Our History
The Hartford Opportunity Youth Collaborative (HOYC) was founded in 2013 to support Opportunity Youth—young people ages 16–24 who are disconnected from school and work. What began as a focused initiative has grown into a citywide coalition of community-based organizations, public agencies, schools, funders, and youth leaders committed to transforming outcomes for Hartford’s young people.
In 2022, the City of Hartford, Capital Workforce Partners (CWP), the United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut, and other key partners led a strategic review of the city’s youth career and support systems. The findings were clear: Hartford needed stronger coordination, deeper youth voice, and a shared vision for systems change.
By 2025, CWP was formally named the backbone organization for HOYC, reaffirming a unified commitment to connect all Hartford youth ages 14–29 to meaningful pathways in education, training, employment, and holistic support—empowering them to thrive in their careers and communities.
Our Vision
HOYC envisions a Hartford where every young person, regardless of background, is connected to meaningful opportunities that lead to self-sufficient adulthood. We are committed to reducing the number of disconnected youth in Hartford by 50% in the next five years by scaling prevention, re-engagement, and career navigation strategies across the city.
We focus our work in six areas: Pathways & Career Navigation, Holistic Supports, Data & Evaluation, Youth Leadership, Professional Development, and Policy & Advocacy. Guided by the Aspen Institute’s Belonging, Meaning, Wellbeing & Purpose (BMWP) framework, HOYC centers youth voice and healing-centered practices to build a coordinated, supportive system where Hartford’s young people can thrive.
