The YES Project (Young, Employed, Successful) believes in a world in which every young person who wants a job can find a job. We also believe in a world in which those young people have what they need to succeed once they find it.
Do young people feel supported in the workplace—particularly young people of color? Do they feel like they belong? Can they show up as their full selves? Given that job satisfaction is so closely linked to productivity and retention, do young employees of color have what they need to feel satisfied at work?
Recent research from the YES Project found that young people view their “work selves” and their “life selves” as inextricably intertwined. This means that success in the workplace requires an acknowledgement and appreciation of their full identities. From their racial background to their personal circumstances, it is important for young people—particularly young people of color—to be able to bring all of who they are to work. This is especially important in today’s context, in which many employers are working to create inclusive workplaces that promote belonging, satisfaction, and, ultimately, productivity and retention among employees of color.
If you are a 501c3 youth-supporting organization or an intermediary organization providing workforce development training, career services, and/or connecting young people to employment opportunities, we encourage you to apply to host a Virtual Action Roundtable with employer and youth partners.
Through this process, the YES Project will issue six grants of $20,000 each to grantees who will co-host Virtual Action Roundtable conversations focused on bringing employers and young people of color together to create more inclusive workplace environments. Beyond hosting the conversations, grantees will connect their employer partners with young people and facilitate their collaboration on co-designed strategies for improving belonging and satisfaction in the workplace.
The purpose of the Action Roundtable process is to:
