Frequently Asked Questions

RAND, a nonprofit, independent research organization, is conducting this survey with funding and support from The Heinz Endowments, a philanthropic organization that works to grow an exemplary, sustainable Pittsburgh region where everyone prospers and belongs.

The Heinz Endowments’ workforce grantmaking strategy works to boost employment opportunities for the youngest members of the southwestern Pennsylvania workforce, with the goal of producing actionable results that reduce rates of disconnection among young people in the region. Both RAND and The Heinz Endowments have deep roots in the region and a shared commitment to improving outcomes for young people across southwestern Pennsylvania.

25,000 households were randomly selected from one of the following counties: Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Greene, Indiana, Lawrence, Washington, and Westmoreland.

First, participants complete a 5-minute screener questionnaire to see if someone in their household is eligible for the survey. Participants must be 18 years or older to complete the screener. Eligible young adults will then be asked to complete a 25-minute online survey that includes questions about their education, training, job experiences, and aspirations and plans. We will continue to invite eligible young adults to complete an annual survey for the next five years for as long as they remain between the ages of 18 and 24. Please note that only one young adult per household can participate in the survey.

To thank participants for taking the time to complete the 5-minute screening questionnaire, they will receive a $10 gift card—a code redeemable for a gift card from their choice of retailers. Young adults will receive a $25 gift card for completing each annual survey (up to $135 total if they complete the screener and all five annual survey waves). Participation is completely voluntary..

Yes, only the RAND research team will have access to the information participants provide. We will not release any information that could identify study participants either directly or indirectly to anyone outside of the research team. (All results will be anonymized.) All survey responses will be stored securely, with access limited to research team members trained on data security.

The information participants share will be used for research purposes only. Survey responses will be used to describe the experiences and challenges faced by young adults in southwestern Pennsylvania and will inform recommendations for programs and policies that aim to improve the education, training, and employment opportunities for young adults in the region. We will analyze and report findings across all participants and survey results will be presented in the form of summary statistics. We will create a de-identified data set by removing participants’ names, addresses, and any other details that could easily identify them. This anonymized data set will be shared with The Heinz Endowments and may be made available to other researchers upon request to support future research.

For most respondents, the survey involves no risks from participating. Some survey questions may cause some participants to feel distressed, embarrassed, or uncomfortable. Participants may skip any questions or stop the survey at any point.