Youth Engagement

Youth Ambassador Program

A few summers ago, we conducted several community listening sessions with the intention of learning what the community wants change to look like.  At every listening session, youth engagement was listed as being important to a healthy, thriving community.  Youth engagement was also a need identified during our 2013-2014 Core Safety work in the neighborhood.

Most recently, the concerns around youth employment were reiterated through a survey conducted by the Community Building Institute.  The outcomes were staggering. Nearly one in two (45%) of Walnut Hills young adults are unemployed - a little more than twice that of the overall unemployment rate for all adults in Walnut Hills. These numbers are significantly higher than Cincinnati as a whole (18%) - two and a half times higher.

In an effort to begin reducing these unemployment numbers,  we have  partnered with the City of Cincinnati and Easter Seals on a Summer Youth Employment Program. This program has continued to evolve, but the issues of youth engagement, youth employment and enrichment continue to be important to us.