A community team, led by Wayne County Public Library, has been selected by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Carolina Across 100 initiative as one of 13 groups in North Carolina to expand education and employment pathways for young adults. The 13 groups – made up of business, civic, education, nonprofit, faith-based, and government entities representing 37 counties from the mountains to the coast – will receive a variety of supports from the University, all aimed at connecting North Carolina’s young adults to jobs that pay a living wage. “We are thrilled that the Wayne County Public Library was chosen for this initiative. Economic development can’t happen without education and workforce development. These local partnerships, along with the support from the university, will help connect residents with employment opportunities” said County Manager Craig Honeycutt.

The challenges and improvements in postsecondary attainment are complex and it is unrealistic to think that any one agency alone can effectively address the multi-layered factors. Library Director, Donna Phillips, said “using a collective impact model, Wayne County Public Library, alongside its key partners, will mobilize community stakeholders to expand educational opportunities and provide meaningful workforce development experiences intended to place Opportunity Youth on a pathway to success.” Wayne County Public Library and its core community partners, who have a long history of working collaboratively, will work together to address the needs of Opportunity Youth across Wayne County.

Core partners for the project are:
Communities Supporting Schools of Wayne County
Wayne Community College
Wayne County Chamber of Commerce
Wayne County Public Schools