There are more 16- to 24-year-olds not working or in school in San Diego than you might think (sandiegouniontribune.com)

There are 43,210 young people between the ages of 16 to 24 who are not in school or working in San Diego County, says a new report by the San Diego Workforce Partnership.

The report, based on an analysis of the 2015 American Community Survey, shows almost 10 percent of the county’s youth are “disconnected” from school or work. Experts say that puts them at higher risk for long-term unemployment and poverty.

Andy Hall, vice president and chief program officer at San Diego Workforce Partnership, said the problem goes beyond just taking a few years off. Data shows those without some education after high school will see a reduction in their lifetime earning potential.

Carlos Cortez, the president of San Diego Continuing Education, said at the summit that helping young adults early in life can mean stopping all sorts of trouble like jail or even death.

“The most important factor in the work we are doing is the individual, personal human connections with these young adults,” he said. “When you’ve experienced the trauma that these individuals have experienced, they’ve lost their childhood.”

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