Young Adult Events 

After months of reflection and outreach it became clear that the issue that young adults desired the most support for was finances, and we wanted to be a part of providing that support. 

 

Our goal with hosting an event was three-fold: providing actionable knowledge on finances for young adults, providing a space to process experiences and challenges with the economy, and creating an overall fun experience that would bring participants closer together. This led to a whirl-wind month of planning: finding panelists, promotion and planning activities that would build community between everyone who came. 

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On June 4-5th we hosted Money Talks: The Journey to Financial Empowerment, once in-person and once virtually, and both events were a rousing success in so many ways!

 

Event 1 - Highlights from the Money Talks: In-Person Day

The in-person event was a full day affair, featuring 3 panelists discussing housing, debt and money management throughout the day. We also were able to invite therapy dogs, and host community building games and two meals which led to more cohesiveness throughout the entire group. We had a small turn-out, which was not entirely a drawback! Due to the size of the group, the event turned into a day-long conversation between the participants, Ledge Research Team and panelists, allowing for more trust and vulnerability between all that would have likely not occurred with a large group. We gained so much from the panelists and from each other, with much of the conversations focussed on navigating financial issues and the importance of talking about money with our communities.

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Event 2 - Highlights from the Money Talks: Virtual Event
The virtual event the next day featured a new group of participants, and almost an entirely different roster of panelists, but had much continuity from the previous days. This time, economic barriers was one of the main topics of discussion by the panelists, in addition to housing and pay negotiations, and featured breakout rooms for specific conversations on each of the panelists’ topics. The virtual event gathered more people and again led to a community atmosphere throughout the event that transcended the usual disjointedness that can often plague virtual events. We made sure to once again feature community-building activities including a show-and-tell scavenger hunt and mindfulness meditations, which contributed to the shared experience that all participants greatly appreciated.