Generational Revolutionary Owners Winning Numbers

Youth Economic Advancement (sponsored by the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation)

Expand existing project, program, or initiative

Youth often use the term 'grown' without grasping its full implications: maturity in thinking, decisions, finances, and business acumen. While volunteering at Crenshaw High School, the students in the entrepreneurship class confirmed this knowledge gap. The class expressed specific areas where they required support; understanding credit, acquiring job skills, advancing their careers, gaining financial literacy, realizing their dreams, and making sound decisions. Addressing America's opportunity gap necessitates confronting factors such as race, ethnicity, ZIP code, and socio-economic status. Research by esteemed organizations like 4-H reveals that COVID-19 has exacerbated existing inequities, particularly for those already burdened by trauma and social disadvantages. In response, our program aligns with the imperative for equity, bridging divides and providing equal opportunities to empower all young individuals to succeed, thrive, and realize their potential in life.

G.R.O.W.N. is an interactive program engaging youth, instructors, mentors in the community in a shared process teaching teens and young adults how to grow and own in the areas of personal development, wealth/finance, and business. Our curriculum is currently offered in two ways: 25 students p/session (1) 5-week in person sessions (two times p/week - 90 min. classes) - 3 Personal Development classes taught by Myeoshe' Edwards (F.A.C.E.) - 3 Wealth/Financial Literacy classes taught by Ashley Arledge (J.A.Y.A. Legacy) + a guest speaker - 3 Business (Intrapraneurship and Entrepreneurship) classes taught by Ashley Arledge (J.A.Y.A. Legacy)+ a guest speaker (2) 12-week in person sessions (once a week for 3 months - 90 min. classes). - 4 Personal Development classes - 4 Wealth/Financial Literacy classes - 4 Business (Intrapraneurship and Entrepreneurship) classes Sessions include: Mindset tools and resources, budget sessions, life planning documents, goal setting, resume building, job skills training, interviewing skills, business action plans, reading assignments, and credit building/repair tools, and mentorship. Entrepreneurs who complete their business action plan, have the option to select a mentor in the community in their genre of business to be mentored for a year (one hour per month). After program - we meet bi-weekly with the participants to continue support and provide more in depth training for those in need.

Our vision of success is as follows: - serving 75-100 youth in Los Angeles County - 80-90% completing the program w/ job training certifications - at least 75% of the entrepreneurs partaking in the mentorship portion of the program - 50% of the participants who completed the program continuing with the after program - 100% of the youth gaining a better understanding and being more equipped with tools and skills in the areas of personal development, wealth/financial literacy, and business. Our long term vision is to launch the program online in an effort to service more youth and young adults in all middle schools, high schools, and colleges in the Los Angeles county. The videos have been filmed. We are working to secure funding to finish the editing of the videos, build out the online platform, and train the teachers/instructors on the material to be a support to the students. We are working to have the videos up by August 2024.

We employ various impact measurements to assess our program's effectiveness: 1. Pre and post surveys measure knowledge, skill sets, and tools before and after our program. 2. G.R.O.W.N. Meet-ups, our continuation program, holds bi-weekly meetings to discuss lessons and address student questions. This allows us to fine-tune lessons, track progress, and address individual needs. 3. Individual check-ins occur through emails and phone calls. Our evidence of impact includes: 1. Students implementing budgeting skills, seeking higher-paying employment, and climbing the career ladder. 2. Students securing employment and beginning their budgeting journey. 3. Students obtaining credit reports, working on credit building or repair. 4. A young adult achieving their dream job, purchasing a house, paying off debt, and successfully managing anxiety attacks. 5. Young adults mentoring youth and teens in budgeting, personal development, and goal setting.

We are partnered with the non-profit organization Fearless Artistic Charisma Elegance (F.A.C.E.). F.A.C.E. works to find promotional opportunities, establish partnerships, and recruit youth and young adults for our program. Their lead instructor teaches and leads the personal development component of our program.