New Options: Movement Building

Impact Target: DYA-Driven Movement --> Employment

Problem: While there have been numerous initiatives to move disconnected young adults back into school or into employment, these initiatives typically do not engage DYA themselves in making their voices and perspectives heard about the issues and barriers they face. What’s more, DYA are largely disconnected from each other, making it very difficult for them to exert any influence on public policy related to education and employment.

Hypothesis
If: DYA are mobilized to self-identify as a positive force in society, and social media is leveraged to help them organize and engage others…

Then: The collective voice of DYA and the broader community of individuals who are invested in their success – the movement – will have a powerful effect on the perceptions of DYA both within communities and among em­ployers and policy makers who make decisions that affect their lives.

Action: The movement building zone is working di­rectly with DYAs using social media and mobile tools, as well as journalism and media, to shift the dialogue surrounding DYAs and to create specific calls to ac­tion in policy and employer practices.