Last Friday, December 16, 2016, JobsFirstNYC held “What’s Next: A Post-Election Discussion”, a forum for national policy experts, public and nonprofit leadership, philantropy, and employers to discuss the economic challenges and opportunities the new presidential administration and congress could present for young adults.
The four goals of the event were to: mobilize local, state, and national leaders working toward the economic prosperity of young adults; educate attendees about the early policy and budget recommendations proposed by the president elect and congress, and how these proposals could affect young adults and the organizations that serve them; inform participants about what local and national organizations are doing to respond to and prepare for the next administration’s policy proposals; and prepare participants with resources, strategies, and a network of allies to best support young adults under the new administration.
The discussion featured national policy experts from all around the country who shared their expertise and knowledge around youth policy strategies under the new administration, as well as important projections and recommendations around labor, the economy, and jobs. These experts include: Kisha Bird, Director, Youth Policy at Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP); Angela Hanks, Associate Director, Workforce Development Policy at Center for American Progress. Melinda Mack, Executive Director at New York Association of Training and Employment Professionals (NYATEP); Andrew Moore, Director, Youth and Young Adult Connections Institute for Youth, Education, and Families at National League of Cities; and Anand Vimalassery, Senior Director of Policy at National Job Corps Association.
Important themes that emerged from the event were: coalition building and remaining steadfast with the many legislative and funding efforts advocates and field leaders are pushing to increase economic opportunities young people, including those around training opportunities such as apprenticeships; collecting and lifting up data and information on practices that are helping young adults gain education and employment; affecting meaningful political change on the local and state levels; and supporting young adult-led movements within our communities, our cities, and our country.
Check out a Storify of social media activity from the event below:
This event was the first of many upcoming JobsFirstNYC policy and advocacy initiatives related to our post-election commitment to young adults under the new administration. We will continue working closely with our local, state and national partners to elevate the voices and the needs of young people as we all work to hold ourselves and our elected officials accountable.
Resources from the event include:
Agenda and Speaker Bios
CLASP’s Campaign for Youth Road Map
NLC’s Reengagement: Bringing Students Back to America’s Schools
NYATEP’s Advocacy Academy
Upcoming opportunities to continue to discuss young adult workforce policy strategies under the new administration include the New York City Employment and Training Coalition’s upcoming Policy Forum in January and National Skills Coalition’s upcoming Skills Summit in February.
