Findings from the YouthBuild Evaluation Implementation Study

YouthBuild is a program funded by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) and the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS). It helps high school dropouts achieve success by providing education, vocational training, leadership development, and more. This report looked at 75 YouthBuild programs across the country to understand how they were implemented.

Study Goals

The YouthBuild report has three major parts. This report addresses the first part, which is a process study that examines:

• The design of the participating YouthBuild programs.
• The services the programs offer to young people.
• How the program implemented those services.
• The factors in the local communities that may affect services and outcomes.
• The characteristics of the young people who participate in the study.
• The experiences of YouthBuild members.

Research Purpose

The report will help identify how YouthBuild programs vary in characteristics, services, and approaches to supporting young people.

Results

The report examined 75 YouthBuild programs nationwide and found that:

• Programs were highly diverse in terms of geography, longevity, funding, and staffing.
• Programs in the evaluation used an extensive screening process, so participants were more likely to be highly motivated to succeed than the general population for the program.
• The YouthBuild model isn’t highly prescriptive, so each program’s implementation may vary based on the local conditions such as staffing philosophies, performance measures, and community factors.
• Program interest was highest in vocational services, but more varied across programs for youth leadership, community service, and postsecondary education.

Download the final report to see all the information from the evaluation.