LEARNLife Literacy Workshops for TAY and Systems-Impacted Young People
Make Good’s Life Literacy Workshop series gives TAY and systems-impacted young people who are pursuing higher education the opportunity to develop critical life skills and access the tools they need to thrive. Grant funds will be used to hire professional facilitators who understand the TAY population to deliver information that is relevant and useful in a safe and nurturing space. These deserving young people, who are defying the odds, are valued and given the guidance to navigate career and college as they transition to adulthood.
What is the primary issue area that your application will impact?
Support for foster and systems-impacted youth
In what stage of innovation is this project, program, or initiative?
Expand existing project, program, or initiative (expanding and continuing ongoing, successful work)
What is your understanding of the issue that you are seeking to address?
When TAY age out of the foster care system many are left on their own to navigate housing, education, and employment. Studies show only 50% of TAY graduate from High School and 1 in 5 experience homelessness within 2 years of aging out. Pursuing higher learning is more challenging for this community. Without the tools to keep up, one’s ambitions can be derailed. Foster youth are more likely to be victims of identity theft and credit report problems become barriers to school loans, leasing a car, apartment etc. TAY youth living in transitional housing often are required to obtain financial literacy training which can be unrelatable and not reflective of the unique needs of this population. Research shows all foster youth face trauma leading to mental stress, emotional dysregulation, and depression. TAY experience PTSD at 2Xs the rate of US War Vets. There are not enough resources to address these concerns and schools struggle to provide support services or connect TAY to them.
Describe the project, program, or initiative this grant will support to address the issue.
Make Good offers Life Literacy Workshops. These immersive, interactive multi-part series offer intensive learning and provide tools and skills specifically for TAY and systems impacted youth who are pursing higher education. Our facilitators are experts in their field and have lived experience. Youth participants receive a weekly stipend, transportation and a new laptop to help them access financial tools, support their schoolwork and career needs. Participants learn about budgeting, credit, credit scores/reports, investing, debt management, and identity theft. The last session is a private 1-on-1 budget and goals assessment to create a plan for success. Our Mindfulness series is focused on building resilience and coping mechanisms. TAY learn and practice mindfulness techniques, map their inner progress, integrate breathing exercises, and share their challenges in conversation circles to empower themselves and amplify their voices. Our intentional outreach seeks young people that are connected to highly effective and respected mentorship and workforce development programs. Their long-term connection with our participants creates a support network to help reinforce what was learned and keep the youth on a path to success. An unprecedented community of support and encouragement grows within each cohort leading to long-term positive outcomes. Make Good series participants remain in communication with each other, establish trust, share resources and develop friendships.
Describe how Los Angeles County will be different if your work is successful.
Make Good seeks to flip the statistics for Systems Impacted Youth in Los Angeles into a new positive norm. As Angelenos we see the damaging effects of how not having guidance and life skills plays out in the news and in our communities. Our intention is to create a Los Angeles where TAY and systems impacted youth can learn, imagine, and achieve their full potential. Connecting young people with the tools to contribute positively to society is needed now. Over the grant period Make Good will host its Mindfulness and Financial Literacy workshops and develop a roadmap to financial independence for participants. Make Good workshops alleviate stress and remove the burden of navigating adulthood on their own. The long-term goal is to help participants achieve stability, gain access to housing, school loans, transportation, live within a budget, develop calming and coping skills, find more resources, and become part of a cohort that is moving forward together to make LA a better place.
What evidence do you have that this project, program, or initiative is or will be successful, and how will you define and measure success?
Our intake survey collects baseline data to gauge the participants understanding of the topics to be addressed in the series. The survey informs our facilitators to meet participants where they are. A post survey measures growth in each area. This data is used to develop best practices and inform our offerings. We collect anecdotal information and testimonials to complete the picture. Participants create a success plan as part of the work. Impact is measured by the progress made against each metric on their personal plan. We invite ‘graduates’ to a one-day “201” workshop, where they brush up on what they learned and explore some other relevant topics. This is a chance for us to check-in and capture more data with surveys. Our myriad events throughout the year gives us access and touch points to see progress with our own eyes. We have seen between 35-50% improvement in understanding of each topic area and the anecdotal feedback is overwhelmingly positive.
Approximately how many people will be impacted by this project, program, or initiative?
100 Directly, 500 Indirectly