ERIC Number: ED611238
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2021-Jan
Pages: 16
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Young Adult Talent Development: Meeting the Reinvention Challenge
Gregg, Aundrea; Steinberg, Adria
Jobs for the Future
As coronavirus infections surge again across the United States, young adults living in low-income communities are experiencing a tremendous loss of educational and economic opportunity. As many high schools and colleges respond to reports of new infections by moving back and forth between in-person and virtual learning, the lack of consistency is loosening the critical bonds that link educators to young adults. Students are also connecting less with school counselors and the support programs that help them access college and persist to earn a credential. In the face of these challenges, community-based organizations that serve young adults facing barriers to education and employment are more important than ever. Since the first stay-at-home orders went into effect in March 2020, these nonprofits quickly shifted their delivery models and intensified their efforts to assist the growing number of young adults seeking training and employment. This nimbleness is exemplified by members of Jobs for the Future's (JFF's) Young Adult Talent Development (YATD) Network, a group that brings together leaders of over 35 organizations that help low-income young adults gain the skills, credentials, and connections necessary for economic mobility. In the spring of 2020, YATD Network members quickly pivoted to virtual delivery models--trading ideas on how to do so while still developing or maintaining strong relationships with participants as well as employer partners. This issue brief shares insights gleaned from three virtual "reinvention" sessions with young adult leaders and leaders of community-based organizations involved in the network. During these gatherings, participants experienced first-hand how human-centered design processes could help them draw on their existing resources, creativity, and partnerships to continue to develop innovative solutions to tough challenges at an uncertain time.
Descriptors: Young Adults, Talent Development, Low Income Students, Social Mobility, Partnerships in Education, Community Organizations, Educational Opportunities, Employment Opportunities, COVID-19, Pandemics, Educational Innovation, Soft Skills, Electronic Learning, Design, Social Media, Leadership, Student Participation, Participative Decision Making, Social Justice, Job Training
Jobs for the Future. 88 Broad Street 8th Floor, Boston, MA 02110. Tel: 617-728-4446; Fax: 617-728-4857; e-mail: info@jff.org; Web site: http://www.jff.org
Publication Type: Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: JFF (Jobs for the Future)
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A