The TAY-TILLMAN RIPPLE EFFECT 'TRE' PROGRAM AKA "TAY-TRE PROGRAM"

Youth economic advancement

County of Los Angeles (select only if your project has a countywide benefit)

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

There is a great need for a Lived Experienced-Led prevention & leadership program to educate & assist the navigation of our TAY generation who are in desperate need of mentorship to prevent from being the next victim of the system. A stipend program led by professionals with lived experience and the credentials and credibility to provide the participants with diversity & positive attributes to learn and build healthy foundations to manage everyday life & challenging situations. By empowering the TAY generation to have a better economic education, financial resources, mentorship, entrepreneurism & communication tools we will be a part of assisting in shaping our future leaders in our communities. We will provide the safe space and opportunities for the TAY to grow as we mentor, guide and provide leadership. Stipends will be allocated to participants who are successfully complying during the course of the program to ease any financial burden they are facing at that present time.

This grant will support a Lived Experience-Led Prevention & Leadership Program designed to uplift Transitional Age Youth (TAY) who face heightened risks of systemic entrapment due to lack of guidance, resources, and economic opportunity. Led by trained professionals with lived experience, the initiative offers culturally competent mentorship that resonates with the realities TAY face daily. The program provides a safe, healing-centered space where participants are supported in developing life skills, leadership capacity, and resilience. Through structured workshops, real-world scenario training, and group mentorship, TAY will gain critical tools in financial literacy, entrepreneurship, emotional regulation, and effective communication. Participants will also receive stipends tied to engagement and progress, reducing financial stress and enabling consistent participation. This initiative intentionally centers lived experience as a bridge to credibility, relatability, and transformative growth. By providing relatable mentors and practical skills, this program helps prevent system involvement, while cultivating the next generation of empowered, informed, and economically capable community leaders.

If our work is successful, Los Angeles County will be home to a new generation of empowered, self-sufficient Transitional Age Youth (TAY) who are equipped to lead, thrive, and uplift their communities. System involvement among TAY will decline as mentorship, economic literacy, and healing-centered leadership become accessible pathways to success. Neighborhoods will benefit from emerging young leaders who have the tools to navigate challenges, build businesses, contribute to the workforce, and mentor others. The cycle of trauma and incarceration will begin to break as lived experience becomes a source of strength, not stigma. Through our program, the County will see stronger family units, safer communities, and increased community-led solutions driven by those closest to the challenges. This shift not only benefits TAY it strengthens the fabric of LA County for generations to come.