Reconcile New Orleans supports young adults, ages 16-24, as they transform their lives by encouraging their personal growth, providing workforce development and training, and equipping them with tools to achieve their potential.
We envision a New Orleans where all young people are embraced and empowered to pursue their potential. Sadly, according to the 2019 Measure of America, A Portrait of Louisiana 2020: Human Development in an Age of Uncertainty, nearly 1 in 6 Louisianans aged 16 to 24 are neither working nor going to school. The state’s youth disconnection rate of 16.4% – representing 92,100 children and young adults which is the fourth-highest in the United States.
Reconcile’s innovative Workforce Development Program wants to change that for young people in our community. By believing in them, supporting their development, and creating access and a safe space to explore personal and professional growth opportunities, we can champion the next generation of professionals.
Building Hope
In 1996, Rev. Harry Tompson, S.J., then pastor of Immaculate Conception Parish, joined with community members Craig Cuccia and Tim Falcon to bring a safe space for school children and their families to the historic Central City neighborhood in New Orleans. Gathering with likeminded community activists in prayer, research, and dialogue, the group worked hard to understand the needs of the neighborhood and its community members.
Using funds from generous donors, the founders purchased a blighted, historic five-story building at the corner of Oretha Castle Haley Blvd and Euterpe to serve as the center of Reconcile’s operations and be the cornerstone for the broader rehabilitation of the neighborhood.
Changing Lives
Reconcile New Orleans’ Workforce Development Program has graduated more than 2,000 youth between the ages of 16 and 24 in its more than 20 year history. Participants leave with new confidence, connected to a community that believes in them, and tools and resources that empower them to navigate their personal and professional ambitions beginning with a meaningful employment experience.
Reconcile’s three main priorities for their program participants are:
Scaling Impact
In 2021, RNO launched an ambitious three-year strategic plan to bring its programming to the next level of impact for Opportunity Youth (OY) in the metro-New Orleans area. The plan is based on 20 years’ experience in creating positive outcomes for opportunity youth.
With the decimation of the hospitality industry during the pandemic, RNO has recognized the opportunities to explore and develop alternative employment pathways within its Intern model while maintaining an anchor as a training partner in the hospitality industry. These new career exploration pathways include connection to job training opportunities in high-wage, high-demand industry, upward career advancement, and connection to Community College including an on-site bridge course.
The plan also calls for advancing data-driven decisions, an enhanced youth-centered delivery model, as well as an innovative Externship program. RNO’s rigorous data tracking is not only informing and enhancing internal operations but also informing collaborations with local and statewide partner organizations working to improve conditions for OY including Youth Master Plan, the Aspen Functional Zero New Orleans Initiative, and the statewide Opportunity Youth Workforce Advocacy Coalition.
Without the support of generous donors, Reconcile’s mission of transformation would not be sustainable. In short, we need help from concerned community members who are interested in joining our cause and partnering with us to change lives. Please consider making a tax-deductible contribution to Reconcile today!