Memphis and Shelby County Youth have developed a research-backed guide to help organizations and businesses improve the lives of youths and young adults.
On Wednesday, The Collective Blueprint and Shelby County Youth and Education Nonprofit Committee launched The Playbook, a resource to help young people “who are disconnected from both school and work.”
Organizers said the guide is meant to “bridge the gaps between employers seeking talent and young talent that exists and is seeking to thrive in Memphis.”
The Playbook uses information from the “My Voice, Our Choice” report, which details information compiled from interviews from “opportunity youth,” who are defined as those ages 16 to 24 “who have ‘become disconnected’ from educational and employment opportunities.”
Those who use The Playbook will have access to modules detailing essentials for young adult programs, how to recruit them, and ways to ensure sustainability.
The 2024 Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR) project found that 20 percent of Shelby County youth and young adults aged 16 to 24 are out of school and work. Researchers said this number hasn’t changed for “over 30 years.”
Youth and young adults are categorized as “opportunity youth (OY).” Researchers noted that this is a generational experience and that Shelby County’s rate is among the highest in the country.
The findings were part of research commissioned by the Shelby County Youth and Education Nonprofit Committee and facilitated by Code for America. The data was collected over six months in 2024. Sixty-two percent of the participants wanted to find a better job, while 53 percent wanted to improve their education. Forty-six percent wanted to improve their mental health.
“To understand how to connect with local OY, you first need to understand them,” the report said. “You need to understand the issues that disconnect them and the challenges they face when trying to connect with programs. Finally, you must understand where to find them in the community and how to reach them.”
While many OY expressed a desire for better circumstances, a number of intersecting challenges including accessibility to transportation, housing instability, and rejection have caused a “disconnect.”
Research showed that 40 percent of participants were unemployed or could not get enough hours at work, while 39 percent did not have reliable transportation. Thirty-two percent of OY did not have stable housing, and 29 percent were living with either mental or physical challenges.
Though the report cited some programs, such as the City of Memphis Opportunity R3 program, as being designed to mitigate a few of these issues, other initiatives lack the infrastructure to deal with “disruptions.”
To help bridge gaps, small businesses, nonprofits, and government agencies can use the Playbook to understand and support youth. Researchers recommended increasing community mentoring, pooling resources, revisiting requirements for internships, involving young adults in neighborhood improvements, and increasing funding for OY programs.
“This isn’t just another resource document,” said Sarah Lockridge-Steckel, CEO of The Collective Blueprint. “It’s a hands-on guide built from real conversations and experience with young adults about what works and what doesn’t when organizations try to reach them.”
Researchers said they want to work with the city and other partners to remedy existing issues, while also building on the momentum presented in their research.
“When it comes to both OY challenges and recommendations, we need to think in terms of ‘AND’ not ‘OR,’” the report said. “ We need to find ways for Shelby County, the City of Memphis, our organizations, businesses, and neighborhoods to build on multiple recommendations at once.”