EXPANDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR AMERICA'S YOUTH IN HIGH POVERTY
AREAS BY INVESTING IN YOUTH OPPORTUNITY GRANTS
WHEREAS, our country's continued economic growth lies in the ability of America's young
people to meet the current and future demands of business and industry; and
WHEREAS, the active engagement of all youth in acquiring academic competencies, work
experience and marketable skills leads to increased success in their transition to the labor market
and to the development of a strong and responsive national workforce; and
WHEREAS, research demonstrates a direct correlation between early participation in the work
place and increased earning capacity leading to self sufficiency; and
WHEREAS, the lack of opportunities for young people to acquire the necessary work place and
academic skills presents considerable threats to their economic future and to a prosperous and
stable society; and
WHEREAS, in the most impoverished communities in the country there continues to be a
disproportionate number of high school drop-outs; and
WHEREAS, youth are being hardest hit by the economic downturn and minority, low-income and
central city youth are be disproportionately affected; and
WHEREAS, these conditions severely hamper the prospects for regular employment and thwart
the likelihood of these young people becoming productive citizens; and
WHEREAS, targeting long term youth development strategies to young people living in high
poverty areas to assist them in completing high school diplomas and GEDs, acquiring and retaining
employment and pursuing higher education will drastically reduce these barriers to economic and
academic success; and
WHEREAS, the Department of Labor's Youth Opportunity Grants represent a major commitment
to addressing these conditions and increasing the long term employability of youth living in the
poorest communities in our country; and
WHEREAS, across the 36 communities selected for the first wave of Youth Opportunity Grants,
over 40,000 young people are actively participating in a full complement of educational pursuits,
career skills training, employment, leadership and community service projects and a significant
number of previous high school dropouts have already received academic credentials and are
matriculating in college; and
WHEREAS, The U.S. Conference of Mayors has a strong commitment to promoting the
economic stability of our communities and recognizes that given the full five years of funding, the
Youth Opportunity Grants will have a tremendous economic impact on our poorest neighborhoods
by increasing the chances for youth to get good jobs and move up career ladders; and
WHEREAS, the President's Fiscal Year 2004 Budget does not include funding to further the
intent of the Department of Labor's Youth Opportunity Grants to strategically expand this youth
development initiative to all poor communities in our nation,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that The U.S. Conference of Mayors calls upon
Congress to restore funding of the Youth Opportunity Grants to the U.S. Department of Labor
Fiscal Year 2004 Budget in order to ensure the significant investment made in the initial efforts of
the 36 communities will be realized and that new grants can be made to expand this effort to serve
more youth in more communities; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that as youth development programs have documented
significant improvements in interpersonal skills, quality of peer and adult relationships, self control,
commitment to education and academic achievement, The Conference of Mayors urges Congress
to incorporate the Youth Opportunity philosophy of long term, comprehensive support into all
youth workforce policies and programs.
©2003 U.S. Conference of Mayors 
