Thrive Under 25 Coalition Hosts its Annual Strategic Planning Retreat

Thrive Under 25 Coalition (Thrive) held its annual strategic planning retreat in August. It was the Coalition's first return to an in-person event. We kicked off the festivities with a spoken word performance by Vice Chair Gene Downing. The event was led by Thrive Chair Sarah Comeau (SJP Director of Programs & Co-Founder), Thrive Vice Chair Gene Downing, and Julie Johnson from Strategy Forward Advisors. The all-day event ended in the creation of a Strategic Plan that outlined the Coalition's goals in the areas of Housing, Education and Workforce Development, and Diversion. Of note for SJP was identifying key education-related goals including supporting the passage of legislation that provides special education attorneys to eligible young people involved in DC's adult criminal legal system and advocating to expand educational programs within DC's jails so that young people can enroll in high school (with credit-bearing courses) while incarcerated. Other priorities identified by the Coalition are developing transitional housing for emerging adults in the community, expanding housing within facilities so every young person can be housed in a rehabilitative unit, and advocating for the expansion of diversion programs to divert young people from the court system. You can read the Strategic Plan here.

9/1/22