Whole Humans for a Thriving, Innovative LA

Youth economic advancement

San Fernando Valley County of Los Angeles (select only if your project has a countywide benefit) Long Beach South Bay

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

At the root of youth economic stagnation lies a deeper, often overlooked issue: the lack of fundamental inner development. Many young people, especially NEET Youth, and others underrepresented groups struggle not because they lack ambition or intelligence, but because they lack training in fundamental inner qualities like self-analysis, thought mastery, emotional intelligence, resilience, and communication.
20% of adults living in LA County experience mental illness, with rising depression and suicide. Research from the World Economic Forum shows non-cognitive skills and brain health as critical to well-being and workforce readiness.
Without non-cognitive development, these groups remain vulnerable to low self-worth, hopelessness, and making bad decisions, barriers to quality of life & future, and cost to communities. Lacking opportunities to develop and co-design, they rely on others for pathways to economic inclusion and long-term success, which is not always reliable.

Research from the Inner Development Goals (IDG) framework (2021) shows that inner capacities of Being, Thinking, Relating, Collaborating, and Acting are essential for achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals and for thriving in complex work environments; non-cognitive and Emotional Intelligence skills are also recognized as predictors of confidence, success, leadership, and well-being.
This grant will support the pilot of Ahoo, an AI-powered, interactive coaching platform designed to deliver Whole Human development through our comprehensive Mindful Life Optimization (MLO) lessons and personalized guidance to build these essential skills.
Through experiential lessons, participants learn to overcome pressure, distraction, and challenges, and consider the well-being of all living beings. Including friends and family to support learning and creating better habits.
This learning experience will be supported by trained Professional Counselors and live group sessions to facilitate understanding, engage critical thinking, and design career pathways to bring these essentials to their communities.
This innovative, interactive hybrid model helps participants overcome internal and systemic barriers to employment, social and personal growth, and well-being and success in work and relationships.
*Our attached video sample shows how critical non-cognitive skills are for first responses. The Ahoo platform will provide these and more to elevate systems and life in Los Angeles County.

Ahoo will transform Los Angeles County by cultivating Whole Humans equipped with emotional intelligence, and non-cognitive skills including resilience, communication skills, systems thinking, goal setting, creativity, self-care, and environmental stewardship. This will give agency to NEET Youth and underrepresented groups, including women, Indigenous, BIPOC, people with disabilities, those in foster systems, and LGBTQ+ Angelenos, to thrive and rise to lead across all sectors.
As they grow in these skills, they pave employment pathways to carry on the work of Ahoo to empower immigrants, break intergenerational poverty, and create safer environments, greater civic engagement, and social inclusion throughout Los Angeles.
Youth will possess the internal conditions necessary for learning and innovation and contribute meaningfully to the future of STEAM in Los Angeles.
LA will become a global model for human-centered progress, public safety, life satisfaction, and making AI for Good.