Our Impact
Today’s young people face a paradox: while overall unemployment remains relatively low, youth unemployment is rising, and 95% of entry-level jobs now require at least one year of experience.(US DOL, 2026; Indeed.com; 2026). As a result, early work experience and transferable skills are increasingly essential to securing quality employment. Yet students from low-income and historically underrepresented communities, particularly first-generation students and students of color, often lack access to internships, professional networks, and career-building opportunities (Strada, 2021). This opportunity gap leaves many young people disconnected from pathways to economic mobility.
Futures and Options addresses this challenge by helping New York City youth explore careers, develop workplace skills, and gain paid professional experience during a critical stage of their personal development. Through work-readiness training, career exploration activities, paid internships, and mentorship, we equip students with the skills needed to succeed. Our strengths-based, student-centered approach focuses on each student’s talents and interests, and our low staff-to-student ratio creates personalized guidance and sustained support.
We believe work-based learning opportunities can inspire students, connect education to future careers, and motivate them to pursue ambitious goals regardless of prior academic performance. By expanding access to career development opportunities, we help ensure that students who are often excluded from enrichment programs can build the skills and confidence needed to thrive.
We measure short-term outcomes through retrospective surveys administered at the conclusion of each program cycle. These assessments capture growth in four key areas: (1) career knowledge and understanding of education-to-career pathways; (2) employability and interpersonal skills, including communication, professionalism, and time management; (3) occupational identity and confidence; and (4) social capital, including access to mentors and professional networks. For internship participants, we also collect supervisor evaluations to assess growth in communication, teamwork, problem-solving, initiative, and workplace professionalism. Annually, more than 95% of interns receive positive performance evaluations from their supervisors.
Our impact is also reflected in outcomes strongly linked to economic mobility: 96% of our participants enroll in college, 90% report understanding the educational and professional steps needed to achieve their career goals, and students collectively earn more than $1 million annually in wages, stipends, and scholarships. Together, these outcomes strengthen workforce readiness, increase earning potential, and contribute to greater financial stability in the communities we serve.
20,000
(and counting!) students served since 1995
88%
of our students identify as youth of color
24%
of our students were born in a country outside the US
35%
of our students speak English as their second language
164
schools in New York City represented by our students
$1.074M
wages, stipends, and scholarships collectively earned by our students last year
Students Gain Critical Professional Skills
of students know the steps needed to have a specific career after completing our program
of students agree they are motivated to work harder and get better grades in school
of students feel they can manage their time properly
of students feel confident when speaking in front of a group of adults
Meet Our Alumni
Afua Awuah interned with Cohn Reznick in 2015, and now works as a Patient Care Coordinator at Sloan Memorial Kettering.
