Posted by: Richie Bernardo

Growing up can be hard. Without a stable home, positive role models and tools for success, many young Americans fall behind their peers and experience a rocky transition to adulthood. Today, about one in nine individuals between the ages of 16 and 24 are neither working nor attending school. Others suffer from poor health conditions that hinder their ability to develop physically or socially.

Such issues not only affect young people later in life, but they also prove harmful to society as a whole. For instance, more than 70 percent of young adults today are ineligible to join the U.S. military because they fail academic, moral or health qualifications. Research shows that when youth grow up in environments with economic problems and a lack of role models, they’re more at risk for poverty, early pregnancy and violence, especially in adulthood.

To determine the places where young Americans are not faring as well as others in the same age group, WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across 14 key indicators of youth risk. Our data set ranges from share of disconnected youth to labor force participation rate among youth to youth poverty rate. Read on for our findings, insight into the future of America's young population and a full description of our methodology.

1. Main Findings
2. Share of Disconnected Youth Over Time
3. Ask the Experts
4. Methodology

Main Findings

Embed on your website<iframe src="//d2e70e9yced57e.cloudfront.net/wallethub/embed/37280/geochart.html" width="556" height="347" frameBorder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe> <div style="width:556px;font-size:12px;color:#888;">Source: <a href="https://ift.tt/2uIobbC>  

States with the Most Idle Youth

Overall Rank (1 = Most at Risk)	State	Total Score		Overall Rank (1 = Most at Risk)	State	Total Score
1	District of Columbia	71.00		27	South Dakota	45.16
2	Louisiana	66.80		28	Pennsylvania	43.61
3	Mississippi	61.85		29	New York	43.45
4	Nevada	61.05		30	Illinois	43.19
5	West Virginia	60.38		31	Hawaii	43.16
6	Arkansas	60.30		32	Maine	43.10
7	Delaware	56.70		33	Texas	41.35
8	Oregon	55.89		34	Indiana	41.19
9	Alabama	55.39		35	Florida	40.75
10	New Mexico	55.10		36	North Carolina	40.22
11	Alaska	53.15		37	Nebraska	39.84
12	Wyoming	52.59		38	Rhode Island	39.14
13	Michigan	52.31		39	Arizona	38.57
14	Washington	52.16		40	Wisconsin	37.67
15	South Carolina	50.92		41	Virginia	35.81
16	California	50.90		42	Kansas	35.34
17	Idaho	50.74		43	Iowa	35.12
18	Montana	49.57		44	North Dakota	34.29
19	Tennessee	49.44		45	Utah	33.18
20	Vermont	48.72		46	Massachusetts	32.20
21	Oklahoma	48.51		47	Minnesota	31.63
22	Ohio	48.01		48	Connecticut	30.21
23	Missouri	47.39		49	Maryland	30.06
24	Georgia	47.36		50	New Hampshire	29.60
25	Kentucky	46.81		51	New Jersey	28.71
26	Colorado	46.68

   

Share of Disconnected Youth Over Time

Ask the Experts

Idleness and social disconnection are among the biggest problems for at-risk youths today. For advice on overcoming these challenges, we asked a panel of experts to share their thoughts on the following key questions:

1. What can state and local policymakers do to reduce the number of rural youth who are disconnected from school and work?
2. What is driving the higher levels of “idleness” among minority youth?
3. What tips/advices you have for parents who have an adolescent who is disconnected — that is, dropping out of school and not looking for work? Where should they look for help?
4. Do you believe that the economic policies enacted thus far by the Trump administration will increase or decrease the number of idle youth?

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• Julia Kleinschmit BJ, MSW, CSW, Clinical Associate Professor and MSW Program Director, University of Iowa School of Social Work
• Craig Lecroy Professor, Arizona State University
• Vincent Guilamo-Ramos Professor and Director, CLAFH, Center for Latino Adolescent and Family Health, New York University
• Antonio Garcia M.S.W., Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Co-director, Child Well-being & Child Welfare Specialization (CW2), School of Social Policy & Practice, University of Pennsylvania

Julia Kleinschmit BJ, MSW, CSW, Clinical Associate Professor and MSW Program Director, University of Iowa School of Social Work

What can state and local policymakers do to reduce the number of rural youth who are disconnected from school and work?

State and local policymakers can fund and integrate entrepreneurial and skill based programs into middle and high schools to help youth learn soft skills (timeliness, good work behaviors, etc.) while they learn hard skills like graphic/web design, running a grocery store or café, growing food for the community, construction, welding, and so on. Partnering with community colleges to offer college credit for courses allows students to already have credits under their belts before graduating high school. In some cases, they could have most or all of a technical degree completed at the same time they earn their high school diploma. And, they are work-tested with a resume and references to back them up.

What is driving the higher levels of “idleness” among minority youth?

I don’t think “idleness” is the right word. Perhaps “discouraged and disillusioned” are better words. The structure of the economy right now encourages older Americans to be in retail/service and other jobs that youth traditionally used as stepping stones to other employment. There are fewer positions for teens, meaning that minority youth are even further disadvantaged when they look for work. When adults have difficulty getting those jobs (and they can be tough and unrewarding jobs) what incentive do youth have to try? We need to look at racial and wealth structural inequality and really do something about them to create room in the market, hope, optimism, and drive.

What tips/advice do you have for parents that have an adolescent that is disconnected (dropping school and not looking for work)? Where should they look for help?

I would first ask the adolescent what s/he really wants or likes to do – not necessarily for a job or career, but just in general. Often, we don’t ask adolescents about their interests in a meaningful way. Even if the answer seems ridiculous to adult ears – “I want to play video games,” for example, listen to them and go with it. “What do you like about video games? Is it the design or the playing of them? Is it the people you play with? If you were to play video games to make enough money to support yourself, what would you need to do? What do you need to learn? Who can teach you? What gear do you need? How can you buy that? What are you willing to do for a little while in order to make enough money to get you closer on your path, especially if you know it is JUST for a little while? What will you do first? By when? Then what?” Help them identify their direction, figure out a strategy, and encourage it. It will take them to another step, and from there they will take another, and so on. It could be that the steps they identify bring them back to education – maybe different education, or a recognition that they need to suck this up because it’s just for a short time and will take them where they want to be. If the strategy doesn’t include education, or that’s a deal breaker at present, respect that, as hard as it can be. The trick is to let the adolescent determine his/her own path and give them the power to do that.

It could be that you are not the best person to have this conversation with your child. If things are strained between you, or the LAST person they would listen to is you, who in their life do they respect? A grandparent, uncle, aunt, family friend, basketball coach, past teacher they admire? Check your ego, be creative, and think from the perspective of your child. You can ask the influential adult to talk with your child and then work to support the plan, never letting on that you planted the seed. You’re in it for the outcome, not the credit.

Also, be clear about your financial boundaries. What will you pay for as a parent and what do THEY need to pay for, recognizing it will come from their pocket. Maybe it’s time to stop allowance or pocket money for entertainment or higher end clothes. Maybe it’s time they pay for gas for the car if they’re not looking for work or going to school. You need to provide adequate food, clothing, water, shelter, access to education, and love. Love can mean placing limits on everything else while encouraging them to work toward their ambitions.

Help can also be available through the school social worker, agencies like Goodwill, Job Corps, youth serving organizations in your community like Boys and Girls Club, and others. If you are stuck for ideas, your local United Way would be worth a call as they are often aware of programs that could be a good fit for your child.

Do you believe that the economic policies enacted thus far by the Trump administration have increased or decreased the number of idle youth?

Increased. One reason I believe this is that we’ve seen cuts in various social safety net programs and threats of more cuts. Those cuts force poor adults who are already working to pick up even more hours, get second and third jobs, again, pushing teens out of the market. It’s robbing Peter to pay Paul. Further, Trump administration policies make higher education seem even more out of reach for youth. They see the college debt others carry and it’s debilitating. Finally, the rhetoric coming from the Trump administration is blameful and shameful. If people can’t find work that pays a living wage, it’s their fault. People of color are singled out as dangerous and a threat to others. The Trump administration’s policies and language are dehumanizing, not empowering.

Craig Lecroy Professor, Arizona State University

What can state and local policymakers do to reduce the number of rural youth who are disconnected from school and work?

This is a critical issue that has not been adequately addressed. Our communities need to consider new resources that can leverage to help youth better integrate in school and work settings. Providing rural youth with work opportunities is critical. Youth need meaningful roles and providing them with such roles goes a long way in reducing risk and providing critical connections.

What is driving the higher levels of “idleness” among minority youth?

A lack on opportunity for youth is important in how idle youth have become. It also appears that youth are more isolated and idle as a result of social media. I do think youth are ‘engaged’ with other youth through media–but it is a different kind of engagement. Social media does provide a mechanism of interconnection but it has limits and this is a topic that needs more exploration and research. We have low expectations of our youth and without setting some higher expectations they sink to an idle level.

What tips/advice do you have for parents that have an adolescent that is disconnected (dropping school and not looking for work)? Where should they look for help?

Parents and society should recognize that adolescents who become disconnected do so for a variety of reasons. There are individual reasons, relationship reasons, and system level reasons–and all of these ‘levels’ offer different ideas of how to intervene. Schools and communities can look to provide additional involvement and engagement for young people. For example, schools can create additional responsibilities that offer youth a role in helping the school function at a better level. Increasing the level of student responsibilities and then providing support for youth engaged in those responsibilities functions to create meaningful roles and builds connections with others. Many youth will respond positively to community opportunities, either work or service opportunities. More organizations and nonprofits need to look to youth as a resource and provide opportunities for them to become engaged in community activities.

Vincent Guilamo-Ramos Professor and Director, CLAFH, Center for Latino Adolescent and Family Health, New York University

What can state and local policymakers do to reduce the number of rural youth who are disconnected from school and work?

Rural youth in the United States today are faced with specific challenges. In rural communities throughout the United States, the quality of education and the availability of health and social services to support healthy youth and family wellbeing is oftentimes lesser than in other regions of the United States. School districts in rural areas are generally characterized by high student to teacher ratios, fewer student resources and fewer academic and professional opportunities for youth after graduation. Local economies in rural areas experience high youth unemployment and underemployment rates. While nationally unplanned teen pregnancy has decreased, youth residing in rural areas remain disproportionally impacted by teen pregnancies and births. Notably, rural communities also bear the brunt of the opioid crisis in America. Overdoses and deaths due to addiction- including among youths- have risen substantially in the U.S., and are a major cause of disconnection for youth. Sorely needed are targeted investments from policy-makers to support youth and family wellbeing in rural communities and throughout economically disadvantaged areas in non-rural U.S. communities. Investing in job readiness and career trajectory programs while strengthening commitments to accessible and quality health and social services for youths and their families in rural U.S. communities will reduce rates of youth who are disconnected and lack “real” opportunities for upward mobility.

What is driving the higher levels of “idleness” among minority youth?

“Idle” youth, adolescents and young adults who drop out of high school and are unable to find employment, are a shrinking group in the United States today. Hispanic and Black youth high school dropout rates have actually decreased substantially over the past few decades. However, minority youth who graduate high school have fewer opportunities and more barriers to finding success in the workplace. Hispanic college enrollment has increased over time; nonetheless Hispanic youth are less likely than non-minorities to receive a 4-year degree, often pursuing 2-year colleges instead due to the reduced cost. Recent polls have indicated that a high percentage of Hispanics attribute the decision to not attend college to being unable to afford additional education. Individuals who have college degrees make almost twice as much as those who are only high school graduates, and crucially have access to better career paths with greater upward mobility. Additionally, the unemployment rate for those with only a high school diploma is over twice that of college grads, exemplifying the lack of opportunity trajectories for minority youth. Too often, the jobs minority youth have access to are low paying and have little-to-no room for mobility, which ultimately result in diminished opportunities for longer term career advancement.

What tips/advice do you have for parents that have an adolescent that is disconnected (dropping school and not looking for work)? Where should they look for help?

• First, I would recommend that parents regularly communicate with their adolescent and young adult children. Parent-Adolescent communication has been shown to positively influence a range of health and overall outcomes. Some tips to remember while communicating with your adolescent child:
• • Put yourself in your teen’s shoes. Try to understand what their challenges are.
  • Appeal to common goals. You and your teen both share some common goals regarding their future. Focus on areas where you both agree. Address areas of disagreement after having success with areas where you both agree.
  • Show interest in your teen’s academic and career goals. Make it clear to your teen that you care about how they do in school and at work.
  • Be direct about setting clear expectations regarding future orientations and career aspirations. Let your teen know you want them to stay in school and/or be engaged in meaningful work.  
  • Control your emotions. Don’t overreact when things do not go so well.
  • Be sure to let your teen know you are always there for them and that you care.
  • Stay informed on your adolescent’s whereabouts, who he/she spends time with and what activities your teen is involved in.
  • Establish clear rules regarding school work and academic performance.
  • Check-in regularly to be sure your teen is adhering to “mutual agreements.”
  • Discourage use of alcohol and drugs. As a parent, set a clear expectation that alcohol and drugs are not allowed.
  • Try to have an adult home when your teen is there if possible. If not, set clear rules about whether your teen is allowed to have other teens over when no adult is home or supervising.  
  • Discourage your teen from hanging out or dating teens that are 2 or more years older
  • Encourage your teen to take advantage of career, health and overall well-being community resources.
  • Parents or youths looking for help should consult local family support organizations within their communities. Good places to start include:
  • 1. U.S. Department of Health & Human Services – Family & Youth Services Bureau,
    2. DO-IT (Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking, and Technology) Center,
    3. National Federation of Families for Children's Mental Health,
    4. National Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse.
  • Some useful factsheets can be found here:
  • 1. Parental Monitoring,
    2. Fathers’ Influence,
    3. Parents’ Influence on LGB,
    4. Talking Teens.
  • A free resource for parents: Parent-Adolescent Communication about Sex in Latino Families.

Do you believe that the economic policies enacted thus far by the Trump administration have increased or decreased the number of idle youth?

Graduation and employment rates for youth in the United States have improved over time. The total college enrollment rate has slowly climbed over the past two decades, primarily due to increased enrollment for Latino/Hispanics. Latino/Hispanics represent a higher percentage of the labor force than any other race or ethnic group, yet the quality of employment opportunities for Latinos/Hispanics remains suboptimal. Latino/Hispanic and Black Americans are more likely relative to their white counterparts to work in service industries, which are typically associated with fewer benefits and lower overall salaries. While ethnic and racial minorities have notably become employed at significantly higher rates in recent years, creating opportunities for higher quality jobs associated with longer term career trajectories, higher salaries and benefits including health insurance has increasingly become the key public policy issue and area of remediation. Recent policy recommendations to cut job training programs for youth – particularly disadvantaged youth – risk making upward economic mobility increasingly difficult for large segments of vulnerable youths across our country. Furthermore, erosion of health and social service programs for youth and their families inevitably will exacerbate existing disparities in health and wealth distribution among American families.

 

Antonio Garcia M.S.W., Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Co-director, Child Well-being & Child Welfare Specialization (CW2), School of Social Policy & Practice, University of Pennsylvania

What can state and local policymakers do to reduce the number of rural youth who are disconnected from school and work?

They need to get a sense of what is happening on the ground. So many of our policymakers are absolutely clueless as to how their policies or inaction impacts the daily lives of many youth and families, especially youth residing in rural communities and/or in poverty. I would advise them to solicit task groups to conduct needs assessments and propose recommendations to addresses youth disengagement and disconnection based upon current trends and needs. Status quo is sustained when a clear understanding of the problem is lacking.

What is driving the higher levels of “idleness” among minority youth?

My reaction to this is “what evidence suggests minority youth experience higher levels idleness?” The youth themselves are not lazy or inactive. Rather, evidence suggests they are more likely to experience idleness compared to their Caucasian peers due to lack of access to resources we often take for granted – health care, sports and extracurricular activities, tutoring services, parks, safe neighborhoods, and fresh food and grocery markets.

What tips/advice do you have for parents that have an adolescent that is disconnected (dropping school and not looking for work)? Where should they look for help?

Mentorship is key – having one adult who children can emulate and depend upon can make a world of difference in engaging youth. Instead of mandating more strict rules and regulations, parents could ask youth to brainstorm who they know in their life that they can depend on. Whether a next door neighbor, coach, aunt/uncle or teacher, parents can then help facilitate a relationship.

In the meantime, parents can often feel isolated and overwhelmed in these circumstances. Reaching out to teens and all those involved in their life to come together and collectively brainstorm the root cause of the problem and solutions to address them might help. Collective voices and accountability matter! Each person can take an active role so that parents do not feel the all the weight on their shoulders to fix the problem.

Do you believe that the economic policies enacted thus far by the Trump administration have increased or decreased the number of idle youth?

Right now, it is too soon to tell. We do know that Trump’s Tax Cuts and Job Act disproportionately benefits the rich and major corporations – and very few employers are giving bonuses and wage increases. What this means is that children and families living in poverty – and even those classified as “middle class” will likely struggle to cough up the funds to pay for tutoring, extra-curricular activities, healthy foods, or to address health related illnesses. Simply put, when health declines, idleness increases. Children can’t focus on learning and engaging in activities unless basic needs are met.

Methodology

In order to determine where young Americans are most at risk of adverse outcomes in adulthood, WalletHub compared a sample comprising the 50 states and the District of Columbia across 14 key metrics, which are listed below with their corresponding weights. Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing the highest level of youth risk.

Finally, we determined each state and the District’s weighted average across all metrics to calculate its overall score and used the resulting scores to rank-order our sample.

• Share of Disconnected Youth: Double Weight (~13.33 Points)Note: “Disconnected Youth” refers to the population aged 18 to 24 who are not attending school, not working and have no degree beyond a high school diploma.
• Share of Youth with No High School Diploma: Full Weight (~6.67 Points)Note: “Youth” refers to the population aged 18 to 24.
• Share of NAEP-Proficient Students: Full Weight (~6.67 Points)Note: “NAEP-Proficient Students” refers to those who performed at or above the 8th grade math and 8th grade reading proficiency levels of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) assessments.
• Share of Overweight & Obese Youth: Full Weight (~6.67 Points)Note: “Youth” refers to the population aged 18 to 24.
• Share of Youth Using Illicit Drugs in Past Year: Full Weight (~6.67 Points)Note: “Youth” refers to the population aged 18 to 25.
• Share of Youth Reporting Heavy Drinking: Full Weight (~6.67 Points)Note: “Youth” refers to the population aged 18 to 24.
• Share of Youth with Depression: Full Weight (~6.67 Points)Note: “Youth” refers to the population aged 18 to 24.
• Share of Physically, Mentally & Emotionally Inhibited Youth: Full Weight (~6.67 Points)Note: “Youth” refers to the population aged 18 to 24 who are limited in any activities due to physical, mental and emotional problems.
• Labor Force Participation Rate Among Youth: Full Weight (~6.67 Points)Note: “Youth” refers to the population aged 16 to 24.
• Share of AFQT Testers Scoring Above 50: Full Weight (~6.67 Points)Note: “AFQT Testers” refers to civilians who completed the Armed Forces Qualification Test (AFQT), which covers four sections — Word Knowledge, Paragraph Comprehension, Arithmetic Reasoning and Mathematics Knowledge — of the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) to assess a potential recruit’s military trainability and ability to enlist. The resulting score is a percentile, rather than an absolute, and indicates the recruit’s performance relative to 18- to 23-year-old civilians who completed the exam in 1997 as part of a norming study. The lower a tester’s score, the poorer is his or her trainability.
• Youth Poverty Rate: Full Weight (~6.67 Points)Note: “Youth” refers to the population aged 18 to 24.
• Share of Homeless Youth: Full Weight (~6.67 Points)Note: “Youth” refers to the population aged 18 to 24.
• Presence of “State Tuition Waiver Programs” for Youth in Foster Care: Full Weight (~6.67 Points)Note: Recommendations to support the educational success of young people transitioning out of foster care who are attending higher education institutions include waiving tuition and scholarships and offering on-campus support and mentors. State tuition waivers act as an important incentive to youth in foster care and contribute to their overall ability to pay for college. State tuition waiver programs allow students to attend publicly funded higher education institutions by “waiving” tuition and fees such as room, board, books, etc. under certain criteria.
• Rate of Youth Detained, Incarcerated or Placed in Residential Facilities per 100,000: Full Weight (~6.67 Points)Note: Persons under age 21 detained, incarcerated, or placed in residential facilities.

 

Sources: Data used to create this ranking were collected from the U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, The Nation’s Report Card, The Annie E. Casey Foundation, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, National Priorities Project, U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness and National Conference of State Legislatures.

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