With nearly half of Gen Z-ers reporting that they don’t have enough information to make informed decisions about their postsecondary plans, youth career-connected learning is the solution to preparing learners for the future. The question is: How can we effectively expand career-connected learning opportunities and influence related policies? One avenue that Britebound™ has taken is to support organizations focusing on research and thought leadership.
Through research, organizations advocating for youth career-connected learning can present relevant facts to persuade policymakers and community leaders to take action. On the thought leadership side, people or organizations speaking from a place of knowledge and authority can add legitimacy to their advocacy for stronger youth career readiness and exploration programming.
That’s why at Britebound, we’re proud to support two organizations that focus on supporting and producing youth career-connected learning research and thought leadership: the Foundation for California Community Colleges and the Collaborative for Academic and Social Emotional Learning (CASEL). Keep reading to learn more about them.
Research to Close Equity Gaps
Britebound is funding its first research project at the Success Center at the Foundation for California Community Colleges (FoundationCCC). As the non-profit auxiliary to the California Community Colleges, FoundationCCC is dedicated to uplifting California students, colleges, and communities by reducing barriers to opportunity and accelerating pathways to economic and social mobility. The Success Center’s research, policy development, strategic projects, and professional learning catalyzes large-scale systemic change for 2 million students in California.
“The Success Center at the Foundation for California Community Colleges is proud to be the first research project funded by Britebound. Our project on career-connected activities in courses taken by California community college dual enrollment students will introduce a new dimension of understanding into the student experience.
“We hope our findings will be the catalyst for local and state conversations across the nation to ensure career-connected activities provide dual enrollment students with equitable work-based learning experiences and help inform policy and programmatic changes that improve access and success for students who historically have been underserved by our educational systems.” — Nadia Leal-Carrillo, Executive Director of the Success Center
The purpose of the study is to better understand the work-based learning (WBL) activities used to help increase high school students’ understanding of various career options. WBL practices incorporate structured learning experiences for students so that they can develop a better understanding of their career options. WBL can be helpful for high school students who are interested in exploring their options. This research focuses on the perspectives of faculty who have taught high school students — either at a California Community College (CCC) or at a high school through College and Career Access Pathways (CCAP) — and have integrated WBL activities into at least one course.
Driving Thought Leadership in Social and Emotional Learning
The Collaborative for Academic and Social Emotional Learning (CASEL) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to making inclusive, evidence-based social and emotional learning (SEL) education an integral part of education from preschool through high school. Fun fact: CASEL actually coined the term “social and emotional learning” over two decades ago!
As thought leaders in their sphere, CASEL is dedicated to working collaboratively with researchers, policymakers, and practitioners to conduct and commission academic research, translate that research into action, guide SEL-supportive policies at the state and federal levels, and bring the SEL field together to share knowledge. The hope is that through social and emotional learning, all students will enter adulthood as self-aware, caring, responsible, engaged, and curious individuals.
“CASEL is deeply grateful for the generous support from Britebound to advance our work on Portraits of a Graduate. This partnership has helped us uncover new insights into the essential skills districts across the country hope to instill in their graduates. It has also enabled rich learning with educators and policymakers about the conditions that truly help those skills take root. These learnings will shape actionable guidance so every student can build the competencies that fuel innovation, resilience, and long-term success. Being part of the Britebound community has been invaluable in helping us make these strides.” — Rista Plate, Assistant of Research and Learning.
With their grant from Britebound, CASEL will continue their thought leadership and advocacy efforts to map indicators to future and career readiness skills. This is a continuation of their Portraits of a Graduate initiative, a report that dives into what states are doing to implement SEL education, as well as their profile of a graduate to look at the skills and competencies students need to master to thrive in the workplace, postsecondary education, their community, and their own personal lives.
Through their thought leadership and research, the Foundation for California Community Colleges and CASEL are working to ensure that beneficial research and thought leadership are preparing young people to confidently enter the workforce ready to succeed.
