San Antonio could open the door to internship opportunities for thousands of young people who are neither in school nor working under a proposal filed this month by District 5 Councilwoman Teri Castillo.
Castillo submitted a Council Consideration Request (CCR) asking the city to explore a pilot program that would allow “opportunity youth” — people ages 16 to 24 disconnected from both school and the workforce — to participate in the city’s Ambassador Summer Internship Program.
The request does not create the program outright, but instead asks city leaders to consider developing a pilot initiative that would expand eligibility.
According to United States Census Bureau’s 2024 American Community Survey data cited in the request, more than 36,000 young people in Bexar County fall into the opportunity youth category.
“There is a responsibility that we have to ensure that these 36,000 opportunity youth are connected with opportunities,” Castillo said. “Not only does it help with their workforce development, but also soft skills, social-emotional skills, and it’s an opportunity for youth to learn what may or may not be a good fit for them in terms of identifying what their path forward should be.”
While San Antonio already has several workforce and youth-focused programs, including NXT Level, Ready to Work and Municipal Court initiatives, the proposal argues that gaps remain — particularly for youth who do not meet eligibility requirements tied to education or enrollment.
The city’s ambassador program, for example, is currently limited to students enrolled in college who have completed at least one year and graduated from a San Antonio high school, effectively excluding many opportunity youth.
Castillo said the population the proposal aims to reach often includes young people navigating significant barriers, including involvement in the justice system or unstable home environments.
“These are single moms and single dads. These are individuals that have been justice-involved or have a parent that’s justice-involved,” she said. “The goal here is to help individuals gain workforce opportunities and potentially redirect down a different path — giving opportunity where we often find barriers.”
Under current city guidelines, the CCR must be placed on the Governance Committee agenda within 60 days of being submitted, or by the second scheduled committee meeting, whichever is sooner.
If it advances through the committee, city staff would be directed to develop a pilot program, including recommendations on structure, eligibility and funding.
The proposal draws on research showing that early work experience can play a critical role in shaping long-term outcomes for young people. Youth who are disconnected from school and employment during their late teens and early twenties are more likely to face unstable employment, lower wages and other long-term challenges.
That disconnection is also linked to broader public safety concerns. Research shows that young people who are not engaged in school or work are more likely to experience issues such as increased involvement in criminal activity and substance use, though the relationship is complex and influenced by a range of social and economic factors.
For youth who have already had contact with the justice system, those risks can be even more pronounced. Involvement in the system can disrupt connections to school and employment while increasing barriers to future job opportunities, creating a cycle that can be difficult to break.
The CCR frames the proposed effort as one way to interrupt that cycle by providing structured work experience, skill development and a pathway back into education or the workforce.
Castillo pointed to results from similar programs in other cities like Chicago, which have shown reductions in youth violence and improvements in long-term outcomes.
“They see a reduction in youth violence and then they’ve also seen an increase in graduation rates,” she said. “There’s a lot to gain in terms of improving the quality of life for young adults, but ultimately it’s going to have a greater impact for the city of San Antonio and Bexar County.”
For now, the proposal remains in its earliest stage, awaiting consideration for placement on a Governance Committee agenda.
