A high-leverage place to invest

Here are a couple of ways that impact is seen.

Higher earnings

Early employment opportunities translate into higher earnings in adulthood

Youth who work are more likely to graduate high school and attend college [3]

The average lifetime cost of a high school dropout is over $306,000 [4]
83% of STL Youth Jobs participants said being in the program made them want to get more schooling

Youth access to money, bank accounts, and financial management practices has dramatic impact

Working toward financial inclusion and financial capability for children and youth will help them in their capacity to find employment or undertake entrepreneurship and become productive and economically active members of society. [5]
A wide variety of studies suggest a positive relationship between the ownership of a savings account and higher levels of economic and financial well-being such as savings, income, and assets, as well as academic achievement and educational attainment. [6]

Youth who work become contributors to their communities

In 2014, over $500,000 in wages was returned to low-income communities through STL Youth Jobs participants. This has a direct impact on stimulating the local economy

Youth who work are less likely to contribute to juvenile crime

Youth employment is identified as a key leverage point to reduce youth violence [7]
99% of our youth recommended the STL Youth Jobs program as an important way to stay out of trouble during the summer [8]

Investing in youth employment is a proactive way to create productive citizens and reduce the burden of unengaged youth on society

The average youth who is neither working nor in school costs taxpayers an average of $215,580. (In other words, spending up to that amount on each opportunity youth could be justified by the return to taxpayers) [9]