News

New mapping tools to help connect school-aged youth with available out of school programs

April 25, 2017

The Health Foundation is excited to share an interactive mapping tool to help community organizations, schools and local leaders understand the availability of out of school programs for school aged youth in the Paso del Norte region.

Developed by the Health Foundation as part of the IGNITE Initiative, the maps illustrate of out of school programs along with census population data for youth ages 7-18 by in El Paso county and Doña Ana, Luna, and Otero counties in New Mexico. Data is also available by youth population ages 6-17 in Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua.

“We are working to locate areas where disconnected youth are underserved and without quality out of school programs,” said Bianca De León, Associate Program Officer of the Paso del Norte Health Foundation. The Foundation refers to “disconnected youth” as people between the ages of 7 – 18 years old who are not involved in out of school activities or participating in the labor market. “Research shows that youth who are involved in out of school programs are less likely to use drugs, alcohol or be involved in criminal activity.” Since the Initiative began in 2013, more than 8,000 disconnected youth have been engaged in an out of school program.

There are two maps available: one highlights programs for the U.S. area for the Health Foundation’s service region and another for programs in Ciudad Juarez. They are both available on the Paso del Norte Foundation website. Click here for direct access.

For more information on the mapping tool or the IGNITE Initiative, contact Bianca De León at bdeleon@pdnhf.org or 915-218-2623.