Young professionals are increasingly seeking ways to feed their passions for community activism. Leveraging their career success with non-profit objectives is a balancing act that many want to master. As a community initiative, "Connect With" brings together professionals across the St. Louis region who want to be engaged in the community and gives them access to other young professionals already involved with organizations that support sustainable change in the area. Focus St. Louis has served as the civic
convenor of the effort. According to
Nikki Weinstein, Policy and Community Engagement Director for the organization, "People continue to talk about the "brain drain" and its affect on St. Louis. 'Connect With' is a positive solution to the situation. Community involvement increases young professionals' investment in where they live thereby keeping them here instead of moving to other cities. Really, this project is about the vitality of the region."
More than 40 organizations make up Connect With The Young Professionals Collaborative. "Connect With" focuses programming around "people, purpose, and culture" during the month of October, but is also an ongoing initiative throughout the year with training and networking opportunities for member organizations. 2008 marks its' 3rd year and scheduled programming includes a kick-off reception highlighting each member organization on October 1st, a Leadership Conference featuring an executive panel of distinguished business people on October 10th, an art oriented event on October 15th and a volunteer activity on November 1st to wrap up the activities. In addition, within the month of October, the more than 40 young professional member organizations will promote their events and provide opportunities for unconnected individuals to sample possibilities to get more involved. A calendar of all events and the signature "Connect With" programming can be found at www.ConnectWithStL.com.
"Connect With" grew out of a collaborative effort facilitated by FOCUS St. Louis begun three years ago. Scott Lapp, founder of River City Professionals was a primary factor in seeding "Connect With" Lapp states, "In the beginning, we realized that many young professional groups had different missions, but held a similar reach in the community. There was an opportunity to speak to a broader group if we all communicated more. "Connect With" is a forum to expose young professionals to a variety of groups that promote St. Louis in their own way. An individual looking to be more active in the community is bound to find an organization that fits their interests." Diversity initiatives, arts and cultural programming, professional development and strategic networking can all be found in "Connect With".
Current sponsors for the 2008 "Connect With" initiative include We Car, St. Louis Regional Chamber and Growth Association, St. Louis Commerce Magazine, MPP&W Inc., Riverfront Times and St. Louis Magazine.
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