New Ways to Work (NWW) was established in 1972 to address workplace issues, beginning with the invention and promotion of job sharing to help women and others balance work with life.  It pioneered work-time alternatives such as flex-time, telecommuting, and phased retirement and later expanded its focus to provide better access to high quality employment opportunities for youth enrolled in school or training programs.

In 2005, NWW created the Los Angeles Youth Transition Action Team (YTAT) as part of a statewide program to link public and private sectors in supporting the needs of foster youth.  YTAT is designed to ensure healthy outcomes for transitioning foster youth, focusing on the areas of career development, employment, and policy recommendations.

YTAT hired a case manager to oversee and provide a six-week summer jobs program for 100 foster youth. The case manager provides follow-up support for youth after they complete their employment. Youth are assigned to work 120 hours with government offices and non-profit organizations in the community and are paid $8 an hour. City, State, and Federal offices and non-profit organizations serve as worksites, providing supervision and a structured work program. Worksites sign an agreement defining youths' responsibilities, and worksite supervisors attend an orientation to introduce them to the goals and structure of the program.