Alliance 98

TA98'S MISSION IS TO TACKLE THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATES FOR YOUNG ADULTS 16 TO 24 BY PROVIDING MEANINGFUL CAREER OPPORTUNITIES. OUR VISION IS TO CREATE A GLOBAL ALLIANCE OF YOUNG ADULTS, BRANDS, AND ORGANIZATIONS WORKING TOGETHER TO CREATE A BETTER TOMORROW BY PROVIDING CULTURALLY RELEVANT EDUCATION AND RESOURCES TO YOUNG ADULTS AND THEIR COMMUNITIES. WE PROVIDE YOUTH WITH RESOURCES SUCH AS RESUME BUILDING, INTERVIEW SKILLS, AND REAL WORLD PROJECTS TO GET THEM READY FOR THE WORKFORCE. WE ALSO PROVIDE CONTINUOUS SUPPORT AND RESOURCES AFTER AGING OUT OF THE PROGRAM.

SUITED FOR A CAUSE IS OUR MAJOR PROGRAM FOR THE NONPROFIT. BECAUSE OF THE EFFECTIVE MENTORING, CRITICAL LESSONS FACILITATED, AND THE ACCESS AND UNPARALLELED EXPERIENCES THE YOUTH PARTICIPANTS GAINED THROUGH SUITED FOR A CAUSE, OVER 90% OF OUR YOUTH SECURED A JOB, ENROLLED OR RE-ENROLLED IN COLLEGE, PURSUED A TRADE, OR STARTED A BUSINESS. FEEDBACK SHOWED THAT 100% OF THE YOUTH MEMBERS INDICATED THAT THE TA98 STAFF WERE SUPPORTIVE OF THEIR PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL GOALS. ADDITIONAL FEEDBACK FROM OUR PARTICIPANTS CONCLUDED THAT 93% OF THEM ARE LIKELY AND VERY LIKELY TO RECOMMEND THIS PROGRAM TO THEIR FRIENDS, FAMILY AND THEIR NETWORK. ALSO, BASED ON OUR FEEDBACK, 100% INDICATED THAT THEY FELT LIKE THEY BELONGED AND WERE ACCEPTED IN THE SPACE TA98 CREATED.

TA98'S KICKBACK PROGRAM IS POWERED BY THE GENEROUS SUPPORT OF THE CITY OF CHICAGO'S MAYOR'S OFFICE, CHICAGO PARKS FOUNDATION, AND THE CHICAGO PARK DISTRICT. TA98 HAS BEEN A PROUD GRANTEE OF THIS PROGRAM FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS. THE KICKBACK SERIES AIMS TO ENSURE YOUTH HAVE ACCESS TO ENGAGING ACTIVITIES AND NECESSARY RESOURCES WITHIN THEIR COMMUNITIES WHILE CURBING THE VIOLENCE RATES DURING THE MOST VULNERABLE TIMES IN CHICAGO, SUMMER AND WINTER BREAKS. IN 2022, TA98 HIRED AND COMPENSATED NEARLY 20 TEENS AND YOUNG ADULTS TO CURATE COMMUNITY EVENTS FOR THEIR PEERS IN LITTLE VILLAGE. YOUTH PARTICIPANTS HAVE COMPLETE CREATIVE CONTROL OVER THE PLANNING AND EXECUTION OF THE EVENTS AND PARTNERSHIPS THEY SECURE. DUE TO THEIR SUCCESS, TA98'S YOUTH HOSTED 8 KICKBACK EVENTS THAT BROUGHT TOGETHER HUNDREDS OF THEIR PEERS, RESIDENTS, AND LOCAL PARTNERS TO STRENGTHEN THE COMMUNITY AND SHARE RESOURCES THAT ENRICH THE LIVES OF LITTLE VILLAGE RESIDENTS. STUDENTS WHO PARTICIPATE IN THE KICKBACK PROGRAM GAIN ESSENTIAL SKILLS FOR A POTENTIAL CAREER IN THE PUBLIC SERVICE FIELD SUCH AS NONPROFITS, GOVERNMENT, EDUCATION, AND MORE.

TA98 ALSO LAUNCHED ITS NEWEST PROGRAM CALLED MOMENTS MEDIA PROJECT (MMP) IN 2022, WHICH WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE CREATE ACTION GRANT THROUGH SONY, INC. WITH THESE FUNDS, TA98 PURCHASED $50,000 WORTH OF MEDIA EQUIPMENT, AND THE REMAINING $50,000 HELPED SUPPORT PROGRAM LOGISTICS AND STUDENT PROJECTS. MMP INTENTIONALLY TARGETS EMERGING CONTENT CREATORS AND PROVIDES THEM WITH ONE-ON-ONE COACHING AND MENTORSHIP FROM PROFESSIONALS IN THE CREATIVE INDUSTRY. PARTICIPANTS GAIN ACCESS TO SKILL-BASED WORKSHOPS AND OPPORTUNITIES TO COLLABORATE WITH BRANDS IN CHICAGO. IN THE SUMMER OF 2022, TA98 PILOTED MMP FOR SIX WEEKS AND SERVED A COHORT OF ELEVEN TEENAGERS AND YOUNG ADULTS. ALL PARTICIPANTS GAINED ACCESS TO HIGH-QUALITY MEDIA EQUIPMENT TO ENHANCE THEIR SKILLS, EXPANDED THEIR NETWORK WITH PEOPLE IN THE FIELD, AND DEVELOPED A PORTFOLIO TO INCREASE THEIR CHANCES OF LANDING A CAREER IN THE INDUSTRY. BEFORE COMPLETING THE SUMMER PROGRAM, TA98 STAFF HELPED 100% OF YOUTH SECURE POST-SECONDARY PLANS OR EMPLOYMENT.