Working Impact

Over 60 public and private workforce partners collectively unlocking the skill power of 35,000 youth

MHA Labs is a movement of youth and adults who seek to create a world where all young people are empowered with the skills and resources they NEED—to achieve the personal and community aspirations they WANT.

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Human Potential: MHA Labs operates as a nonprofit innovation firm launching ventures that unlock the generational human potential of youth and young adults. We collaborate with 1000’s of researchers and practitioners to resolve both side of the human potential equation. In our path to maximize skills achievement and personal willpower, we collectively and relentlessly work to eliminate the bias and structural forces that limit the contribution of human potential.

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Human Capital: MHA Labs launched Working Impact in 2011 to redefine the how youth human capital is valued as a driver of social and economic progress. Working Impact does not theorize about the value of youth talent but designs performance measurement tools that validate youth as skilled workers and contributors. Our researchers also develop employee impact surveys to validate the conditions that allow human capital to flourish.

Click to view list of partners using the MHA Working Impact Performance Reviews

Download the MHA Working Impact Survey Guide

View Working Impact Platform Training Videos

Working Impact Partner Innovation New Orleans Partner Uncommon Constructing is ”Reframing Character” with MHA performance Review Surveys! View the video on YouTube.

MHA Labs engages new partners in a 5-Step Empowerment Process to authentically align and integrate MHA resources into their own youth and workforce development goals. Customization increases staff intentionality, creativity, commitment and motivation resulting in better outcomes for their youth participants.

5-Step Empowerment Process:

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Working Impact Collective Impact MHA Labs supports four collective impact strategies in Chicago, New Orleans, New York City and Minnesota Twin Cities Region. MHA collective impact cites are extensions of grassroots movement building mobilized by MHA partner passion, not through externally imposed processes. This approach to scale ensures MHA resources are deployed authentically within each city’s social and economic culture and climate.

Higher Impact Logo Founding Partner: One Summer Chicago is a leading Working Impact partner striving to redefine the value of youth in the City of Chicago. OSC provides over 31,000 youth and young adults between the ages of 13 and 24 with meaningful summer employment and learning opportunities. Using MHA Labs’ Employee Performance Review and Youth Impact Survey, OSC was able to tell a radically different story than what the media portrays about youth in Chicago. In 2017...
73% OF EMPLOYERS RATED YOUTH HIGHLY SKILLED ON 21ST CENTURY READINESS 72% OF EMPLOYERS WOULD HIRE YOUTH IF THEY HAD A JOB OPENING
75% OF YOUTH REPORTED GAINING VALUABLE SKILLS IN THE IR PROGRAM 84% OF EMPLOYERS RATED YOUTH HIGHLY SKILLED ON TECHNICAL ABILITY
MHA Boss Youth and Employer Empowerment Toolkit This FREE toolkit includes 5 youth empowerment workshops that can be done as a mastery-based scope and sequence or simply a grab-and go activity resource guide.
Picture of a laptop with MHA Working Impact Survey Platform loaded on screen Working Impact Survey Platform

To learn more about how to become an MHA Working Impact Partner contact: Leslie Beller lbeller@mhalabs.org