This Learning Report provides a comprehensive overview of the Immigrant Youth and Young Adult (YYA) Career and Education Technical Assistance Project, implemented by the International Rescue Committee (IRC) with support from the Annie E. Casey Foundation from 2024 to 2026. 

The report begins by outlining the project’s purpose, scope, and context, including the demographic shifts, sytemic barriers, and evolving immigration landscape shaping the experiences of immigrant YYAs across the United States. The report then details the technical assistance provided to 12 alternative education organizations, highlighting the modalities, pilot efforts, and areas of focus designed to strengthen provider capacity to deliver high-quality, culturally and linguistically accessible services. 

Building on these activities, the report presents key learnings gathered throughout the project—from enrollment trends and digital access barriers to promising practices in outreach, English language instruction, financial capability support, and career navigation. The final section translates these findings into actionable recommendations for practitioners seeking to enhance their programs' accessibility and effectiveness for diverse immigrant YYAs.  

This Learning Report seeks to –  

  • Provide an overview of the activities undertaken as part of the Immigrant YYA Career and Education Technical Assistance Project
  • Highlight key learnings and findings from this work
  • Provide recommendations for delivering accessible and high-quality alternative education services for diverse immigrant YYA

This work was funded by the Annie E. Casey Foundation. We thank them for their support but acknowledge that the findings and conclusions presented in this learning brief are those of the author(s) alone, and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Foundation. 

Available documents & links