This Way ONward

Unlocking career potential, one young person at a time.

This Way ONward unlocks potential for economically marginalized, early-career talent aged 16 to 24 and provides access to valuable talent for our Old Navy stores. 

 Meet Brisa and Jocelyn, and hear their powerful impact story about how Old Navy is enabling opportunity through This Way ONward.

Goals	Progress
By 2025 Hire 5% of entry-level store employees from This Way ONward Reach 20,000 youth through This Way ONward	2023 4.3% 19,600+

Our Approach

By partnering with community-based organizations across the U.S. and Canada, This Way ONward has paved the way to employment and financial stability through skills training, mentorship, work experience and wraparound supports like career coaching, transportation, financial education. 

This Way ONward supports our efforts to cultivate diverse talent, with 70 percent of alumni identifying as People of Color. It also encourages partnerships with local community organizations, strengthening connections between stores and the communities they serve, resulting in improved employee engagement for volunteers who support the program.  

Our data shows that This Way ONward participants exhibit longer job tenures and higher engagement scores than their peers at Old Navy. This Way ONward participants also demonstrate individual benefits such as increased confidence; increased capacities in interpersonal communication, problem-solving, time management, and conflict resolution; increased financial literacy and mental arithmetic; increased opportunities for advancement; expanded professional networks (social capital); and increased income. 

This Way ONward also has meaningful ripple effects on participants’ communities and families, increasing community engagement, positive relationships with friends and family, and, due to better job prospects, reduced financial stress for their families.