This workshop will focus on empowering young people to take charge of their lives by taking charge of a business. Jennifer Stewart, Deputy Director of More than Words (MTW) will discuss her organization’s approach to offering young people who are in foster care, court involved, homeless, or out of school, the services they need to achieve outcomes in employment, education and self-efficacy as they prepare for adulthood. Jennifer will provide an overview of the program operations from enrollment through participation, to post–program support. The workshop will explore how MTW‘s program activities are organized to integrate business skills acquisition and personal development while building in accountability and high expectations for progressive achievement during and after enrollment.

1. Empowering youth to take charge of their lives by taking charge of a business YOUTH TRAINING

3. ________ # of teens who drop out of school in America ________ % of people in prison who were once in foster care ________ % of youth in foster care who obtain a college degree ________ % of MA foster youth under/unemployed when aging out ________ % of youth leaving state custody without a GED/diploma ________ US annual spending to keep youth in locked facilities The Real Deal < 3 75 > 60 > $1 Billion 80 > 6 Million

7. High Expectations and Accountability

9. Youth REGULATE & EVALUATE Performance Youth-Driven Evaluation Systems

10. OUR IMPACT Smarter, Safer Choices GED or Diploma Productivity Court Involvement 80% of inmates were once in the foster care system 75% of youth aging out of foster care in MA are either under or unemployed Less than 35% of youth in foster care have GED or diploma at 18 years Beating the Odds Intake Before MTW Exit from MTW Core Program 24 Months Out

12. Empowering youth to take charge of their lives by taking charge of a business