ABOUT US
The Jewish Teen Education & Engagement Funder Collaborative is an innovative philanthropic experiment. In an unprecedented collaboration, national and local funders work together to develop, nurture and scale new approaches to teen engagement. Informed by up-to-the-minute research and data, and drawing on the collective strength of local organizations, multi-faceted initiatives in ten communities across the country aim to reverse the trend of teens opting out of Jewish life in their high school years.
The Funder Collaborative is deeply committed to enhancing and sharing learnings that shape contemporary approaches to Jewish teen education and growth. Early research and insights have led to a richer understanding of modern teenagers, spurring inspiring new engagement methodologies which reflect this understanding. The Funder Collaborative invests in shared frameworks and tools which may be adapted by any experiential or immersive program, and shares its learnings widely with the goal of advancing the entire field of Jewish teen engagement.
COMMUNITY-BASED TEEN INITIATIVES
WHAT WE’RE LEARNING
Communities participating in the Funder Collaborative together have embarked on a linked, multi-year experiment. To understand and reflect on our progress and outcomes, both locally and across the ten communities, we invest in two concurrent evaluation efforts. Local evaluators study regional initiatives, and a Cross-Community Evaluation aggregates and analyzes key learnings on a national level.
We believe the insights we glean can have wide-ranging implications for any city or organization working to improve its Jewish teen engagement and education. We will publish all reports, case studies, and research here as they become available.
Evaluation
Initial Outcomes Across Communities: First Fruits from the Jewish Teen Education and Engagement Funder Collaborative is the first report aggregating baseline data from four Funder Collaborative communities. To understand the progress and outcomes of teen programs, the cross-community evaluation will capture, explore and share learnings over multiple years.
STORIES & LATEST NEWS
Can’t Travel to Campus? No Problem! Teens Invited on a Virtual College Road Trip to Explore All Aspects of Campus Life
Student-led campus tours, info sessions with college admissions and Hillel professionals, workshops on college search and maintaining wellness all through month of June High school students and their families can explore college and Jewish life [...]
Expanding Your Reach: A New Networking and Learning Series Open to All Youth Professionals
Informed By Current Research and Best Practices From the 10 Communities of the Jewish Teen Funder Collaborative, Workshops Will Fuel Teen Engagement Efforts Year-Long Series Launches September 3, 2020 By Sara Myers Allen & Debra [...]
Connection, Community & Conversation: Teens Take the Mic
JTI Peer Leadership Fellows talk about what it’s like being a Jewish teen today. Three JTI Peer Leadership Fellows sound off on what it’s like being a Jewish teen in Greater Boston, how they’re helping to connect [...]