Steve Goranson introduced speaker Barbara Phillips, the founder, president, and a board member of Prism Pathways. In 2013, after 34 years in the corporate world, Barbara founded Prism Pathways to help young people answer the age-old question “Why am I here?” so they might
build a successful purpose in life and be meaningfully employed. Inspired by her son John’s struggles finding a college major that might allow him to succeed in both school and in a future career, Barbara began to wonder about those students who do not have the resources or family network to work through the issues her son did.
Without assistance, these young people have no purpose and wander aimlessly through life.
Barbara noted that in Evanston there are lots of young people wandering through life without a purpose. Barbara noted that each child has unique skills and talents that are conducive to a successful career. Prism Pathways intends to help these young people discover their unique
skills and talents so the marginalized young people it targets can build a future that fulfills them.
Barbara has identified five steps to engage young people in a way that might lead to success:
The first is evaluation. Young people, identified for Prism by Curt’s Café and the Evanston Police Department, will be given an online career assessment test that identifies skills, interests, styles, and values. The results of that test will lead to the suggestion of a number of careers, and
will help the students figure out the “Why am I here?” question.
The second step is the equip process. During this time, Prism, through career days, among other methods, will expose students to many careers outside traditional careers like medicine and law.
The third step is to empower students to succeed with skills training, as well as working with young people one day per week on self-esteem issues, financial stewardship, and good communication abilities.
The fourth step in the process is the engage step. During this time, students will participate in paid internships for three consecutive summers. This will allow young people to be mentored by Prism’s business partners.
The fifth and final step is the invest step, where the young people are given a $1,000 scholarship per year after successful completion of the summer internships. This money can be used for two- or four-year colleges or vocational training.
Barbara and Prism’s vision is to change the trajectory of disadvantaged youth in our community that will lead to changes not only in the youth’s life, but in their family life and their community life. Prism is working with its first group of students now who will begin six-week internships this summer. Barbara just signed up its first corporate partner, a fitness club in Northbrook. She sees business partners as people willing to commit to the young people. She is just building out the organization now, and will be happy to interface with the Cradle to Career program in the Evanston community.
Finally, she mentioned there is no cost to the young people who participate in the program.
Barbara Phillips and President Steve
