Compound Creative Corps

Youth economic advancement

Long Beach

Pilot or new project, program, or initiative (testing or implementing a new idea)

The Compound Creative Corps is a youth professional development program that introduces high school students to creative careers. The program provides tools and experiences that support creative entrepreneurship, from tactical opportunities in program design and production, to developing social networks that support emerging professionals as they transition into the working world. This program addresses the post-pandemic gap in career preparation for at-risk youth in Long Beach.
Transitional age youth, typically aged 16-24, are at high risk of social isolation and developing chronic mental health concerns as they move from the enclaves of high school and into independence in the working world. Between 6-12% of youth in this age group struggle with serious mental health conditions, and this tends to be higher amongst youth drawn to creative fields that often have less defined life paths.

Compound is a creative sanctuary operating in the Zaferia community of Long Beach. Some 37,953 Zaferian residents live in a culturally vibrant area of about 2.5 square miles where the median household income is $61,495 (US Census), less than 50% of the $138,700 average median income for a family of four in the City of Long Beach.
Compound’s Creative Corps program provides a safe space for young people to develop peer networks and real skills in creative fields. They will be introduced to early professionals as well as accomplished leaders in these fields, and be given opportunities to create public experiences, collateral, and programming utilizing Compound’s spaces and resources. Corps members will leave the program with a portfolio of work that will support their professional aspirations, and most importantly, an established network of peers and professionals.
This program addresses the gap in career preparation for at-risk youth in Long Beach. Transitional age youth, typically aged 16-24, are at high risk of social isolation and developing chronic mental health concerns as they move from the enclaves of high school into independence in the working world. Between 6-12% of youth in this group struggle with serious mental health conditions, and this tends to be higher amongst youth in creative fields with less defined life paths. Compound’s Creative Corps program provides a generative space for high schoolers to develop peer networks and real skills in creative fields.

Los Angeles is a creative capital, a Mecca for individuals seeking to build brands, create innovative art, and develop networks of dreamers. Concurrently, we are experiencing a crisis as transitional age youth emerge into an unknown landscape, with few professional or social supports to take them from the foundations of high school to the rigors of college or early career development. If our work is successful, we will build a thriving network of connected young people who have the tools and support to develop successful careers and maintain healthy psycho-social lives. We aspire to create a lifelong connection between creative entrepreneurs that will contribute to the enterprise of Los Angeles while also impacting the lives and wellbeing of individuals at risk for the health and social consequences of isolation.