Hartford Opportunity Youth Collaborative has received $1.21 million in grant awards from the Social Innovation Fund (as a subgrantee of Jobs for the Future in partnership with Aspen Forum for Community Solutions), Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, and NBCUniversal Foundation for career pathway programming for 180 young men of color and young mothers (ages 18 – 24). These new investments will improve the quality of life outcomes of our youth, strengthening our economy, and promoting a thriving city.

Hartford is one of seven community grantees taking a cross-system, cross-sector approach towards improving outcomes for young people with a particular focus on boys and men of color and will receive a three-year grant of $270,000 per year to further develop ladders to success for opportunity youth. With leadership from City of Hartford and backbone organizational support from Capital Workforce Partners, the Collaborative will support older underserved young people through the new Opportunity Works initiative, a full pathway approach from high school credential to postsecondary /career bridging and technical training and job experience in two sectors – health care and manufacturing. Blue Hills Civic Association and Our Piece of the Pie will partner with Asnuntuck, Capital, and Manchester Community Colleges to deliver academic skill development, youth development, college credit-bearing instructional programs, internships, and jobs.