Opportunity Youth in Rural Texas

Opportunity youth are young adults, 16-24 years of age, who are engaged in neither work nor education. Across the country, there are at least 5 million opportunity youth – and their disconnection from learning and career paths often translate to enduring challenges in adulthood and unrealized potential for our communities.

On average, rural areas have a higher share of opportunity youth compared to urban and suburban communities. What specific barriers do rural youth face and what strategies can help overcome them? Dr. Hannah Gourgey, Director of the Texas Opportunity Youth Network at Aspen Institute’s Opportunity Youth Forum, explores the trends in rural Texas and how we can build and scale reconnection pathways that achieve better outcomes in education, employment and overall well-being for opportunity youth.