LEARNProviding Quality Job Access to Untapped Teens and Young Adults
Knit Marketing is a social media marketing agency that recruits, trains, and employs teens and young adults from untapped communities in Los Angeles, to manage marketing campaigns for businesses.
Please describe your project proposal.
Knit Marketing has been in operation since June 2016. We have hired two interns from View Park High School and are consistently managing social media accounts for 2 monthly clients and supporting 2 additional small business clients with short term projects. Knit Marketing is expanding and aims to create a sustainable business that will be able to hire and train at least 6 youth employees this year, and double the number of employees each year thereafter.
Which of the LEARN metrics will your proposal impact?
College matriculation rates
District-wide graduation rates
Student education pipeline
Youth unemployment and underemployment
In what areas of Los Angeles will you be directly working?
East LA
South LA
Describe in greater detail how your proposal will make LA the best place to LEARN?
Knit Marketing serves 16-22 year-olds living in marginalized neighborhoods in Los Angeles by providing jobs and skills training, addressing the fundamental issue of the need for quality jobs and/or skills training available to young people in low-income areas. We help beneficiaries finish high school, apply for college and/or jobs, and train for participation in professional meetings and presentations.
To provide mentoring and job opportunities, KM offers unmatched digital marketing services to customers looking to reach a teen market. Our team produces & manages content on all social platforms and offers a youth perspective direct from the source.
Our interns are developing technical skills not previously made available. They are learning how to speak in front of groups, communicate with clients, deliver consistent quality service, and use this job on their resumes to help with future opportunities. Clients and colleagues have commented on our interns' professionalism and how they can see apparent growth even in the first few months. By providing access to quality jobs, KM is bettering the community at large and future generations.
Furthermore, through our research, we have found that students involved in similar technical training organizations have a higher high school completion rate and are more likely to be involved in additional extra curricular activities. In other words, giving students a job opportunity like this gives them faith that there is a better future for them, and inspires them to finish high school and apply to college and/or future jobs.
Please explain how you will define and measure success for your project.
Knit Marketing's success will be measured both in terms of economics and social impact. The financial health of the company will be measured by number of new and repeat clients quarterly and annually.
The social impact will be measured by the following:
-Number of students who complete a 12-week internship
-Number of youth employees that work with Knit Marketing for one year or more
-Number of students who get accepted to college
-Number of students who complete college with mentoring from KM
-Number of students who go on to sustainable careers
How can the LA2050 community and other stakeholders help your proposal succeed?
Money
Publicity/awareness
Education/training
Network/relationship support