How Hack the Hood Inspires Youth to Work in Tech
A Two-Legged Support System
From the interviews and observations, Winnow identified the elements that make Hack the Hood such a strong source of learning and purpose for disconnected youth.
First, the Hack the Hood program places youth in the center of two important ecosystems:
1. Community resources to handle the difficulties of showing up for work everyday.
2. Access to a diverse set of inspiring people and companies throughout the complex Tech ecosystem
This is a Job and a Community
Next, the youth in the program experience much more than making websites. They are treated as responsible team members who are learning the professional skills of being successful in a diversity of Tech roles. These four elements come together to take kids who enter the program saying,
“I’m going to learn to make a website” to youth who tell us, “I can see myself in Tech.”
From the interviews and observations, Winnow identified the elements that make Hack the Hood such a strong source of learning and purpose for disconnected youth.
First, the Hack the Hood program places youth in the center of two important ecosystems:
1. Community resources to handle the difficulties of showing up for work everyday.
2. Access to a diverse set of inspiring people and companies throughout the complex Tech ecosystem
This is a Job and a Community
Next, the youth in the program experience much more than making websites. They are treated as responsible team members who are learning the professional skills of being successful in a diversity of Tech roles. These four elements come together to take kids who enter the program saying,
“I’m going to learn to make a website” to youth who tell us, “I can see myself in Tech.”
