G.R.O.W.N. - Youth and Young Adult Program

F.A.C.E.

Income Inequality

County of Los Angeles

Pilot or new project, program, or initiative

A recent federal report found that in 2018, America’s income gap was the largest it’s ever been in 50 years. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, that divide will most likely be much bigger. Pay disparities can be a factor at play, based on race, gender and sexuality. Even in the field of social work, the gender pay gap exists. There is a significant difference in how men and women are compensated for the same work. Obtaining equality in America is a big picture issue that social workers have been and will continue to be dedicated to addressing.

G.R.O.W.N. is an interactive program designed to engage youth, instructors, coaches, staff mentors and the community in a shared process teaching and equipping teens and young adults with tools on how to grow and own in the areas of self, wealth/finance, and business. G.R.O.W.N. promotes teamwork, innovation, heightened individuality, acceptance, diversity, equity, and inclusion. It has the ability to establish an entrepreneurial spirit through activities, interactions, key learnings and exchanges between the community champions and the youth. G.R.O.W.N. purposes to engage it’s participants in life changing experiences resulting in their positive development. In our 12-week online course or 4-week accelerated in-person course, our participants are equipped with knowledge, information, and tools to level educational and generational wealth playing field. The program provides information and tools to teach youth how to grow and own their thoughts, mindset, actions, attitudes, association, habits, finances, and business opportunities all which have a vital role in shaping who they become. The wealthy teach their assigned youth these valuable lessons from the moment they are born and as such have a leg up on everyone else. We believe imparting this information into youth and young adults of underserved communities will begin to close the income equity gap and empower them to live and become individuals who are impactful to their communities.

We believe Los Angeles County will result in having youth and young adults who value life, a generation caring for the community they live in - giving back, a generation moving out of poverty with the income gap closing, communities working together for the betterment of all, a generation taking ownership of self and choosing growth and forward movement, respect between the older and younger generations, more business owners in our communities stimulating the economy and their own communities, youth and young adults taking responsibility for themselves, actions, attitudes, habits, and most importantly mindset.

We are in the early launching stages of our program. As such we are currently measuring our progress through pre and post surveys, consistent attendance, homework completed and implemented, 3 month follow-ups with entrepreneur students who have engaged in mentorship portion of program, and monthly emails to all participants requesting updates and pics to highlight on website and social media.

The partner organization has created and will be teaching our persol development portion of the program as well as training teachers/facilitators of the program on the persol development portion of the program.