Elevating
Youth Voice
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About
BUILD.org
Through the empowering experience of running a real business, students demonstrate increased proficiency in six critical competencies we call Spark Skills: Communication, Collaboration, Problem Solving, Innovation, Grit, and Self Management. Most importantly, BUILD students develop a vital sense of self-agency over their education and careers. The youth fellowship program is an extension of the entrepreneur program. Youth are invited to co-design, collaborate and lead education reform initiatives. All our programs provide opportunities to practice critical workforce development skills like collaboration, self-management and problem-solving with the ultimate aim of increased social and economic mobility.
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Program
Youth
Fellowship
Program
BUILD runs two branches of Youth Fellowship Programs: The YAP (Youth Advisory Panel) and the YDF (Youth Design Fellowship). This program is an extension of our entrepreneurial program where we empower youth to be changemakers. Through participating in this program, students build their capacity for social and economic mobility while cultivating skills, networking with peers and adults, and engaging in participatory research practices. Inviting youth as co-designers helps create more meaningful and effective learning and community initiatives that better serve the needs for all.
- Youth become co-designers, strategists and thought partners as they propose new ideas for products, program design and policy agendas.
- Fellows apply their learning about User Experience and human-centered design thinking to real-world projects aimed at promoting equity and addressing social issues in education and in their community.
- Fellows gain valuable experience, build their professional networks, and contribute to meaningful change in their communities.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I partner with BUILD instead of launching it myself?
BUILD selects a limited number of partner organizations each year to partner with. If you are interested, please reach out! When you partner as a co-designing organization, BUILD plans the design sprints, trains youth fellows, facilitates the sessions and produces unique insight reports tailored to your specific needs. A limited number of scholarships are available as well. Don’t hesitate to set up a chat with us; we love to help you co-design!
Can I partner with BUILD instead of launching it myself?
BUILD selects a limited number of partner organizations each year to partner with. If you are interested, please reach out! When you partner as a co-designing organization, BUILD plans the design sprints, trains youth fellows, facilitates the sessions and produces unique insight reports tailored to your specific needs. A limited number of scholarships are available as well. Don’t hesitate to set up a chat with us; we love to help you co-design!
Why should I partner with BUILD?
Partner with us to bring the Youth Advisor Fellowship Program to your teams to:
- Improve your product development
- Gain a deeper understanding of your target audience
- Help students step into their power as they identify and utilize their strengths and assets, using narratives and lived experiences to inform novel solutions
What does BUILD provide?
Access to youth from communities Nationwide; BUILD has easiest access to populations in CA, NY, MA and PA. Youth are often pre-trained and know principles of design thinking and entrepreneurship
Assistance in planning meaningful learning agendas. We align on outcomes and co-create the learning agenda based on your needs.
Expert-led facilitation of sessions by the BUILD team who are trained in culturally responsive practices for engaging youth. Partner teams can co-lead!
Coordination of communication between youth and the partner through emails, text, calendar invites
Reflections on the insights shared and recommended actions to take
From one-time focus groups to multi-week design sprints, BUILD is excited to help you deeply engage with youth from your community!
Who partners with BUILD on youth fellowships?
Foundations: Foundations and philanthropists seeking to broadly improve programmatic efforts and inform strategic priorities can talk to youth about their needs, values and lived experiences.
Product Developers: Product and curriculum developers, especially in edtech that are working to develop solutions for K-12 and post-secondary environments can benefit from getting youth feedback on ideas, no matter the stage of your product.
Research Organizations: Organizations focused on bringing insights to educators, district leaders or product developers benefit from getting youth perspectives on their needs, hopes and expectations of product offerings in school.
How much does it cost to partner on design sprints?
Pricing for partnerships varies based on the needs of your organization. If you are interested in partnering, we encourage you to reach out as we have flexible options to support a co-design initiative. From planning and running a single design sprint to helping you launch a full Youth Advisory group of your own, our team of experts is excited to support your co-design journey!
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Testimonials
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Toolkit
Youth
Fellowship
Toolkit
Dive into facilitation guides that streamline your efforts and educational videos that amplify your impact. Equip yourself with everything you need to implement and elevate your Youth Fellowship
Meet the Team
Discovery
Recruitment
Session Planning
Building Relationships
Implementation
Evaluation
Discovery
Recruitment
Session Planning
Building Relationships
Implementation
Evaluation