Your contribution to this campaign launches a new, nonprofit program that supports young people (17-25) in a rapidly changing world. The program was created with a vision of all young people having confidence and optimism about the future and the tools to create that future. 

The situation

If you’re a young person yourself, you know what keeps you and your friends up at night.

However, if you are in your 30’s and older,... take a moment to imagine what the future today looks like for an 18 year old . Full of exciting possibilities, yes, but also concerns. They include fears typical across generations, such as not doing well in school or work, disappointing your family, making the wrong decisions about education or careers, and looking bad to peers–a pressure increased in the age of social media.  

And…, today’s youth have additional worries about growing unknowns, such as:

• Environment and climate change
• Injustice and conflict
• Technology and AI
• Trust and disinformation
  and more, from a world flooded with messages and media from all directions.

It can be exhausting and paralyzing, and for some young people, debilitating. Research has shown an increase in depression and anxiety among youth*, with a sharp increase triggered by the pandemic**, which has left a mark on many young people. 

What to do? 

Taking a “gap year”, a break from formal education and career, can give many young people the space to orient themselves, heal, and grow. Gap year programs typically involve travel out of the country and often doing volunteer or service work. They’re also often hard to afford and last only a small portion of the year. 

Future Framers is a new kind of gap year program. 

It’s designed to give some structure while leaving plenty of room for travel, work, hobbies, friends, etc. It addresses concerns of young people head on through inquiry, discussion, and self-expression. The program helps participants develop valuable skills and grow confidence in their ability to achieve their goals, navigate change, and thrive regardless of the circumstances. It’s a modern reinvention of the classical “gap year” for today’s youth facing today’s challenges, leveraging modern Internet innovations that participants have grown up using. 

The three themes of the Future Framers Gap Year program are:

What will the funds be used for?

We’ve already started to receive applications. Proceeds from this campaign will help propel our launch in September 2024, provide financial aid to participants (based on need), and support Charter Camp–the annual in-person kickoff for the program. This year’s inaugural Charter Camp will take place at a retreat facility on Gabriola Island, British Columbia the second week of September. This week-long intensive experience for all of the 2024-25 program participants will be an opportunity to: 

• Bond as a cohort
• Build relationships with program staff, instructors and mentors
• Experience stunning natural beauty
• Witness first-hand the impacts of environmental change
• Hear directly from indigenous communities and learn about truth and reconciliation
• Receive hands-on digital media training
• Complete media projects to share at the end of the week
• Have an impactful and memorable travel experience

Why the digital media focus?

Digital media–including social media, the internet, games and entertainment–heavily influence society. An understanding of media can be empowering. The Future Framers focus on digital media gives young people the opportunity to contribute to the global conversation and imparts skills to help discern facts from disinformation. The act of creating digital media or other arts can also be therapeutic and lead to insights about the world and themselves.

What impact will my contribution have? 

Your contribution will give participants in the first cohort of Future Framers the transformative experience we wish for them. It will also help establish the nonprofit and its fledgling gap year program. The hybrid model of the program (online and in-person) is scalable, and we hope to grow, replicate, share, and serve increasing numbers of young adults..

Your contribution also supports participant leadership and creation of media content, art, and writing. Young people's perspectives are unique and their voices critical in conversations about the future of the world--their future. Future Framers aims to amplify their voices and make significant change in the world.

SHARE!

If you know of a young person who may be interested in Future Framers Gap Year please suggest they check us out at https://futureframers.org. Also, many people are looking for ways to improve the future for young people. Please also share this campaign with your personal networks, professional networks, and social media and give them a chance to contribute.

* J Psychiatr Res. 2020 Nov; 130: 441–446.

** JAMA Pediatr. 2021 Nov; 175(11): 1–10.