Centre Future: A Declaration of Interdependence
El Paso Public Library
Innovation Synopsis
Centre Future: A youth led program at El Paso Public Library that now empowers 16–26-year-olds who are not currently enrolled in school or engaged in gainful employment. The program provides mentorship, job and academic readiness, creative outlets, safe supportive space to empower youth, build confidence, and build skills toward a brighter future.
Challenge/Opportunity
El Paso's Opportunity Youth: There are a total of 14.900 Disconnected Youth in the City of El Paso. These OYYA (Opportunity Youth and Young Adults) are identified as individuals between the ages of 16-26 who are not enrolled in school or are not employed or are currently underemployed. This total includes: 46% Young Mothers, 26% Persons with Disabilities, 25% Completed High School Diploma, 24% Limited English Proficiency, 22% Receiving Medicaid.
To address the needs of the target population, the El Paso Public Library opened the first re-engagement Center for OYYA in a public library setting in the nation and the only center for youth In the City of El Paso, TX. Centre Future opened its doors on April 10, 2025, in the newly renovated Main Library. This innovative program is completely youth-designed and youth-led. Three highly qualified Youth Mentors run the program supervised by our Literacy Coordinator and staff. Scheduled Programming: Job Lab, Skills Studio and Care Corner.
Key Elements of Innovation
The timeline began in 2023 with the development of the Breakthrough 915 Collaborative. After a year of meeting and planning it was determined that the City of El Paso needed to open a re-engagement center to address the needs of OYYA residents.
The Breakthrough 915 Collaborative decided that the best place to open a youth re-engagement center was in the public library. The City of El Paso submitted a pilot project proposal to the Aspen Institute in 2024 to open a re-engagement center at the Main library in the downtown area under the direction of the Library's Literacy Center. It was funded, and three youth fellows were hired to create, design and develop the center.
Key Partners: Breakthrough 915 Collaborative, Aspen Institute, National League of Cities, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Workforce Solutions Borderplex, City of El Paso.
Activities: Youth Mentorship, Job/Academic Readiness, Creative Outlets, Safe Supportive space designed to build confidence and build skills for OYYA.
Achieved Outcomes
Youth designed, youth led, youth run. Centre Future is the only re-engagement center for OYYA housed in a public library! Over 500 OYYA served to date.
Data Metrics:
Number of visitors, daily and monthly.
Outreach: Number of youths contacted.
ISP participants and Follow-up.
Milestones Changes in participants attitudes, behavior, choices.
Participant Feedback:
F21 "I look forward to resources! The environment is really chill. I like being able to connect with nice people. It is an opportunity. The podcast room, the supplies you have, it needs to stay free."
F 19 "Being able to find people who have been in the same situation as me, being able to talk about things that I can’t tell a lot of people. It kind hurts sometimes! Finding the resources and being able to talk about what I want to do in my life has been really encouraging to keep going!"
M26 “I get to relax in a comfy space, it feels like my room. They let me be.”
Supporting Materials:
