First Lady Chirlane McCray and Deputy Mayor for Strategic Policy Initiatives Richard Buery today launched Generation NYC, a first-of-its-kind digital platform for New Yorkers ages 13-24. This groundbreaking “mobile first” website – accessible by phone, tablet, or computer – was designed to help young New Yorkers of all backgrounds and identities navigate the sometimes challenging waters of adolescence and young adulthood by offering tailored resources and opportunities.
“Generation NYC provides our children and young adults with a single, definitive source of information about the City’s cultural, educational and employment resources. Growing up in New York City can be pretty daunting, and with this one-stop-shop application, New Yorkers can hear stories from young people like themselves and get access to new opportunities they would not otherwise have known about. Improving the health and well-being of our communities starts with our young people, and this groundbreaking, first-of-its-kind application is just one way New York is putting them first,” said First Lady Chirlane McCray, Co-Chair of the NYC Children’s Cabinet.
“Growing up in New York City is truly a unique experience. No other city in the country can match the incredible and diverse resources that are available to its young people,” said Richard Buery, Deputy Mayor for Strategic Policy Initiatives. “By putting all of these cultural, educational, and employment resources in one easily-accessible location, the de Blasio administration is doubling down on its investment in the growth and development of our young New Yorkers. Generation NYC is a revolutionary digital platform and an exciting companion to last year’s award-winning Growing Up NYC website.”
Generation NYC is organized into three primary sections: Topics, Inspirations, and Trips.
In Topics, young people can find support on a wide range of subjects to address the depth of issues they face. Here young New Yorkers can learn more about high school and college admissions, financial literacy, mental health resources, safe sex, finding an apartment, and employment, just to name a few issue areas. Users can also send text messages to themselves to read the content at a later time or share with their friends.
Inspirations features interviews and success stories from young New Yorkers that have found support in the available resources and used these programs to enhance their lives. The uplifting and heartfelt testimony is a reflection of the extraordinary potential of young people like them across the five boroughs.
The Trips section provides information about free trips to a number of the city’s unique cultural institutions. Young people can also learn about free events happening around the city.
“Whether teens and young adults are looking for employment, housing, afterschool, or any of the thousands of opportunities and programs available in our City, Generation NYC is another important youth-oriented tool that puts information for young people and their families at their fingertips. As a member of the NYC Children’s Cabinet, DYCD was proud to work with our agency partners in creating Generation NYC and other user-friendly and accessible resources to enhance the lives of our younger New Yorkers,” said DYCD Commissioner Bill Chong.
“Adolescence and young adulthood are fraught with unique issues and concerns,” said Council Member Debi Rose, Chair of the Committee on Youth Services. “This new digital platform connects with young people using a medium that is immediate and always close by. Built by young people, for young people, Generation NYC has the potential to help our city’s youth connect with resources to help them grow and thrive in this city. I will enthusiastically spread the news about this new platform among young people in my district and across the city.
“This generation of young people is fearlessly taking on the challenges of modern life with incredible courage and poise, so it is incumbent upon their government to make sure they have access to the resources they need to succeed,” said Council Member Peter Koo, Chair of the Committee on Technology. “Generation NYC provides our youth with a helping hand to prepare them for the responsibilities of the fast-paced life in New York City. Thank you to First Lady Chirlane McCray, Deputy Mayor Richard Buery and all the advocates who came together to make this innovative program possible.”
Generation NYC is the next step of the Growing Up NYC initiative, a key campaign of the NYC Children’s Cabinet. The Cabinet previously released the first-ever policy framework, resource guidebook, and digital platform for parents and caregivers in 2016.
Generation NYC builds on the digital product portfolio built at The Mayor’s Office for Economic Opportunity – which also includes Growing Up NYC, ACCESS NYC, and Worker Connect – and continues the work of using evidence and innovation to reduce poverty and increase equity across the city. Generation NYC was developed using a human-centered design process that engaged over 100 young New Yorkers. Those conversations and perspectives informed the content, design, and usability of the platform.
“Adolescents and young adults have distinct interests, needs, and passions,” said Benita Miller, Founding Executive Director of the NYC Children’s Cabinet. “Building on the success of the Growing Up NYC website, we understood the importance of creating a platform specific for young New Yorkers ages 13-24. The Children’s Cabinet is proud to lead this ambitious initiative, and will continue to make evidence-based investments in programs that promote young people’s health, development, and safety. We are confident that Generation NYC is another meaningful step toward enhancing the well-being of all youth up to age 24.
“Generation NYC is an important new digital tool to help create a more equitable city, where all young people can take advantage of resources, support, and opportunities they need to fulfill their full potential,” said Matt Klein, executive director of the Mayor’s Office for Economic Opportunity. “The platform was shaped by young people to present information the way they want to access it.”
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