February 5×5 Night
Voting Closes:
February 17, 2025 11:59 pm
Impact
NurtureNext isnāt just a programāitās a movement designed to create lasting change in the lives of teen parents, their children, and the community. Hereās how:
1. Empowering Teen Parents to Break Cycles of Poverty
ā¢ Provides education and career pathways to prevent school dropouts and unemployment.
ā¢ Helps parents secure stable jobs and financial independence, reducing reliance on public assistance.
2. Strengthening Families & Child Well-Being
ā¢ Equips parents with childcare, parenting skills, and emotional support to foster healthy development.
ā¢ Ensures children of teen parents grow up in nurturing, stable environments, increasing their long-term success.
3. Changing the Narrative for Teen Fathers
ā¢ Engages young dads with mentorship and co-parenting resources, helping them stay actively involved in their childrenās lives.
ā¢ Reduces absentee fatherhood, leading to stronger family structures and better emotional outcomes for kids.
4. Improving Mental Health & Confidence
ā¢ Provides therapy, peer support, and mindset coaching to help parents overcome stigma, depression, and self-doubt.
ā¢ Helps young parents turn past criticism into personal growth and resilience.
5. Long-Term Community Impact
ā¢ Creates a pipeline of educated, self-sufficient young parents who contribute to society.
ā¢ Reduces teen homelessness, child neglect, and long-term government dependency.
Measuring Success
First Year Goals:
ā Serve 50 teen parents with direct mentorship & resources.
ā Secure childcare partnerships to help parents stay in school/work.
ā Increase high school graduation & employment rates among participants.
5-Year Vision:
ā Expand to hundreds of teen parents across Michigan.
ā Build partnerships with schools, hospitals, and businesses for greater impact.
ā Develop a national model for teen parent support programs.
NurtureNext isnāt just about helping young parentsāitās about rewriting their future and changing generational outcomes.
What I'll do with $5,000
Launch a high-impact, 3-month pilot program called the NurtureNext Teen Parent Empowerment Training, designed to provide hands-on training, mentorship, and immediate resources to teen parents, proving the effectiveness of our approach and building momentum for future funding.
1. Host a 3-Month āTeen Parent Empowerment Trainingā ($2,000)
ā¢ Workshops & Training:
ā¢ Hands-on sessions covering parenting, financial literacy, career planning, and mental wellness.
ā¢ Guest speakers including successful former teen parents, career coaches, and mental health professionals.
ā¢ Venue & Supplies:
ā¢ Rental space at a community center or library for in-person sessions.
ā¢ Workbooks, notebooks, childcare essentials (diapers, formula for participants).
2. Offer Childcare Stipends to Remove Barriers ($1,000)
ā¢ Partner with a local daycare or childcare provider to offer on-site or discounted care during bootcamp sessions.
ā¢ Provide transportation stipends (bus passes, gas cards) for participants who need assistance.
3. Digital & Social Media Marketing to Gain Visibility ($1,000)
ā¢ Professional video production (short docu-style promo featuring Moniqueās story + participant testimonials).
ā¢ Targeted social media ads to recruit participants and gain community support.
ā¢ Website landing page with a sign-up form for parents, mentors, and donors.
Why? A strong online presence ensures this program gets seen, helping us attract teen parents, donors, and future grant opportunities.
4. Live Graduation & Media Coverage ($1,000)
ā¢ Final graduation event to celebrate teen parents completing the bootcamp.
Quick Bio
Monique Williams is a passionate advocate for teen parents, a certified doula, and the founder of NurtureNext, an initiative dedicated to empowering young mothers and fathers.