Let’s be real:
There are over 4.5 million disconnected youth in the United States between the ages of 16 and 24. These are young people who are not in school, not in a training program, and not working. That’s about 10% of all youth in this age range—a silent crisis hiding in plain sight.
But let’s take it deeper:
By definition, “disconnected youth” are disconnected from the very institutions, individuals, and organizations that can help them build careers.
And here lies the great irony—we’ve given them a label, but we’ve never given them the tools and training to reconnect.
We don’t teach them the science of connection: how to identify, build, and maintain meaningful relationships with people who can open doors, offer advice, or provide a first opportunity.
You don’t get connected just by secring a credential..
You get connected by having a connection—someone who vouches for you, guides you, or simply returns your call.
A System That Serves Too Few
Now consider this: When you add up every federal initiative aimed at serving this population—Job Corps, YouthBuild, WIOA youth programs, and more—the total number served barely touches 2% of those in need.
2% of 4.5 million? That’s just 90,000 young people—a drop in the bucket compared to the sea of potential left untapped.
And yet, Job Corps is constantly under fire. It’s one of the few programs that actually provides a safe haven—a place that not only educates but also feeds, shelters, and mentors young people in desperate need of support.
Meanwhile, nobody’s calling for colleges to close, even though:
- 50% of college grads work in jobs that don’t require a degree
- Drug, alcohol, and gambling addictions run rampant across campuses
Let’s be honest—when we talk about shutting down Job Corps or slashing youth programs, we’re not talking about accountability. We’re talking about hypocrisy.
The Problem Isn’t Youth—It’s Us
“Young people are not the problem. The problem lies with the adults who are supposed to support them.”
You can’t fix decades of neglect with an underfunded, short-term program. You can’t claim to care about American jobs while cheering on the rise of AI that threatens entry-level employment. And you can’t blame youth for being disconnected when we’ve disconnected from them first.
What people call “programs,” many young people call home—a place of belonging, trust, and second chances. Every penny stripped from these initiatives says something about our society’s values.
If we don’t care about our young people, why should they care about us?
A Gift Waiting to Be Opened
As President of Social Capital Builders, I’ve learned one truth above all:
“You don’t get new gifts until you open the ones you already have.”
Our disconnected youth are not a burden—they’re a gift. A force of resilience and raw potential waiting to be nurtured. When we invest in them, we invest in a better, stronger, more inclusive America.
It’s Time to Light a Candle
This is the moment to stop cursing the darkness and start lighting the way forward.
We call on policymakers, funders, educators, and employers to:
- Increase investment in youth-serving programs like Job Corps, YouthBuild, and apprenticeship pathways.
- Teach the science of connection so that youth can access the social capital that leads to careersand make social capital education a mandatory workforce element.
Empower community-based organizations that meet youth where they are.- Speak out against budget cuts and policies that fail our future.
This isn’t charity. It’s strategy.
Because when we invest in connection, we invest in community.
When we teach connection, we create possibility.
And when we lead with connection, we build a nation where no young person is left behind.
Edward DeJesus is the Founder of Social Capital Builders. He can be reached at ed@socialcapitalbuidlers.com