Case Study

Invest in Louisiana: Opportunity Youth Coalition

Revitalizing a Statewide Coalition to Advance Policy for Opportunity Youth

The Louisiana Opportunity Youth Coalition is a network of direct service providers and advocacy organizations working to ensure that the state’s policies and institutions support the needs of Louisiana’s disconnected youth. In 2023, without a dedicated leader, the coalition had stagnated and was seeking support in defining its policy priorities moving forward. Trepwise was engaged to help the coalition identify top policy priority areas to guide its work, build a staffing model, and define a structure for coalition engagement and membership that would advance its work.

Product:

Systems Coordination

Sector:

Non-Profit

Solution

To support this endeavor, Trepwise identified 50 potential policy areas based on historical research. The team engaged coalition members and subject matter experts to narrow down the priorities to those most viable. The group aligned around four areas to lead in and four key policy areas to monitor, as well as a proposed staffing structure and set of operational recommendations.

Results

As a result of this work, the Coalition has resumed its activities, hired a Coalition Director, and successfully advocated for the passage of Louisiana Senate Resolution 47, which tasked the Louisiana Opportunity Youth Task Force with research and policy advancements in line with the established goals of the coalition. They were also a key contributor to Representative Troy Carter launching the first Bipartisan Opportunity Youth Caucus.