Twenty-one youth between the ages of 16 and 19 from around the country came together to participate in an IWGYP-sponsored listening session in Chevy Chase, MD, in October 2018. These youth informed the Interagency Working Group on Youth Programs (IWGYP) that decisions about education and careers were among the most important in their lives — a distinction shared only with decisions about identity, access to healthcare, and healthy relationships.
Youth advised the IWGYP to develop this toolkit to address the most pressing questions on their minds. Questions like:
- What educational path is right for me?
- How can I finance my education?
- How do I plan my career?
- What job and career options can I choose from?
- What technologies will impact jobs and my future?
In response to this feedback, the IWGYP convened a group of summer youth interns (thanks, Ezra, Jala, and Caroline!) to curate a collection of resources for Youth Engaged 4 Change focused on education and careers. They applied strict vetting criteria to ensure the resources that made the cut were from reputable organizations, offered free of charge, and tailored to a youth audience. They also grouped the resources by theme to make it easier for youth to find what they need in as few clicks as possible.