience, and support that will
empower them to reach their
potential through professional
careers and higher education.
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Overview of Year Up: Year Up’s Theory of Change
Support
Educational Stipend
Mentors
Staff Advisors
Education
Experience
Technical and Professional
Skills
College Credit
Paid Corporate Internship
Staff Support
Guidance
Contract
Customized transition to
work/college
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Snapshot: Student Growth
1400
1362
Students Served by Year
1200
Founding Class
1014
1000
793
800
628
600
506
352
400
205
200
22
0
90
120
2003
2004
30
2001 2002
2005 2006 2007
6
2008
2009
2010
2011
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Snapshot: Our Results
4,413 students served
100% placement of qualified students into internships
95% of interns meet or exceed expectations of internship
partners
84% of alumni employed or enrolled in college full-time within
four months of graduation
Average starting graduate salary of
$30,000
A randomized controlled study proved that Year Up graduates
30 percent more than non-
earned an average of
participants of the program
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Three Strategies 2012-2016: $55 Million
Grow and
Strengthen
the Core
Grow and Strengthen our core model to
serve 2,500 students annually
Develop
the MillionPerson
Model
Design alternative program models that can
scale to serve 100,000 students annually
Create
Systems
Change
Continue our efforts to change systems
at the national and local levels
Questions?
empowering urban talent
to reach their potential