About our Co-Host: The Collective Blueprint

The Collective Blueprint works with young adults who are out of school to develop a career path with a living wage. The organization offers funding to support young adults as they train to enter advanced manufacturing careers, including electric vehicle production technology and adjacent industries.

The young adults are supported while they train for their careers through ongoing coaching, monthly stipends, and free therapy so that they persist through training and in their jobs. Program participants have a completion rate of 70%, and alumni have collectively achieved wage growth of 150% with zero debt. The Collective Blueprint is also leading a coalition of organizations creating opportunities for young adults in our city.

The agency is a FY24 FOREVER Funds grantee of the Community Foundation.

Support the Collective Blueprint's mission to increase socioeconomic mobility for Opportunity Youth in our community.

Pictured: (bottom row, l-r) panelists Quinteria Taylor, Amber Covington, Sarah Lockridge-Steckel; (top row, l-r) moderator Jared Barnett, panelists Meka Egwuekwe and Andy Davis

Key Takeaways

In Greater Memphis, a significant population of 45,000 young adults aged 16-24 are neither enrolled in school nor employed, forming the demographic known as our community’s Opportunity Youth. Continue reading for actionable steps from our panelists to support this portion of our community.

For Individual Community Members and Donors:

• Research: MemWorks' data-driven efforts identified employment barriers for those in poverty, stressing the need for evidence-based solutions.
• Volunteer: Support workforce development by volunteering with youth serving organizations.
• Invest: Contribute to organizations like CodeCrew and The Collective Blueprint to assist young adults facing education and employment hurdles.
• Advocate: Raise awareness and push for inclusive policies benefiting Opportunity Youth.
• Partner: Collaboration among businesses, educational institutions, government, and community groups is vital for effective workforce development.

For Business Owners:

• Engage with youth empowerment organizations to bridge the education-to-employment gap.
• Reassess hiring: Prioritize skills over degrees, aligning practices with MemWorks' findings for inclusive opportunities.
• Provide opportunities for internships and apprenticeships to nurture talent and provide hands-on experience for future employment.

CodeCrew

CodeCrew serves as a resource for parents, educators, and other organizations looking to address the digital skills gap, and raises awareness about the importance of diversity in tech and the role of computer science education in lifting prosperity in Memphis. Learn more here.

MemWorks

MemWorks, a collaboration between MDRC and Slingshot Memphis, is identifying the root causes of employment roadblocks for Memphians experiencing poverty so evidence-based solutions can be implemented to enable pathways to economic mobility. Learn more here.

Greater Memphis Chamber

The Greater Memphis Chamber builds a greater Memphis for all by aggressively developing the region’s powerhouse economy, diverse workforce, and growth-friendly business environment. As the region’s primary economic development organization, it brings jobs, investment, and new opportunities to Greater Memphis from around the world. Learn more here.

We were honored to host City of Memphis Mayor Paul Young at our event last week. Mayor Young's remarks shed light on the importance of workforce development for our community's future.

Click here to read Action News 5's coverage of the event. To see photos from the event, click here to see the Facebook gallery.