The future is shaped by our youth – the generation that stands on the cusp of inheriting the world we live in.
We know this, we've heard this, and yet, despite the pace of technological progress, many young people–particularly those from low-income backgrounds–struggle to access the resources that equip them with the essential skills to excel personally and professionally. These are often the same teens who are spending upwards of eight hours a day on their smartphones, not attending traditional after-school programming where they would typically find community, mentorship, and opportunities to thrive.
Like every good youth developer, I look at a 15 year old and picture them at 35 -- what do they need at 15 to be successful at 35, and what barriers are in the way that I can help remove now? We’ve learned that old problems often require new solutions. We joke on our Slack channel that teens have been disenchanted with traditional methods and styles since the beginning of time; if you need to hire a trend forecaster, hire a teenager. And so, if we want to reach them and make sure they’re ready for 35, we have to create a new solution. This is where 'Our Solution,' the Ambition app, comes into play.
In early stages of development, we imagined a platform that not only educated teens but also rewarded and reinforced their learnings. A platform designed with the specific cultural context of Black and brown, low-income teenagers in mind, targeting critical areas often overlooked by traditional education: financial literacy and budgeting, effective communication, empathy, and time management, to name a few. And so we built it.
Our pilot program in 2023 surprised us, with an astounding 82% course completion rate and 96% retention rate after delivering 20,000 lessons to over 1,500 kids across 36 states. And we knew we had to do more.
In late 2023 and into early 2024, we doubled down and developed a theory of change to underpin our app, the curriculum, and the next iterations of the platform. Working with Stanford University's John Gardner Center for Youth and Their Communities, we settled on the 5 C’s of Positive Youth Development – Competence, Confidence, Caring, Community, and Character – as our guiding light for every lesson, every feature, and every iteration.
The concept of the 5 C’s was pioneered by Dr. Richard Lerner, a distinguished professor of Developmental Science at Tufts University, who dedicated his career to understanding and promoting the impact of circumstance and environment on the lives of children and teenagers transitioning to adulthood. Dr. Lerner's groundbreaking work laid the foundation for our approach, encapsulating the belief that "every young person has the potential for successful, healthy development, and that all youth possess the capacity for positive development." (Lerner et al., 2005, p. 20). This optimistic view of youth potential resonated with our team's vision and became the bedrock of our programming and curriculum design. By intentionally designing our programming and curriculum to nurture and develop these critical skills associated with the Five C’s, we aim to foster an environment where young people can thrive, not just in the immediate future, but over the course of their lives. The concept of "thriving", as Dr. Lerner articulates, encompasses a state of higher well-being achieved through sustained engagement with programs that support these essential developmental competencies.
With our newly articulated Theory of Change in hand, we felt empowered and ready to tackle the next phase of our project.
The 5 C's of Positive Youth Development
In our latest discussions about the next iteration of the Ambition app, we're concentrating on enhancing its impact and introducing innovative features that will push the boundaries of what our technology can achieve. An opportunity board that adapts to each user's preferences and aspirations, a support network called “The Village” connecting teenagers with mentorship figures, and career exposure and professional development curriculum that acts as mini-internships are some of the features we are building and will be testing in the upcoming year.
Our mission with the Ambition app transcends the boundaries of simple skill development. We are dedicated to creating a nurturing ecosystem where teenagers are not only supported and motivated but also fully equipped with the necessary tools and confidence to face and conquer the challenges of the future. It's about laying down a foundation that empowers them to believe in their capabilities and to dream big, preparing them to navigate the complexities of tomorrow's world with resilience and determination. We invite industry professionals, nonprofit leaders, and donors to join us in this revolutionary venture that's setting a new standard for youth development.
Here’s to the bold, the motivated, the future – we’re grateful our solution gets to play a part.
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