More Than Words (MTW) is a social enterprise that empowers youth ages 16-24 who are court-involved, in the foster care system, out-of-school, or homeless to take charge of their lives by taking charge of a business. We believe that when system-involved young people are provided with high expectations, increasing responsibilities in a business setting, and relentless support to address systemic injustices, they can and will overcome barriers to success and create concrete action plans for their lives.
Our Approach
MTW supports our youth in the personal and professional development they need to persist in entry level jobs after MTW, earn credentials, and access the pathway or middle-skill careers that are the first rung on the ladder of opportunity. Our model consists of the following:
Business Job
Our young people earn a job working approximately 20 hours each week managing every aspect of their more than $3.3M business. They facilitate peer-led trainings and weekly remote team meetings, track and forecast financials, manage sales, and guide virtual tours. They’re out on four trucks making daily pickups at donation bins, sourcing over 4M donated books annually. They use business software to track donations, and learn to cultivate partnerships through marketing, outreach, and virtual presentations. In their Business Jobs, youth develop marketable and transferable job skills, including customer service, technology, and inventory management, as well as critical professional skills such as showing up on time and working as a team.
You Job
Youth hold an equally important You Job -- personal transition planning and case management aimed at ensuring they have all life essentials in place and move on to meaningful jobs and postsecondary education. All youth are required to create and follow an education plan, and work towards and receive support on education goals, and are shown potential jobs and postsecondary education options through regular site visits with community partners including businesses, trade schools and universities. Young people participate virtually in weekly soft skill curriculum groups, hands-on workshops, mock interviews, education coaching, and regular meetings with Youth Development Managers.
Career Services Program
After 6-12 months working their Business and You Jobs the Core Social Enterprise Program our young people graduate into our Career Services program, through which they are supported in applying the foundational skills they built to achieve personal goals related to education, employment, and self-efficacy. Youth receive individualized coaching and case management, connections to employer and education partners, application and interview support, access to community building opportunities, and crisis management support if needed. MTW collects post-graduation assessments for every young person involved in the Career Services Program. Youth are then supported in using their self-reported data as a tool to keep them on track to hit positive outcomes.
Advocacy and Community Engagement
MTW works with public agencies, community leaders, and nonprofit peers to stand up for our youth when they are failed by public systems. We show up to court and push back against DCF case closures that would make our youth homeless, and build partnerships with public institutions to offer opportunities to meet our youth and learn about the complex needs of system-involved young people. We simultaneously support broader change efforts via a youth-led policy agenda.
Work Works
Participation in MTW programming consistently empowers our young people to make meaningful progress in work, school, and life. In our most recently completed fiscal year:
- 79% of Graduates were productively engaged in work and/or school at least 30 hours per week
- 92% of youth either had earned, or were on track to earn their H.S. Diploma or HiSet.
- Of Graduates eligible to pursue Postsecondary Education (PSE), 49% pursued PSE.
- 80% of Graduates worked in a full or part-time job. Of youth who worked: 96% held the same job for 3+ months, 84% held the same job for 6+ months.
Want to learn more? Check out our 2020 Annual Report!