Youth Opportunity (2018-2025)
Since its inception in the summer of 2018, the Youth Opportunity (YO) initiative, launched by the International Youth Foundation (IYF) with funding from McDonald’s Corporation, has been a beacon of hope and opportunity for young people in Chicago, Washington, D.C., and beyond. The mission was clear: to break down employment barriers and provide young people ages 16–24 with the tools, skills, and opportunities they need to thrive in their professional and educational journeys.
The partnership, rooted in a shared commitment to youth agency, economic opportunity, and strengthening local communities, has now come to a successful close, leaving behind a legacy of transformation, partnership, and impact. Through collaboration with community-based organizations, local volunteers, and McDonald’s employees, the YO initiative has been able to offer pre-employment training, mentorship, and pathways to employment and higher education.
The YO initiative increased opportunities for youth through several key strategies:
Life Skills Training: The Passport to Success (PTS) suite of life skills products offered a variety of learning modalities and tools that were tailored to the needs of young people. YO participants benefited from a combination of in-person lessons, virtual lessons, and PTS Explorer, a game-based, mobile-optimized course that made learning both accessible and engaging.
Connection to Jobs: YO participants were connected to the world of work in meaningful ways. They attended job fairs, participated in employment preparation workshops and career panels, and took part in site visits to gain firsthand insights into various industries. Participants also leveraged their LinkedIn platforms, learning how to network, build professional profiles, and engage with potential employers.
Youth Voices: The program placed a strong emphasis on amplifying youth voices. Through initiatives like the YO Ambassadors and the YO Global Youth Council, participants had the chance to advocate for issues that mattered most to them and shape the direction of the YO program. Additionally, they engaged with the SOAR digital leadership curriculum, which further developed their leadership potential and civic engagement.
Community Engagement: A cornerstone of the YO initiative was its focus on community. By leveraging community-based organizations, partners, and volunteers from McDonald’s and IYF, the program created a safe, nurturing, and challenging space for young people to learn, grow, and connect with others who shared their goals.
Over the course of the program, more than 2 million young people were impacted by the global YO initiative in partnership with McDonald’s, with more than 19,000 young people engaging in IYF’s proven Passport to Success life skills curriculum. These young people gained invaluable skills in communication, teamwork, conflict resolution, stress management, and time management—skills that are not only essential for the workplace but for life itself. With the combination of in-person lessons, virtual learning, and innovative platforms like PTS Explorer, the YO initiative catered to a variety of learning styles and needs.
The program also provided participants with direct access to career exploration opportunities, connecting them with employers and industry professionals through job fairs, career panels, and site visits. For many, these experiences were their first real opportunity to connect with potential employers, build professional networks, and explore the vast array of careers that await them. Thanks to these experiences, 30% of participants who completed the program went on to secure jobs or internships, while 43% enrolled in further education or training.
YO Ambassadors, a select group of young leaders, helped inform the program. These individuals served as the faces and voices of YO, inspiring their peers and advocating for the importance of career readiness and youth agency. Through their leadership, they helped shape the direction of the program and demonstrated the power of youth leadership in action.
Perhaps most telling of the program’s impact, surveys conducted throughout the initiative revealed that 80% of participants reported improved life skills, particularly in areas like communication, teamwork, and time management. This feedback reflects the true success of the initiative—not just in terms of job placements or educational achievements, but in the transformation of young people’s confidence, capabilities, and aspirations.
None of these milestones would have been possible without the dedication and passion of everyone involved—our community-based partners, volunteers, McDonald’s Corporation, program team members and most importantly, the young people who embraced the program and put their hearts into every step of their journey.
As we celebrate the completion of the Youth Opportunity initiative, we look to the future with optimism and anticipation for continued collaboration. The program has not only shaped the lives of countless youth but has also created a sustainable model for empowering the next generation. We remain deeply grateful for your unwavering commitment to the mission and look forward to future opportunities to stand by, for, and with young people, creating brighter futures together.
Here’s to the success of the YO initiative—and to the promise of a brighter tomorrow.
