Resources for Young Leaders
"The future belongs to those that believe in their dreams."
- Eleanor Roosevelt
Since 1990, we have been developing and delivering career and leadership development programs for high school and college students in schools and other institutions including Cornell University, Denver University, The Taos Pueblo, Norwalk High School, NYC Public Schools and Teen Omega Camp.
A cornerstone of our method is to have students clarify their dreams by creating a tangible project related to it, such as a playbill featuring a student in her future, a journal to remind him to follow his heart, a mixed media art piece, a business plan, or a slideshow set to music. The participants also created videos about their experience with our method.
Dream Books – Fosters innovation and entrepreneurship for Kids
Dream First – Provides the path to remarkable work for Teens:
Dream First is all about helping young people imagine and attain their best futures by connecting their dreams to a practical plan for success.
Dream Big – Develops leadership skills for Young Adults:
At Dream Big, college-age students and young aspiring professionals clarify and articulate a personal career dream by evaluating their strengths, learning about career opportunities, and completing creative and goal setting projects. These programs combine the curriculum with coaching to foster self-esteem in each participant while expanding possibilities and initiating a practical plan for how to achieve goals.
Dream Again - Provides programs tailored to accomplished individuals who want to pass the wealth of their own experience to those just starting out. Dream Again gives you our proven methodology and tools to be an effective mentor.
Why do young people need more tools and knowledge about their career and direction today? Good work is hard to find and a bigger challenge to keep than ever before. Recent statistics show these trends:
- 70% of the US workforce is disengaged
- The workforce freelance workers/entrepreneurs is 35 % of the workforce and is rising
- According to the Bureau of labor statistics, the average worker currently holds ten different jobs before age forty and this number is projected to grow
- Forrester research predicts that today’s youngest workers will hold twelve to fifteen jobs in their lifetime
Thriving in the new economy takes more than a diploma or degree; it takes a combination of motivation, direction, and connection. Our education programs are a catalyst to future success.
Students clarify and articulate a personal career dream based on a study of their strengths, learn about career opportunities, and complete creative and goal setting projects. These programs combine curriculum with coaching to foster engagement and self-esteem. Students are put in line for future success by developing a stronger commitment to do their best work at school, home, in their jobs and in their communities.
The benefits are measurable and long lasting for students, and yield a great return on the investment of time and tuition for administrators and parents.
Students will:
- Develop a plan to gain skills employers are looking for
- Gain a better understanding of how their current attitudes, behaviors, and school performance affect their future
- Complete a project that puts career aspirations into focus, can be shared with parents or guardians and can be used to strengthen education or employment portfolios
- Expand their perception of career and workplace to include concepts like entrepreneurship, traditional for-profit and not-for-profit jobs, virtual jobs, freelancing, jobs requiring travel, and the jobs of the future economy
Careers
Road Trip - roadtripnation.org
This organization creates meaningful, personal growth experiences that allow students to feel hopeful about the future instead of panicked.
WayUp - wayup.com
Find internships and entry-level jobs.
Coolworks - coolworks.com
This is a unique company as well as a tight niche. If you desire working outdoors and finding meaning in a more natural way then I would give this a read. They cater to those jobs in national parks, ranches, camps, ski resorts, and jobs on the water as CoolWorks has portrayed it. They are located on Yellowstone River, and offer summer jobs, seasonal market jobs, as well volunteer jobs.
Career Rookie - careerrookie.com
This is site is mildly more basic, but nonetheless, it is to the point and still wishes to contribute to your dream career. It provides a search engine that enables one to find internships, part-time jobs, and entry-level jobs. Post your resume and further your resources here!
Education
Learn to code online for free. Options include python, html, javascript, and others.
Find free online courses from great colleges and universities.
Language learning online. Duolingo feels like a game, but you end up learning a language!
Free open courses from Harvard.
Free online classes on a variety of content, including K-12 math & science.
Academic tutoring and test prep.
Videos about science.
TED’s mission is to provide a forum for ideas worth spreading. TED talks can be about science, art, philosophy, or just about anything else. Look through the tags to find out more about topics you already have an interest in, or take a risk and watch a talk about something entirely new.
Podcasts from the University of Oxford
Math. Fun math. Really.
Finding a College
This site is a survival guide for newly incoming college/university students. Whatever the qualm may be, this site likely has at least a paragraph or two on it. Are you worried about how you’re going to pay for school? What is college life like? What major is right for me? All of these questions can be answered here, and if your answers aren’t readily available, then you may “ask the guru.”
Once signed up for a free membership, folks are welcome to a variety of scholarship listings as well as have access to 700 college lists, articles, blogs, and more importantly advice from professionals. They also entice students with a chance to win a 10,000 dollar scholarship upon joining! Hey, that doesn’t sound too bad.
College Board has dedicated itself to providing the user with three essential tools: college readiness, college connections & success, and advocacy. They deliver the user with services such as PSAT classes as well as Advanced Placement curricula. More than anything College Board has its mind set on aiding those students & young souls who have yet to cross over into the world of higher education.
Life
Web series and community, by and for Smart Girls.
A student loan calculator.
Financial tips for young adults.
A viral video web series featuring entertaining & educational videos, hosted by YA authors John & Hank Green. Topics include songs about Harry Potter, ways to reduce global poverty, book recommendations, and much more.
