Bridging the Gap for Youth
YE4C’s first editorial board was in place from February to June 2020. The group was made up of 10 young people from around the country. They helped organize and improve content for the YE4C website. They also created content for YE4C and gave feedback to federal agencies. We invited each editorial board member to reflect on their time with the editorial board and to tell us more about themselves and their hopes for the future.
Today’s Inspiring Story follows Michael Doss. He is 23 years old and recently graduated from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville with a Bachelor’s in Social Work. He is getting ready to start graduate school in the fall.
What made you interested in working on the YE4C Editorial Board?
I wanted to help in the efforts to bridge the gap for young people who don’t have many networks and essential life tools and resources. Many youths are in an unfortunate situation of “not knowing what they don’t know.” The Editorial Board offered me a chance to work collaboratively towards addressing this challenge by creating content to engage America’s youth.
What did you do on the YE4C Editorial Board?
I mainly gave feedback on content for federal agencies and researched then vetted federal resources for the YE4C website. I was also able to attend some meetings with the other organizations involved with YE4C to share my perspective and insight into youth-driven initiatives.
What do you do outside of the YE4C Editorial Board?
I work in the Nine Network of Public Media as a Ready to Learn Facilitator. In other words, I work through PBS KIDS to execute focused, educational, and creative learning sessions for East St. Louis and St. Louis's vulnerable early childhood populations. I also am a practicum intern for Lifewise St. Louis. Lifewise is a readiness and mentorship program for high school students in the area.
What are your long-term goals?
I am passionate about helping others and am inspired by stories that make individuals unique. This interest has made me want to pursue social work. I earned my Bachelor’s in Social Work and am now pursuing a Master’s in Social Work with a specialization in Organization and Community Practice.
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