Skills Elevation Learning Force

Mission: The S.E.L.F Program is an afterschool program for Los Angeles youth which aims to empower young people by increasing their financial literacy. In our program, education in the fields of fiscal management, finance, investment, and entrepreneurship is designed to help elevate the financial skills of youth, better preparing them to enter the modern workforce. Furthermore, the S.E.L.F program comes on the heels of President Obama’s youth education initiative, and is our way of supporting and encouraging his request for education programs which elevate skill sets and prepare youth to find rewarding and productive careers in today’s economy. The goals of the S.E.L.F program can be categorized into short and long term missions. Our short term mission is to create a hub for financial literacy in Los Angeles, where youth can come to learn, share ideas, and help others develop skills and plan for their future. This process includes creating a welcoming environment where youth feel comfortable learning and interacting with others. It is also necessary for youth to engage and absorb the curriculum, thus making another short term goal a recognizable improvement in the financial knowledge of those who take part in the program. Long term, we expect the S.E.L.F program to become a staple in Los Angeles as a launch pad for opportunity. By this we mean that we expect graduates of our program to find rewarding careers either by attending college and entering the workforce, or by entering it directly to become successful members of the community. As well, we desire for graduates of the program to take on leadership roles within their community by educating others about the benefits of being financially literate, and by assuming positions within local governments, associations, and organizations which help communities prosper.