1 Of 5 Youth In Newark Aren’t Working Or Going To School: Study
NEWARK, NJ — Nearly one out of five young people in Newark isn’t working or attending school, according to a new study that advocates for more investment in “priority areas” such as child care, transportation and broadband internet access.The Newark Opportunity Youth Network recently partnered with Measure of America, a project of the Social Science Research Council, to release a report titled: “A Portrait of Newark.” Read the full study and learn about its methodology here.Using data from American Community Survey of the U.S. Census Bureau logged during 2018-2022 – the latest available – researchers tried to learn how many Newark residents aged 16 to 24 are “neither working nor in school.” Their findings were startling: about 18.4 percent of them.Newark’s total is 7.5 percentage points higher than the national rate (10.9 percent) and nearly double the rate in New Jersey as a whole (9.4 percent), the study noted.Here’s the Catch-22 of life as a young person in New Jersey’s largest city, according to researchers: “Newark has incredible resources in the form of strong community ties and neighborhood identities, deeply rooted ethnic enclaves, and thriving community organizations. The city also has tremendous financial resources including a vast transportation infrastructure and a host of resource-rich educational, arts-related, and private-sector anchor institutions. Despite the flourishing local community, the people who live in Newark don’t often benefit from the economic bounty the city attracts and creates.”Some key findings from the report include:Education - The share of Newark adults ages 25 and older who lack a high school diploma (22.1 percent) is more than double the state rate (9.4 percent). State residents are two and one-half times as likely to hold a four-year bachelor’s degree as Newark residents and three times as likely to hold a graduate degree. Newark’s Latino residents have the lowest overall levels of educational attainment with more than one in three adults ages 25 and older lacking a high school diploma. Latina women are more likely to have a bachelor’s degree than Latino men (12.7 percent versus 9.3 percent) – yet they earn significantly less.Earnings - Roughly one in four Newark residents live in poverty, more than double the national rate. The typical Newark resident earns $33,300 per year, $10,400 less than the Essex County median of $43,700 and $18,200 less than the New Jersey median of $51,500. Among gender and racial and ethnic groups, Latina women earn the least ($23,100), less than half of what the top-earning group, white men, earn ($50,600). The median household income for a Newark commuter is more than $91,000, nearly three times higher than the median household income of a Newark resident. Essex County is home to the largest Black-white and Latino-white gaps in median household income among the state’s 21 counties.Opportunity Youth - The Newark rate of disconnection among teens and young adults (18.4 percent) is 7.5 percentage points higher than the national rate (10.9 percent) and 9.0 points higher than the rate in New Jersey as a whole (9.4 percent). Black youth make up 43.2 percent of the total youth population in Newark and 54.9 percent of the opportunity youth population. Boys and young men are more likely to be disconnected than girls and young women (18.8 percent versus 16.3 percent). Newark’s girls and young women have an unusually high disconnection rate.Incarceration - Approximately 900 young men ages 16-24 are institutionalized within Newark city limits; 100 of these young men are enrolled in some form of prison education.In Newark, 18.4% of young people are disconnected. The Newark disconnection rate is 7.5 percentage points higher than the national rate (10.9%) and 9 points higher than the rate in NJ as a whole (9.4%). These young people often struggle to find a path forward. pic.twitter.com/8Fm66qLgGb— Newark Opportunity Youth Network (NOYN) (@OYN_Newark) April 30, 2024 “Earlier this year, Gov. Phil Murphy signed the Youth Disconnection Prevention Bill into law, which was a significant milestone for young people in New Jersey,” said Robert Clark, founder and CEO of Newark Opportunity Youth Network.“Despite the recent progress, the numbers in A Portrait of Newark speak volumes for the state of disconnected youth in Newark signaling that there is more work to be done,” Clark added.“Our research aims to shine a light on the opportunity gaps that individuals across the City of Newark are facing,” explained Kristen Lewis, director of Measure of America.“Newark has experienced a series of shocks including racial tensions, police violence, and decades of disinvestment,” Lewis said. “Today, city residents continue to face residential segregation by race and ethnicity, income, and occupation. Policymakers and legislators should use A Portrait of Newark’s findings to support community members, particularly those groups – like disconnected youth – who are most vulnerable.”Should researchers’ findings get you down if you’re a young person living in Newark? Nope, according to Kevin Able, a student at LEAD Charter School in Newark.“Instead of being discouraged by the information in the Portrait of Newark report, I feel even more inspired to continue to do advocacy work for positive change in my city,” Able said. “I know there are many other young people who feel the same way and would love the opportunity to ensure everyone in Newark has the resources they need to thrive.”“My hope is that young people are invited to sit, and actively participate, at all tables where discussions about improving the lives of residents are taking place,” Able added.Send local news tips and correction requests to [email protected]. Learn more about advertising on Patch here. Find out how to post announcements or events to your local Patch site. Don’t forget to visit the Patch Newark Facebook page.The article 1 Of 5 Youth In Newark Aren’t Working Or Going To School: Study appeared first on Newark, NJ Patch.
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