The state’s coalition of municipal leaders continues to rally behind efforts to fix a disconnect that separates at-risk young adults from gainful employment.

The Connecticut Conference of Municipalities on Aug. 27 will be in New London to wind up the information-gathering portion of a year-long process conducted by the 119K Commission on At-Risk and Disconnected Youth. The discussion will revolve around building a workforce that takes into account young people who have either dropped out of school or are currently unemployed.

The “119K” figure references the number of Connecticut young people ― 119,000 ― the group hopes to help. A report from the Boston-based Dalio Education group on “Connecticut’s Unspoken Crisis” found nearly 20% of 14 to 26 year olds in the state are in danger of dropping out of school, or already dropped out and are unemployed.

The region is already at the epicenter of efforts to train young adults for jobs in the booming manufacturing industry. The Eastern Connecticut Workforce Investment Board’s Manufacturing Pipeline program has been recognized as a national model for recruiting unemployed or underemployed workers who don’t necessarily have experience in the field.

Members of the 119K Commission on Wednesday hosted a remote news conference to provide an update on the status of a process expected to culminate in October. That’s when they said they’ll release a “strategy plan” outlining ways to get young people refocused on school and work, how much it will cost, and where the money will come from.

Commission members since March have been learning about the scope of the problem in discussions throughout the state with local leaders, residents, experts and young adults

CCM defines “disconnected” youths as those aged 14 to 26 who are not on track to land a steady job.

The commission hopes some of its recommendations will be taken up by state lawmakers for possible legislation while others can be tackled by local non-profit organizations or school boards.

CCM Executive Director and CEO Joe DeLong emphasized the solutions don’t have to require additional spending. He instead called for better management of the existing state budget.

“We certainly do need to reallocate resources better,” he said. “I don't think there’s any question about that.”

He said costs associated with any programs recommended by the commission will come with a “return on investment.”

The Dalio report in October 2023 put the potential economic return at up to $5.5 billion in terms of the increased gross domestic product that could result if young adults take up “a large portion of the Connecticut labor market’s 90,000 unfilled jobs.”

The study said getting more young adults back on track could also boost the state’s fiscal performance by as much as $750 million annually through a combination of increased tax revenues, lower spending on government services such as Medicaid, and lower incarceration costs.

Commission co-chairwoman and Torrington Mayor Elinor Carbone emphasized the multi-faceted crisis extends beyond the educational system into areas such as housing and food insecurity.

“If the family is experiencing instability in housing, it’s really difficult for them to focus on making sure their child is getting to school, making sure that their homework is done,” she said.

Commission co-chairman Josh Brown, who described his own youth as disconnected, said it was a priority for commission members to talk to kids experiencing the same struggles.

Brown is a youth advocate with the Stamford-based Domus social services agency and a former retail banking vice-president.

Brown said the commission held roundtable discussions with 150 young adults in Bridgeport, Stamford and Waterbury, and has plans to meet with 50 more in Stratford and Hartford.

“We have been going straight to the youth in their communities to learn about their perspective, their challenges, their hopes, their dreams,” he said.

And the kids do have big dreams, according to Brown. But many of them said they don’t have people to help them navigate challenges stemming from poverty. He also heard from young adults who wished they had known there was a path outside of the traditional college route that they could have followed to a good job.

Then there’s the problem that Brown said all the young adults talked about.

“They’re bored,” he said.

He said their ability to participate in recreational programs is often limited because they can’t afford to or they don’t know there are opportunities out there.

The commission held a local forum in Stonington in June that talked about alternative education programs, Brown said. Another will be held on Aug. 21 in Hampton to focus on the experience of rural youth.

e.regan@theday.com