Mission, Values, History
Increasing the pace and scale of change, together.
“When speaking about and working with transitional youth, it all boils down to a lack of resources. I am not helping my clients, and my clients are not ‘problems.’ We focus on providing resources that were previously inaccessible.”
Reginald Hatter, Baylor College of Medicine Ascend Program
The Greater Houston Opportunity Youth Collaborative (GHOYC) is a cross-sector collaborative serving Opportunity Youth and Young Adults (OYYA): 16- to 24-year-olds who are not in school or working. Our aim is to create career pathways and scale them to the point that all OYYA in the Texas Gulf Coast region can access the education, training, and support needed to reach their goals and thrive.
An important part of creating these career pathways is engaging employer partners who are committed to supporting OYYA—not just to work, but also to succeed and advance in a career.
Another critical part of our work is engaging OYYA effectively. GHOYC’s approach is rooted in these values:
Opportunity
All young people deserve the chance to reach their full potential, prosper, and contribute to the success of their community.
Youth-Centered
Young people have the right to represent their own interests, identify their challenges, and design their own solutions to issues that most impact them. Youth expertise and youth-led change are centered at the core of the Collaborative’s work.
Strengths-Based
OYYA possess unique potential, strengths, and capabilities that help them evolve and move along their journey.
To help young people thrive, employers, young adults, nonprofits, and the community must come together. Join us today!
Alliance of Community Assistance Ministries (ACAM)
GHOYC is coordinated by ACAM, a non-profit management support organization. ACAM works to foster collaboration among a diverse network of over 70 community-based organizations and governmental agencies. ACAM serves as a hub for a wide range of basic needs and self-sufficiency services, with a focus on developing long-term, evidence-based solutions from a holistic, systems-level perspective. Through the support and guidance of ACAM, GHOYC oversees the growth and stewardship of financial resources to expand programs to support more young adults and drive the development of OYYA career pathways and collaborative programs.
How did we get here?
In 2016, Rice University’s Kinder Institute was commissioned by JPMorgan Chase to study Opportunity Youth and Young Adults (OYYA) in Houston. The data revealed a significant increase in the OYYA population, disproportionately affecting communities of color and costing taxpayers $30 billion if unaddressed. The Kinder report advocated for community partnerships and career pathways.
Carolyn Watson, regional advocate driving OYYA work, initiated the Bridge to College and Career Success Pilot (BCCS) in 2017, leading to GHOYC’s establishment in 2021. Despite challenges like Hurricane Harvey and the pandemic, GHOYC expanded its reach through collaborations with the Texas Opportunity Youth Network and Aspen Institute Opportunity Youth Forum.
Houston’s evolving OY collaboration
