Empowering Youth Career Exploration in Santa Cruz County
School
University of California, Santa Barbara**We aren't endorsed by this school
Course
TECHNOLOGY 175
Subject
Information Systems
Date
Dec 10, 2024
Pages
6
Uploaded by AgentStraw27997
Challenges and Barriers to and Project Proposals for Youth Career Exploration in Santa Cruz CountyBusiness Strategy and Information Systems, June 2024University of California, Santa CruzIntroductionYouth career exploration in Santa Cruz County faces significant challenges due to limited access to meaningful mentorship opportunities and resources. This report introduces two initiatives, "Parents Learn Too" and MentorConnect, aimed at addressing these challenges and empowering youth in navigating their career paths effectively. "Parents Learn Too" focuses on providing parents with the knowledge and skills needed to support their children in career exploration, addressing the lack of parental guidance and support. Through workshops and educational sessions, parents will learn about career pathways, educational resources, and effective parenting strategies, fostering a supportive environment for both parents and students.MentorConnect, on the other hand, tackles the issue of limited access to mentorship opportunities by leveraging technology to connect students with mentors in their desired fields. The mobile app provides personalized mentorship experiences, including real-time messaging, goal-setting tools, and tailored matches between students and mentors, empowering students to navigate their career paths effectively regardless of their geographical location or institutional affiliation.Background and Methods2.1 Recruitment and Participants Participants for this project were recruited from various educational institutions and career development programs in Santa Cruz County, representing diverse backgrounds and career aspirations.2.2 Semi-Structured Interviews Semi-structured interviews were conducted to gather insights into the challenges faced by youth in career exploration and their perceptions of mentorship opportunities.2.3 Qualitative Analysis Qualitative analysis of interview data was performed to identify key themes and barriers to youth career exploration in Santa Cruz County.Findings on Challenges and Barriers3.1 Limited Access to Mentorship and Guidance Youth in Santa Cruz County struggle with limited access to mentorship and guidance due to bandwidth constraints and resource limitations within career development programs.The lack of capacity and resources significantly impedes success in educational and career goals. This
scarcity forces many individuals to work excessive hours and exert more effort than necessary in both their schoolwork and professional pursuits. Jane Smith elaborates on the consequences of such resource limitations, recounting how, "We had six different years where we worked with groups, but subsequently, the County Office of Education phased out this program” (Jane Smith). The discontinuation of programs that promote creative and personal growth not only strips students of essential learning opportunities but also discourages parental engagement. “We had six different years where we worked with groups, but subsequently, the County Office of Education phased out this program, which brought not only art, not only art by people who are becoming better seen by a big part of society, but cut out also that personal narrative, that literarily engaging development of students as writers, who felt like that wasn't them. So the county office got rid of that program.” (Jane Smith)3.2 Lack of Parental Support Another significant barrier identified is the lack of parental support in guiding students through their career exploration journey. Many parents lack the resources or knowledge to effectively mentor their children, thus creating additional challenges for students. Parental involvement and understanding of student needs are crucial elements in a student's academic and career progression. However, systemic obstacles within school districts often impede optimal parental engagement in their children's educational journeys, leaving this invaluable resource largely untapped. Nathan Porter highlights these challenges, noting that "There have been some barriers to parents who are busy or get too much contact from the school anyway. So they don't respond to a teacher or maybe speak a language other than English or something happens to him," illustrating the communication challenges and diverse family circumstances that hinder parental involvement.“There have been some barriers to parents who are busy or get too much contact from the school anyway. So they don't respond to a teacher or maybe have a speak to language other than English or something happens to him.” (Nathan Porter)The broader issue lies in the structural challenges within school districts, where systems often lack the flexibility and responsiveness to accommodate the individual needs and situations of families. This inflexibility results in a failure to fully involve parents in the educational process, despite their pivotal role in supporting their children's academic endeavors. As Nathan Porter explains, "it depends on all sorts of factors like some parents are busy and hard to get hold of. Some students are freshmen, some are seniors, some are single parents, some are two parent households. So the factors about parents are that they're hard to expand to the whole group. Like, I don't think you can take a class of high schoolers and say, everyone should connect with their parents. And I think it varies by student," emphasizing the complexity of family dynamics that further complicate the school system's ability to effectively engage every parent. Failure to address these structural barriers means that school districts miss out on harnessing parental support and awareness, which are vital for creating an environment conducive to student development.
When interpreting these themes, it's crucial to understand the systemic challenges that contribute to these barriers, such as resource constraints and a lack of awareness. Addressing these issues requires collaborative efforts from various stakeholders, including educational institutions, community organizations, and policymakers. By recognizing these challenges and working towards solutions, we can create a more supportive environment for youth career exploration and advancement in Santa Cruz County.Project Proposals for Addressing Needs4.1 MentorConnect: Revolutionizing Career Mentorship To supportcareer development programs trying to overcome bandwidth constraints and limited access to mentorship and guidance, MentorConnect is an initiativeto present a solution and provide mentors to everyone on a digital platform. It leverages technology thatcreates access to personalized mentorship experiences tailored to students' fields of interest, so that students can be empowered to navigate their career paths effectively.4.1.1 Design Challenge and Proposed ConceptCareer development programs often struggle to provide students with meaningful mentorship opportunities, particularly in areas with bandwidth constraints and limited resources. As one program coordinator lamented, she "probably received about five to six requests from different schools for a mentorship program. And there's no way [her] staff person could do that." (Cleo Fisher)MentorConnect addresses this challenge by introducing a user-friendly mobile app that connects students with mentors in their desired fields. Through the app's intuitive interface, students can create profiles highlighting their interests and career goals, while mentors can offer their expertise and availability. Leveraging algorithms and communication tools, the app facilitates personalized matches between students and mentors, ensuring compatibility and relevance. A quantifiable comparison would be that this is a career networking version of a dating app 4.1.2 Expected Outcomes and MeasuresEnhanced and expanded outcomes are anticipated across various timeframes through MentorConnect. In the short term, we anticipate a surge in student engagement with mentorship opportunities, marked by active participation in goal-setting activities facilitated by the app. Intermediate outcomes are expected to manifest in the form of bolstered career decision-making skills and heightened confidence among participants, fostering a robust foundation for their future endeavors. Over the long term, MentorConnect aspires to catalyze improvements in educational attainment and workforce readiness, translating into elevated levels of economic security and occupational mobility for users.To gauge the attainment of these outcomes, a comprehensive set of measures has been devised. These include tracking the number of mentor-mentee matches established through the app, assessing the frequency and duration of mentorship interactions, and conducting mentee satisfaction surveys to glean insights into user experiences. Additionally, long-term career outcomes of mentees will be monitored to discern the lasting impacts of MentorConnect.
Furthermore, continuous data collection efforts will be undertaken to analyze app usage patterns, solicit user feedback, and implement iterative enhancements aimed at optimizing the overall user experience. Through this multifaceted approach to measurement and evaluation, MentorConnect endeavors to ensure its effectiveness and relevance in empowering students along their career trajectories.4.2 Parents Learn Too: Creating a Space for Parental Guidance To support parents with studentstrying toguide their children through career path exploration, especially those who may lack mentorship within the education system, and to facilitate job-relevant skills. Becausethere are underrepresented students who have the potential for great futures but lack the tools to explore career paths. “Parents learn too” is an initiativeaimed at students' success, thatwill organize workshops for parents to help teach them how to navigate the educational system for their children. They would be taught crucial skills about modern career paths including technology, structure and requirements for their students to be successful. So thatstudents and parents are adequately supported in navigating the trials of career exploration, becoming lifelong learners, contributing to their communities, and achieving social mobility. 4.2.1 Design Challenge and Proposed Concept "Parents Learn Too" addresses the lack of parental support in career exploration by providing workshops to equip parents with essential skills and knowledge. These workshops will cover topics such as career exploration, educational pathways, and effective parenting strategies, fostering a supportive environment for both parents and students. Many parents, often burdened by busy schedules or unfamiliarity with educational processes, struggle to provide adequate mentorship, exacerbating challenges for students. Recognizing this gap, our program offers workshops tailored to address these parental concerns. As highlighted by Emma McCarthy, numerous parents lack basic communication tools like email, hindering their engagement with their children's educational journey. “We had a lot of parents who don't have an email.” (Emma McCarthy)This disconnect not only impacts academic performance but also jeopardizes future career prospects. Through workshops, we aim to empower parents by providing essential knowledge and skills to navigate the education system effectively. Topics covered include accessing educational resources, supporting career exploration, and fostering effective communication with schools. For example, parents will initially take an assessment to scale their current knowledge for career path exploration and their skills to support their children. They will then go through the programs learning about all the resources available to their children, learn the essential skills to fostering education, and learn how to navigate through career path exploration. We understand that parents may have their own barriers for being an active part in these programs and we plan to make them accessible and online versions and other languages as well. By fostering a
supportive environment through community engagement and mutual support, we strive to enhance parental involvement and student engagement in education. Ultimately, our goal is to cultivate an environment where parents play an active role in shaping their children's futures, promoting economic security and social mobility, particularly among underrepresented student populations. 4.2.2 Expected Outcomes and Measures The "Parents Learn Too" initiative aims to support parents in becoming effective mentors for their children by implementing a comprehensive data collection strategy across short-term, intermediate, and long-term timelines. In the short term, data will be gathered on workshop activity and quality, utilizing attendance records, participant surveys, and pre- and post-workshop assessments to gauge satisfaction and perceived impact. Intermediate outcomes will be measured through parental engagement metrics, resource utilization rates, and self-reported changes in attitudes and effectiveness of support services. Long-term outcomes, while challenging to measure directly, will be assessed using academic performance data, internship participation data, and indicators of community well-being. Regular data collection on workshop attendance, participant feedback, and academic performance will enable ongoing program adjustments, ensuring that decisions are informed by data-driven insights and leading to enhanced outcomes and impacts over time. One of the most effective ways of measuring the effectiveness of this program will ultimately be student performance and growth into their career paths.ConclusionIn conclusion, "Parents Learn Too" and MentorConnect offer innovative solutions to the challenges faced by youth in Santa Cruz County regarding career exploration and mentorship opportunities. By empowering both parents and students, these initiatives aim to foster a supportive environment where students feel adequately supported in navigating their career paths. Through targeted workshops and personalized mentorship experiences, "Parents Learn Too" and MentorConnect have the potential to significantly impact academic achievement, parental involvement, and community well-being in Santa Cruz County.Improved and Perfected content:
For MentorConnect (this is my project idea): -Clarifying and making my own words more clear after taking feedback -Defining the concept better -Explaining how this solves the actual challenge/barrier betterFor Parents Learn Too:-Clarification on what the parents will actually be taught besides just email -Addressing barriers for parents like language and time-Wording