Photo: (StartingBloc)
Before making the jump from college to the "real world," so many of us ask ourselves one question: "Do I follow my passion for social change and make no money, or do I concentrate on utilizing my skills and make serious cash money?" Well, at StartingBloc, young people learn that they can create value--both financial and social--just by doing good.
At a recent five-day StartingBloc event in New York City, 109 young people piled into a gallery space to share their ideas on how to change the world. On Day 3, Chris stood up in front of his peers to talk about his vision for a farmer's market in the D.C. area that would provide fresh food to minority communities; Idris shared his mission to bring libraries and community centers to rural Ghana; and Patrick proclaimed that he just "wanted to use [his] money as an extension of [his] values," when discussing how to create a new pool of capital for social organizations. All three guys were participating in round two of the "Ideas Marketplace," where candidates pitch a social business that they'd like to start, opening up the floor to critical feedback, discussion and support.
And support is the key mission of StartingBloc, a lifelong fellowship program that brings 120 young people together three times annually to impart the skills and networks necessary to push social change forward. "For me, StartingBloc is an unconditionally supportive community, and those are very rare in the world," says Taylor Buonocore, a 25-year-old fellow who cares deeply about sustainability. "There's no reason we can't take action on the issues that mean the most to us, and StartingBloc promotes that message by connecting candidates with people, ideas and the skills to bring the change we see into life."
Candidates of the fellowship have gone on to start impactful orgs like Dance 4 Peace and Indego Africa, and have also been introduced to partners at well-known organizations like Purpose, RecycleBank and the Acumen Fund.
What seems to make StartingBloc special is its ability to empower young people with the message that making a dent in the world around you is possible. "Have an idea that you think will make an impact on your local community, or the world at large? Be it sustainability or environmental change?" said Buonocore excitedly. "StartingBloc wants to make sure you make it happen." So what's your idea for social change?
StartingBloc will begin accepting applications for its 2012 fellowship programs in L.A., NYC and Boston this September. Learn more about the organization below.
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