Cultural Issues Affecting Labor Force Participation. Background Paper No. 25 / Harriet Pipes McAdoo.

A major challenge facing U.S. society is how to bring the massive groups of underemployed and unemployed minorities into the mainstream of the labor market. These groups will soon comprise 22 percent of the labor market and will be expected to take over positions requiring increased skill levels, but for generations they have been hindered in acquiring necessary skills. Barriers to employment faced by ethnic minority groups, particularly families in poverty and young adults, are discrimination, restriction to occupations that are below their skill levels, the persistence of poverty, and dropping out of school. Approaches that may help in obtaining education and work skills include saturation selection and training; emphasis on small groups rather than individuals; mentoring; alliances among schools, homes, and training programs; and internship programs. Efforts must be made to increase the involvement of parents and extended family members, along with the child, to increase the achievements of school children. Well-funded preschool programs that involve children and their caretakers are needed, beginning with the mother's pregnancy. Welfare availability contributes only about 10-14 percent to the existence and growth of single parents and poverty. Limited economic opportunities of black and Hispanic males prevent marriage. The majority of single mothers have been previously married. Adolescent pregnancy is now declining among blacks and increasing among whites, although early pregnancies are a continuing problem in all communities. (The paper includes recommendations and 42 references.) (CML)

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