As co-convener of the L.A. Opportunity Youth Collaborative (OYC), UNITE-LA is driving progress on the Horizons 32K regional roadmap for opportunity youth, which aims to reduce youth disconnection by 32,000 by 2028. Two impact initiatives emerging from this roadmap—High School Transitions and Earn & Learn—brought together cross-sector partners this September to tackle barriers, strengthen student transitions and expand health care career pathways.

The High School Transitions impact initiative convened LAUSD (Options, DACE, Linked Learning/CTE), LACCD, LACOE, YouthSource, RAPSA, the City of Los Angeles and the Center for Powerful Public Schools to focus on alternative education students. LAUSD data (2023-24) show stark disparities: only half of alternative education students graduate in four years compared to 93 percent in traditional schools, and college enrollment rates are at 33 percent, less than half the district average of 74 percent. Partners are sharing insights on existing programs and barriers, with the goal of designing a collaborative strategy for launch by February 2026. Emerging ideas include postsecondary or workforce summer bridge programs, expanded occupational training and work-based learning and greater awareness of nondegree certification pathways, beginning with healthcare.

Supported by the Hilton Foundation, the Earn & Learn impact initiative was launched with the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency, WestEd’s Center for Economic Mobility and the Corporation for a Skilled Workforce. This initiative expands equitable health care career pathways for opportunity youth, aligning with the state’s Master Plan for Career Education. Three demonstration sites—Goodwill Southern California with L.A. Mission College; EMS Corps with East L.A. College and Falck; and UNITE-LA’s My Pathway to Health Program with Providence Health—are working directly with youth to map pathways, identify barriers and shape system-wide solutions.

For more information about the High School Transitions impact initiative, please reach out to Jenny Vu, Director of Education Systems Strategy, at [email protected]. To learn more about the Earn & Learn impact initiative, please reach out to Amber Chatman, Director of Workforce Systems and Policy, at [email protected].