Opportunity Models that Work: Advocates for Young Adults in Denver, Colorado

[1]

(Ed's note: Hope Street Group is highlighting organizations that have opportunity-expanding models built into their mission and activities. Do you work for or know of an organization that is aligned with Hope Street Group? Write to us and we'll feature it on the HSG Exchange!)

Many adults and teachers do not have the life skills to manage their own lives, much less teach these skills to their children or students. Advocates for Young Adults [2] is a nonprofit organization based in Denver that empowers young people to take more responsibility for their financial situation. Consider the following:

Approximately 90% of Americans have never received any financial training. Over 2 million families filed for personal bankruptcy last year, and the national credit card debt is $2.16 trillion. In addition, it is estimated that over $300 billion is lost annually in the US due to stress over personal financial mismanagement.

Advocates for Young Adults reaches out to young adults to teach them Fundamental Life Skills such as:

[3]Personal Finance - banking, savings, insurance and credit

Civic Responsibility- voter registration, taxes and community resources

Professional Development - filling out applications, behavioral interviewing, employer benefits, and planning & organization

These skills are crucial for young adults to be independent and positively contributing members of our society. They are also typically not offered in school curricula and are rarely taught at homes.

We take education of these skills to businesses, schools and other non-profit organizations who have young adults as part of their constituency.

In addition, Advocates is currently working with three different coalitions here in Colorado - The Denver Asset Building Coalition, Adams, Boulder, Jefferson County Asset Building Coalition as well as the Denver Real Economic Impact Tour (part of the national program). The goal is to educate people who might be eligible for the Earned Income Tax Credit to claim it - over $300 million was left on the table in Colorado last year in EITC. Low income people might not file taxes because they are afraid of losing benefits - same for people with disabilities.

We are also working through the following channels:

With the IRS advocacy to develop classes for High School students so they are better educated about taxes.

With Jump$tart Coalition to develop Financial Education awareness.

With many local high schools, public libraries and nonprofit organizations (homeless populations, at-risk youth, low income) to develop life skills, including registering people to vote, professional development, financial education and understanding taxes.