The StriveTogether Cradle to Career Network reaches nearly one in seven young people aged 0–24 in this country.
To put those young people on a path to economic mobility, network member communities are building what’s called civic infrastructure. Like physical infrastructure — roads, bridges, electrical grids — civic infrastructure creates the connections a community needs to thrive — relationships between sectors, a shared vision, accountability for results.
This civic infrastructure is working to transform the lives of those one in seven young people, but we can’t stop there. StriveTogether’s vision is one where every child succeeds.
There are more than 100 million young people under the age of 24 in the United States. That means there are 85 million more not yet being served by our network. To reach them, we know we need to work together — not only as a network and movement, but as part of something much bigger: an emerging field ecosystem that’s leading the way to re-engineered systems.
In these re-engineered systems, civic infrastructure will ensure that every child can fulfill their dreams. We’ll optimize and equalize the social determinants of health, including education, job opportunities, and access to health care and stable housing. We’ll make sure that young people — no matter who they are or where they’re from — are supported to thrive and contribute in our interconnected world.
We can achieve these goals through public sector adoption, which creates change that is meaningful and lasting. When public officials and governments institutionalize shifts to policies, practices, resources and power structures, communities get better, more equitable outcomes.
During this time of divisiveness, that can sound like a daunting task. How can we get to public sector adoption of a new way of working when it’s hard to get people to agree on anything?
Across the country, Cradle to Career Network members are proving it’s possible to work across geography, across organizations and across the aisle to establish lasting change. Read more on Medium learn about a few places where public sector adoption is transforming futures.
