A discussion about the future of rural America is insufficient without considering the needs and opinions of tomorrow’s leaders. The Lab approaches the Next Generation from two perspectives: traditional policy and research work on the major issues for rural youth, and partnerships with youth and media experts to lift up the voices of tomorrow’s rural leaders.

Rural youth tend to have fewer opportunities for accessing post-secondary education, employment, and health and human services. Limited access to these important resources contributes to the current trend of rural youth outmigration.

Yet the news is not all bad: surveys of rural youth in the Midwest and elsewhere indicate that given the opportunity, research by the RUPRI Center for Rural Entrepreneurship finds that about 50% of young rural people would prefer to stay in or return to their rural communities after college.

Every rural community needs leaders and human capital. Investing in rural youth with long-term ties to their communities can help create and retain that capacity. There are opportunities for tomorrow’s leaders and workers in many established and emerging rural industries:

• Natural resource management
• Agriculture (especially within the local and regional food systems movement)
• Renewable energy
• Transportation systems

The Lab hopes to help identify and plan for the challenges and opportunities for rural youth over the next two decades. Possible areas for research and policy action include:

• Outmigration trends and impacts
• Limited connectivity: transportation & broadband
• Youth drug use and homelessness
• Transitions: Education and employment
• Youth leadership & engagement