MEMPHIS, Tenn. —
More than 45,000 young Memphians ages 16-24 are not in school or working. Shelby County called on three local organizations to help find out why.
RESPECT the Haven CDC helped with field research for the Youth Participatory Action Research Project. Starting in Oct. 2023, a team of 12 young researchers, including Jamantae Wainwright, interviewed their peers.
"We went out and interviewed people our age. I learned myself a lot about my community and what goes on in my community,” said Wainwright.
The goal of the project is to figure out what challenges these young people are facing that stop them from finding employment opportunities or continuing their education.
During the project, one of the researchers was killed. RESPECT the Haven CDC founder and executive director Jason Sharif said this really put into perspective why the work was important.
"He was murdered, so we dedicated the rest of the project to him. That just lets you know the challenges that our young people face,” said Sharif.
The data is being compiled into a report to present to Shelby County by May 2024. Sharif said most of the issues they learned the opportunity youth had were a lack of transportation or a lack of knowledge about available programs.
The data will also be used by RESPECT the Haven CDC to create its own opportunity youth program. The pilot class is expect to start by Fall 2024. It will have about 25 students that will all be paired with mentors in varying fields.
"What are they interested in? Are they interested in barbering? Graphic design? And then connect them to their interest,” said Sharif.
Wainwright hopes the new program and the data given to the county will get opportunity youth the tools they need to succeed.
"If we can do something to get the youth out of the streets, hopefully it will help bring the crime down or [lead to] them working or [being] in school or both,” said Wainwright.
RESPECT the Haven said since many opportunity youth don’t have reliable transportation and similar programs are located downtown, he hopes starting the program in Whitehaven’s Southland Mall will make it easier for them to get to the class.