"Talent is equally distributed;
opportunity is not."
San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo's Favorite Quote
opportunity is not."
San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo's Favorite Quote
The Silicon Valley Virtual Group Mentoring Program was developed in four cohorts over two years (2019-21):
When the pandemic hit in March, 2020, we had to scrap our original design:
By the end of our first cohort we knew we had built something special. We had proof that:
With youth as our biggest and best critics, all of us, together, heeded the Silicon Valley mantra, "fail fast to succeed."
By the end of the fourth cohort, we were far more successful than we could ever have anticipated.
- It was led by Clint Wilkins, an Encore Fellow in the Mayor's Office in San José, California;
- We partnered with a youth-oriented non-proft organization, San José Works.
- We partnered with major Silicon Valley Corporations, like Intel.
- Our focus: job readiness and career exploration.
When the pandemic hit in March, 2020, we had to scrap our original design:
- Working one-on-one gave way to working in groups;
- Working in the community gave way to working on the Internet.
- Necessity became our own mother of invention!
By the end of our first cohort we knew we had built something special. We had proof that:
- Youth and adults will open up authentically in small groups.
- Strong bonds of trust can be built rapidly, even on Zoom.
- And it didn't take long for youth and mentors alike to seek out longer-term one-on-one matches.
With youth as our biggest and best critics, all of us, together, heeded the Silicon Valley mantra, "fail fast to succeed."
By the end of the fourth cohort, we were far more successful than we could ever have anticipated.