The Challenge
By 2018, an estimated 63% of all jobs will require some education beyond high school, and yet significant disparities in postsecondary achievement persist. One group of young people who continue to lag behind their peers in college access are “opportunity youth,” 16-to-24-year-olds who are neither in school nor working.
The Project
To increase postsecondary attainment among opportunity youth, Philadelphia Youth Network (PYN) has led the implementation of the evidence-based “Back on Track” program model. The program involves strong academic and social supports, “postsecondary bridging” services that build college- and career-ready skills, and follow-up supports to participants after they transition to postsecondary programming.
Through her Emerging Leader Fellowship, Amber Wool worked closely with PYN staff to infuse the most effective elements of the model throughout Philadelphia’s youth-serving systems and to promote broader policy reforms with the potential to expand postsecondary access for opportunity youth.
This Emerging Leader Fellowship enabled Amber to:
- Analyze the implementation of the “Back on Track” model in Philadelphia by synthesizing program implementation data and conducting interviews with program staff, students, and alumni.
- Develop, refine and compile recommendations for strengthening and scaling postsecondary bridging practices throughout Philadelphia.
- Ensure that practice changes are implemented and sustained in collaboration with key stakeholders.
