Results are in from the Power of Us Workforce Survey, a national effort to explore, define and elevate the work of professionals and volunteers in an expansive range of youth-serving organizations like Minnesota 4-H.
Adults who work with youth beyond the classroom play an essential role in their development. They hold jobs in a range of settings, including school- and community-based after-school programs, summer learning programs and camps, sports, library and museum programs, youth employment programs, and more.
Understanding the motivations and experiences of this workforce is crucial to recruiting and retaining staff in these roles and improving their experiences at work.
Power of Us Workforce Survey key takeaways
Key takeaways from over 7,000 current staff responses:
- Career pathways: 62% of respondents joined the field due to a sense of purpose and commitment. They stay because they enjoy working with youth, find purpose in it and have a personal connection.
- Professional learning: 84% of respondents have access to professional learning through their organization and there is a critical need for on-the-job training.
- Professional wellbeing: 87% of respondents feel valued at work, but 47% feel burned out.
- Compensation: Respondents expressed the need for improved pay and benefits; this was the top aspect they would change about their job.
Youth Fields Workforce Perspective reports
The survey is part of a larger Youth Fields Study, designed to respond to the long-standing need to update, broaden and deepen understanding of who works with our nation’s young people.
I was a member of a national team that developed research protocols, conducted interviews, analyzed data and wrote a series of Youth Fields Workforce Perspectives. These reports cover critical workforce issues, ranging from community institutions to summer programs, and from entry points and recruitment to compensation and career pathways. They bring to life some of the findings of the Power of Us Workforce Survey and elevate critical lessons and recommendations for the field.
Moroney, D.A., Brown, M.E.M., Diffenderffer, A.E., Vasudevan, D.S., Richter, J.Y., Carrol, R., Syvertsen, A.K., & Tasayco Prado, G.N. (2025). The Power of Us: The Youth Fields Workforce. Findings From the National Power of Us Workforce Survey. Washington, DC.: American Institutes for Research. https://wallacefoundation.org/report/power-us-youth-fields-workforce-findings-national-power-us-workforce-survey-findings
Starr, E., Franklin, E., Franks, A., Hall, G., McGuiness-Carmichael, P., Parchia, P., Karmelic-Pavlov, V., & Walker, K. (2023). Youth fields workforce perspectives. Afterschool Matters, 37, 7–35. https://www.niost.org/Afterschool-Matters-Fall-2023/youth-fields-workforce-perspectives