Youth
Young New Yorkers have been a major focus of the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City since the beginning of the de Blasio Administration. Early on, the Mayor’s Fund and its partners made a major investment in youth with the creation of the New York City Soccer Initiative, which transformed underutilized land into 50 mini soccer pitches and provided free after-school soccer programs for thousands of children. This initiative continues to inspire joyful play and strengthen communities.
We also set out to prepare young adults to succeed in the 21st century workplace by launching The Center For Youth Employment in 2015. This first-of-its-kind office has provided more than 100,000 mentorships, internships, and other opportunities for the next generation to jumpstart their future careers. This informed the development of CareerReadyNYC, the long-term plan for how the City government, employers, educational institutions, and non-profit organizations can help young New Yorkers get the skills they need to achieve career success.
The impact of these and other youth programs will be a lasting testament to the dedication and commitment of many donors and community partners.
New York City Soccer Initiative
Mayor Bill de Blasio, the Mayor’s Fund, the U.S. Soccer Foundation, the New York City Football Club, Etihad Airways, and adidas launched the NYC Soccer Initiative, a novel public-private partnership that built 50 mini soccer pitches on underutilized space in neighborhoods across the five boroughs in five years.
Center For Youth Employment
Launched in 2015, the Center For Youth Employment, now the Mayor’s Office of Youth Employment, has supported more than 100,000 professional and mentoring opportunities for young people to prepare for a twenty-first century career.
Girl Scout Troop 6000
In 2017, the Mayor’s Fund partnered with the Department of Homeless Services and the Girl Scouts of Greater New York to launch Troop 6000, the first-in-the-nation Girl Scout troop serving homeless girls and women.
Pre-K
New York City is leading the nation in making early childhood education accessible for all with Pre-K for All. The Mayor’s Fund supported the effort to tell families in all five boroughs about enrollment. Two years after launch, 68,000 children were enrolled in Pre-K thanks to this historic effort.
NYC Unity Works
The Mayor’s Fund supported the launch of NYC Unity Works, the country’s largest and most comprehensive workforce development program ever created for LGBTQI communities, under the umbrella of the NYC Unity Project.
