Empowering Opportunity Youth To Dream Big And Prepare For Their Futures

Forbes

06-05-2025

American Student Assistance (ASA) CEO Jean Eddy with award-winning artist, actor, author, and ... More activist Common American Student Assistance (ASA)
During this time of year when many young people are looking forward to their high school graduation and what comes next, it's important to remember that for some teens and young adults, thinking about and preparing for future success may seem like a luxury they cannot afford.
There is an urgent need to engage this population to activate their strengths and interests and dream big about their futures.
For this population of over five million opportunity youth who are neither working nor in school, and more than 700,000 justice-involved young people currently or formerly incarcerated, there is an urgent need to engage these underestimated youth to activate their strengths and interests and help them to dream big about their futures.
May 4-June 4 is National Returning Youth Month. It's imperative that we bring awareness to young people transitioning into society after incarceration, and ensuring they have the support and resources to successfully reintegrate is a critical step in this process.
For all these reasons and more, the national nonprofit American Student Assistance (ASA) partnered with FREE TO DREAM—a newly founded nonprofit by award-winning artist, actor, author, and activist Common—to launch the #IAMFREETODREAM campaign, providing tools and resources to help young people turn their dreams into reality.
Harnessing the Power of Dreams
While all young people need to be encouraged to dream big, this is critically important to underestimated youth who are facing challenges relevant to education, recidivism reduction, and reentry for those who are or were recently incarcerated.
That's why FREE TO DREAM is focused on harnessing the power of proximity, storytelling, and collaboration. We offer programs and pathways in creative arts & self-expression to activate the dreams of people from high potential communities. As Common puts it, 'We know dreams have the power to change life outcomes, yet so many people don't feel they even have permission to dream, or remember the dreams they once had. In some of the most difficult times in my life, it was holding on to my dreams that made the difference in my decisions, and ultimately those decisions made the difference in my life- that's how important it is. I know people who were incarcerated but held on to their dreams, and now they are home and living out those dreams and they are amazing examples of hope.'
Dreaming Big In Action
At ASA, we are on a mission to help all young people prepare for their futures, including those from rural areas, teens with disabilities, and young people who are opportunity youth. We need to find meaningful ways to help young people tap into their strengths and interests, explore, test and try, discover and transition into their dream careers. For all of us as caring adults or DREAMKEEPERS who support youth, we can start by asking a simple question of what do they love to do? What brings them joy? And as Common would say, what makes their eyes light up? Starting with kids' dreams and their highest aspirations, we can help them map out a successful future.
Another powerful way to create an environment where youth are encouraged to dream big about their futures, is through a process FREE TO DREAM calls "DREAMSCAPING." During national and regional activation events as part of the campaign, students were broken out into small groups led by adult facilitators. Young people worked through journaling prompts, brainstorming their own dreams and goals for the future. It was a chance for the kids to step back and think without limitation about where they wanted to go, how to get there, and who in their lives might be able to help them achieve their dreams. The facilitators encouraged the kids to share aloud and provided advice and guidance along the way.
Let us all, individually and collectively do all we can to ensure that all kids know they are not only free to dream, but have access to the environments, experiences, tools, and resources, critical in attaining those dreams. It starts with an adult who cares, who can help illuminate the path.