Reducing Inequality Summer By Summer - Boston.gov
Reducing InequalitySummer by SummerAn Analysis of the Short-Term and Long-Term Effects of Boston’sSummer Youth Employment ProgramDecember 2017
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSThis report was prepared by the Mayor’s Office of Workforce Development from dataanalysis conducted by Dr. Alicia Sasser Modestino of the Dukakis Center for Urbanand Regional Policy at Northeastern University and commissioned by the Mayor’sOffice of Workforce Development. This is a summary report based on the DukakisCenter’s evaluation of both the short-term outcomes measured by survey data fromthe summer of 2015 as well as long-term outcomes measured by administrativerecords for the 12-18 months after participation in the program. The findingspresented here are part of an ongoing multi-year evaluation funded by the Mayor'sOffice of Workforce Development, Northeastern University, the William T. GrantFoundation, and Third Sector Capital Partners, Inc., through a grant from theCorporation for National and Community Service's Social Innovation Fund Pay forSuccess program.Special thanks are due to the research assistance provided by Mark Isenburg andJessica Rosario of Action for Boston Community Development; Joseph McLaughlinof the Boston Private Industry Council; Rashad Cope of the City of Boston’sDepartment of Youth Employment and Engagement; and Mallory Jones of YouthOptions Unlimited. We are indebted to their assistance in collecting survey data fromtheir SYEP participants, without whom there would be no evaluation.We’d also like to thank Lynn Sanders, Senior Research Analyst and Katie Liesener,Project and Policy Coordinator at the Mayor’s Office of Workforce Development fortheir assistance in designing and completing the report.
TABLE OF CONTENTSExecutive Summary . 1Introduction . 3Research Focus . 4Policy Context . 6Evaluation Methodology. 7Findings . 9Conclusion & Next Phase of Evaluation . 25Endnotes . 26
Dear Friends:It is with great pleasure that I announce the release of the enclosedreport: R e d u c i n g I n e q u a l i t y S u m m e r b y S u m m e r : A nAnalysis of the Short-Term and Long-Term Effects ofB o s t o n ’ s S u m m e r Y o u t h E m p l o y m e n t P r o g r a m . As the reporthighlights, the Boston Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP)positively impacts our young people, both in the short term and longterm, and I’m proud to recognize our hard-working teens and thecommitment they’ve made to grow each summer.Every year, over 10,000 Boston youth participate in the Boston SYEP at hundreds of Bostonbusinesses and nonprofit organizations, where they learn valuable and important skills thatset them up for future success. As this study shows, the benefits of the SYEP can last longafter the summer is over. Summer jobs provide more than just a source of income. Theyprovide valuable work experience, mentorship opportunities, self-confidence and, mostimportantly, an opportunity to see a new and better future. By providing our youth withopportunities to gain valuable work experience and participate in career development, weare helping to put them on a pathway to success.Our young people have the power to change our City, and every single young person shouldbe able to access a summer job and connect with the City’s summer job resources.Investing in youth and keeping them engaged during the summer will help us move Bostonforward and provide valuable opportunities for youth leadership development. This reportshould be considered as another step in a multi-year effort to not only document the longterm positive impact of Boston’s SYEP, but also help us better utilize our limited SYEP fundsand attract new investments to grow summer job opportunities.I am grateful for the collaborative efforts of the Mayor’s Office of Workforce Development(OWD), the Dukakis Center for Urban and Regional Policy at Northeastern University, Actionfor Boston Community Development, Inc., the Boston Private Industry Council, City ofBoston’s Youth Engagement and Employment Division, Youth Options Unlimited and all theother city and state agencies and non-profits that are assisting in this effort. I hope you willjoin us in our work to support Boston’s youth.Sincerely,Martin J. WalshMayor, City of Boston
Dear Colleagues:We are pleased to join with Professor Alicia Sasser Modestino ofthe Dukakis Center for Urban and Regional Policy at NortheasternUniversity to share this report, R e d u c i n g I n e q u a l i t y S u m m e rby Summer: An Analysis of the Short-Term and LongTerm Effects of Boston’s Summer Youth EmploymentP r o g r a m . The City of Boston’s Summer Youth EmploymentProgram (SYEP) is a critical component of Mayor Walsh’sworkforce development efforts, particularly when it comes toreducing inequality among City residents. While early workexperience is widely believed to be a positive influence on thefuture employment prospects and earnings of disadvantaged youth,there has been relatively little research on the long-term effects ofsummer jobs. This report represents the next phase of our multiyear effort to document how the Boston SYEP contributes toeconomic and behavioral impacts that last long after the summerends.With limited resources, we need to use our SYEP funds as effectively as possible. With ourevaluation study now approaching its third year, we can point not only to positive short-termoutcomes such as improved job readiness, higher educational aspirations and bettercommunity engagement and social skills, but also to longer-term behavioral changes. Forexample, the number of violent crimes committed by youth in the treatment group was 35%lower than the number of crimes committed by youth in the control group during the 17months after the completion of the SYEP. Participants’ longer-term changes, measured byadministrative records, also include higher education outcomes and better employmentoutcomes. While gains are seen among all demographic groups, some of the largest gainsare seen among low income, non-white youth, suggesting that the SYEP may have agreater capacity to contribute to the reduction of income inequality than originally believed.We want to express our gratitude and appreciation to all of you who contributed to thiseffort, and we look forward to sharing ongoing research, putting youth on a pathway tosuccess that will help shape their future as well as the City’s.Thank you for your continued commitment,Trinh Nguyen, DirectorMayor’s Office of Workforce DevelopmentMidori Morikawa, Deputy DirectorWorkforce and Policy Development
EXECUTIVE SUMMARYIn cities across the nation, Summer Youth Employment Programs (SYEPs) provide early workexperiences to low-income youth who may not otherwise have the opportunity. While recentstudies on SYEPs have suggested such positive outcomes as higher wages and decreasedcrime, they have not compared impacts across demographic groups to assess programs’potential to reduce inequality nor identified the mechanisms behind long-term outcomes.In the summer of 2015, The Mayor’s Office of Workforce Development (OWD) began workingwith Northeastern University’s Dukakis Center for Urban and Regional Policy to assess theimpact of the Boston SYEP on employment, education, and criminal justice outcomes. Thismultiyear evaluation, now approaching its third year, captured both short-term and longerterm outcomes of the Boston SYEP. Short-term program indicators, measured by a pre-postprogram survey, include social skills, community engagement, job readiness, and academicaspirations. Longer-term outcomes, measured by administrative records, include criminaljustice, education and employment outcomes.SHORT-TERM OUTCOMESInitial analysis of survey data shows that SYEP participants reported increases in communityengagement and social skills, college aspirations, and job readiness skills. Many of theseoutcomes were significantly better than those of the control group. I n m o s t c a s e s , t h elargest gains were observed for non-white youth, suggesting that Boston’sSYEP may have the capacity to reduce inequality across demographic groups.C o m m u n i t y E n g a g e m e n t a n d S o c i a l S k i l l s : After program completion, participantswere far more likely to report that they felt connected to their neighborhood and had a lot tocontribute to the groups they belonged to. They were also more likely to report knowing howto manage their emotions and temper, ask for help when needed, and resolve peer conflictconstructively. On all of these measures, the treatment group reported significantly betteroutcomes than the control group. F o r t h e c o m m u n i t y e n g a g e m e n t m e a s u r e s , s i m i l a rimpacts were observed across all demographic groups. Improvements in socialskills, however, were observed primarily among African-American males.A c a d e m i c A s p i r a t i o n s : Over the course of the summer, there was no significant changein the percentage of youth reporting any post-secondary plans by the end of the program;however, by summer’s end, participants were more likely to report wanting to go to a fouryear college (as opposed to a vocational program, training program, or two-year college).This shift in college aspirations was also significant relative to the control group. T h e l a r g e s timpact was found for African-American and Hispanic females.J o b R e a d i n e s s S k i l l s : The pre-post survey showed large increases in the number ofSYEP participants reporting they had prepared a resume and cover letter, asked an adult forhelp finding job opportunities, developed answers to common job interview questions, andpracticed interviewing skills with an adult. Teens in the treatment group outperformed thecontrol group across most job readiness measures. A m o n g r a c e a n d g e n d e r g r o u p i n g s ,African-American males showed the most improvement across the board.SUMMER YOUTH EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM EVALUATION - 2017 1
ONE-YEAR OUTCOMESThe analysis of long-term administrative records found significantly decreased criminalactivity and increased school attendance among program participants, relative to the controlgroup. Little improvement was found in employment and wage outcomes, although this couldbe because participants did not feel compelled to work during the school year, having recentlygained work experience over the summer. A c r o s s m o s t m e a s u r e s l a r g e r im p r o v e m e n t sin outcomes were observed only among non-white or at-risk youth.Criminal Justice Outcomes Violent crime arraignments among the treatment group decreased by 35 percent relativeto the control group. Property crime arraignments dropped by 57 percent. The number of arraignments for the treatment group was not limited to the duration ofthe program but instead continued to fall relative to the control group through the end ofthe 17-month observation period. Short-term improvements in social and emotional skills – such as learning to manageone’s emotions and resolve conflicts with a peer – were correlated with larger decreasesin both violent and property crimes. Across subgroups, the greatest reductions in arraignments were seenamong African-American and Hispanic males – for both violent andproperty crimes.Education Outcomes School attendance for the treatment group was significantly higher than for the controlgroup ( 2.7 percentage points) after program participation. The treatment group had 4.5fewer days of unexcused absences on average relative to the control group. The impact on students with marginal baseline attendance was even greater, with 12.1fewer days of unexcused absences relative to the control group. A c r o s s d e m o g r a p h i cgroups, improvements in attendance rates and unexcused days were largerfor older youth (16 ) as well as males and Hispanic students. While no significant impact on GPA was found for the treatment group, the percentageof participants that failed a course following SYEP was significantly lower than that ofthe control group (-15.3 percentage points).Employment Outcomes Although employment and wage rates were higher for SYEP participants in theacademic year following the program as compared to the year before, they were notsignificantly different from those of the control group. Employment increased more rapidly among participants reporting improvement incertain job readiness skills such as preparing a resume/cover letter, practicinginterviewing techniques, or feeling “more prepared” for a new job. Across demographic groups, both employment and wages were higher forolder African American males during the academic year after participatingin SYEP relative to the control group. Given that the majority ofparticipants were African-American, the Boston SYEP may be effective innarrowing labor market outcomes between blacks and whites.2 SUMMER YOUTH EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM EVALUATION - 2017
Introduction: Moving Towards a More Equitable CityBoston was recently ranked by the Brookings Institution as having the highest rate of incomeinequality among the 100 largest cities in the country. In response, Boston Mayor MartinWalsh has put a renewed focus on reducing inequality among City residents. Boston’sSummer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) is part of this effort. SYEPs have the potentialto reduce economic inequality across different racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups byincreasing access to early employment experiences for low-income and disadvantaged youth.Disadvantaged youth face multiple obstacles in obtaining work experiences due to beingdisproportionally located in neighborhoods with few job opportunities, failing schools, andhigh levels of crime that negatively affect their outcomes later in life.1 African-American andHispanic teens – especially those from low-income families in impoverished neighborhoods –often experience the greatest difficulties in finding employment.2The need for youth employment is further underscored by the steady decline in teenemployment nationwide since 2000. Figure 1 shows that less than one-third of teens aged 1619 years are employed. In addition, over half of unemployed teens report that they aresearching for their first job, suggesting that fewer pathways exist for teens to enter the labormarket (see Table 1).3 This holds true for Boston as well. A recent study by the DonahueInstitute showed that Boston’s youth employment rate for 16-19 year olds is at 29 percent –below the statewide average of 33 percent for this group.Figure 1: U.S. Employment-to-Population Ratio by Age Group, 1976-2016Source: Calculations by Alicia Sasser Modestino from the U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey.Note: Gray shaded areas indicate economic recessions.SUMMER YOUTH EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM EVALUATION - 2017 3
Table 1: Changes in the Reasons for Labor Market Detachment among U.S. YouthTeens: Aged 16-19 Years200020062012Young Adults: Aged 20-24 Years200020062012Share Not in the Labor ForceWants a jobDoes not want a Reasons for Not Working Last YearGoing to schoolCould not find workTaking care of home/familyIll or 2.416.97.85.1Reasons for UnemploymentEntering labor forceRe-entering labor forceJob lossLeft 637.839.317.37.641.036.714.716.238.635.39.8Source: Dennett, J. and Modestino, A.S. (2013) .Uncertain Futures? Youth Attachment to the Labor Market in the United Statesand New England. New England Public Policy Center, Research Report 13-3. Federal Reserve Bank of Boston.In response to these trends, policymakers in cities such as Boston, Chicago and New Yorkhave looked to summer jobs programs to provide youth with meaningful employmentexperiences that can lead to alternative pathways for youth – whether those are careers orsome forms of postsecondary education. Early work experience has been shown to be animportant tool for enhancing the future employment prospects and earnings potential fordisadvantaged youth.4 At the same time, employer expectations continue to increase for workreadiness and other “soft” skills that are difficult for youth to practice without workexperience.5 By providing access to employer networks, career mentoring, and skilldevelopment, SYEPs have the potential to provide youth with the tools and experienceneeded to navigate today’s job market on their own.Research Focus: Improving Behavioral, Academic, andEconomic OutcomesA variety of rationales are often cited in support of summer jobs programs. Many of theseencompass the potential of early work experience to improve criminal justice, academic, andemployment outcomes, particularly for inner-city, low-income, and minority youth. Theresearch presented here assesses the Boston SYEP as an intervention to improve youthoutcomes related to criminal justice, education, and employment outcomes with a specificfocus on reducing inequality across racial and ethnic groups. In addition, we explore howthese longer-term outcomes are achieved in relation to the short-term program impacts thatare observed during the summer.Reducing delinquent or criminal behavior through social engagementEmployment provides youth with a set of socially productive activities, possibly decreasingthe risk of exposure to, or participation in, violence and delinquent behavior. 6 Youth are able4 SUMMER YOUTH EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM EVALUATION - 2017
to develop a sense of agency, identity, and competency necessary for adult success fromtheir early work experiences. 7 Those experiences that specifically teach non-cognitive skillsappear to provide disadvantaged youth with guidance and adult mentors that may be lackingat home or in school.8 Finally, SYEP participants are oftentimes placed with nearbycommunity-based organizations (CBOs), providing opportunities for youth to engage with theircommunities in a positive way.Raising academic achievementGreater exposure to employment provides youth with experiences that can shape theiraspirations – whether they be to complete high school, obtain career training, or attendcollege – potentially raising their academic achievement.9 Work experience may also providean opportunity for teens to apply academic concepts, learn work-related skills, and transitionfrom school to the labor force.Boosting employment through job readinessIt is widely believed that through early work experiences like those gained in SYEPs, youthhave the opportunity to explore potential careers, develop relationships with adult mentors,and practice both technical and soft skills. Moderate levels of teen employment during theschool year (fewer than 15 or 20 hours per week) have been shown to have beneficial effectson future employment, particularly for disadvantaged youth with less access to jobopportunities.10Despite these rationales, little is known about the specific effects of summer youth jobsprograms on longer-term outcomes, or how those impacts might be achieved. Previousresearch has demonstrated encouraging results in some cities. For example, an evaluation ofthe Chicago One Summer Plus program found that violent crime fell by 43 percent over the15 months following completion of the program.11 Two other s
administrative records, also include higher education outcomes and better employment outcomes. While gains are seen among all demographic groups, some of the largest gains are seen among low income, non-white youth, suggesting that the SYEP may have a greater capacity to contribute to the reduction of income inequality than originally believed.
Income inequality has two components: (a) ‘market’ inequality and (b) govern-ment redistribution via taxes and transfers. In principle, the two can be combined in any of a variety of ways: low market inequality with high redistribution, low market inequality with low redistribution, high market inequality
Measuring economic inequality Summary Economics 448: Lecture 12 Measures of Inequality October 11, 2012 Lecture 12. Outline Introduction What is economic inequality? Measuring economic inequality . Inequality is the fundamental disparity that permits one individual certain
of its income inequality (Lu and Chen, 2005). Innovation not only plays a role in the economic development of developing countries, but can also impact income inequality. While there is ample literature studying income inequality in China, there is less concern about the impact of the innovation level on income inequality.
Inequality, Employment and Public Policy S.Mahendra Dev Abstract This paper examines dimensions of inequality including labour market inequalities and discusses public policies needed for reduction in inequalities. It discusses both inequality of outcomes and inequality of opportunities. In terms of income, India is the second highest
applies this framework to analyse inequality in North and Central Asia with respect to inequality of outcomes and opportunities which are defined in the publication.1 Inequality of outcomes, or economic inequality, is disparities in material dimensions of human wellbeing among individuals. It is usually measured by monetary values such as
increases and if it decreases in income inequality. If income distribution is Pareto, the rate of redistribution increases monotonically in income inequality if ˇ 0:78 and it has an internal maximum if . Moreover, the maximum occurs at a lower level of inequality, so that the rate of redistribution de
DfID – Inequality in Middle Income Countries: South Africa Case 2 Section 2. An overview of inequality, poverty and growth in SA This section examines the state of inequality and poverty in SA today, describes how inequality has changed over the de
growth will be discussed. Concepts on both regional income inequality and local economic growth will follow. 2.1 Theories on Income Inequality: Does Harm Growth Stiglitz (2012) argues inequality slows economic growth. According to Stiglitz, inequality weakens aggregate demand f
