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Report on Youth Entrepreneurship Initiative in San Leandro and its Contribution to Sustainable Development Goals

Introduction

A Small Business Saturday event in San Leandro highlighted a local non-profit organization, Teen Advocacy Going Strong (TAGS), which fosters entrepreneurship among teenagers and young adults. This initiative demonstrates a significant local contribution towards achieving several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those related to economic growth, education, health, and responsible consumption.

Program Analysis: Teen Advocacy Going Strong (TAGS)

TAGS is a non-profit organization providing a no-cost program for individuals aged 13 to 24. The program’s core mission is to empower youth by equipping them with essential skills and providing a supportive platform for creative and commercial expression.

Alignment with SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth)

• SDG 4: Quality Education: TAGS offers inclusive and equitable quality education by providing free access to training in business, entrepreneurial, and creative skills, promoting lifelong learning opportunities outside of formal schooling.
• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth: The program directly promotes sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth by fostering youth entrepreneurship. It prepares young people for productive employment and decent work, enabling them to launch their own enterprises.

Case Studies in Sustainable Enterprise

The success of the TAGS program is evidenced by the entrepreneurial ventures of its participants, which align with key SDG principles.

Stacee Iravedra: Circular Economy and Social Inclusion

At 22, Stacee Iravedra operates a fashion resale business, a model that directly supports sustainable development.

1. Contribution to SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production): By sourcing and reselling items from thrift stores, her business promotes circular economy principles, reducing waste and encouraging sustainable consumption patterns.
2. Contribution to SDG 1 (No Poverty) and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities): Having started from humble beginnings and overcome a language barrier, Iravedra’s journey to becoming a business owner exemplifies how such programs can provide pathways out of poverty and reduce inequalities by empowering individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Bryan Mendez: Youth-Led Local Enterprise

Bryan Mendez, who started his nature-inspired jewelry business at 16 with assistance from TAGS, represents the program’s impact on fostering early-stage entrepreneurship.

• Contribution to SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth): His venture is a clear example of youth-led job creation and a contribution to the local economy, embodying the spirit of sustainable economic growth.

Impact on Health, Well-being, and Community Development

The founder of TAGS, Lynn Drogo, established the organization to address a critical need for purpose and direction among young people, thereby contributing to community well-being.

Addressing SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being)

The program was founded in response to rising levels of stress, anxiety, and depression among youth. By providing a sense of purpose, building confidence, and fostering a supportive community, TAGS directly promotes mental health and well-being, a key target of SDG 3.

Conclusion: A Localized Model for Global Goal Achievement

The TAGS initiative in San Leandro serves as an effective model for achieving global Sustainable Development Goals at the community level. Through its focus on empowerment, skills training, and support for sustainable business practices, the organization makes tangible contributions to the following SDGs:

• SDG 1: No Poverty
• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
• SDG 4: Quality Education
• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
• SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

This initiative demonstrates that empowering youth entrepreneurship is a powerful strategy for building resilient, sustainable, and inclusive local economies.

1. SDGs Addressed in the Article

The article highlights issues and initiatives that are connected to the following Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being: The article directly addresses mental health challenges among young people. The founder of TAGS started the non-profit because she observed youth “struggling with stress, anxiety, depression, and a common link is not having hope for the future.” The program aims to improve their well-being by empowering them and providing a sense of purpose.
• SDG 4: Quality Education: The initiative provides non-formal education and vocational training. TAGS offers a “no-cost program that allows 13 to 24-year-olds to learn business, entrepreneurial, and creative skills,” which are crucial for future employment and personal development.
• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth: The core focus of the article is on fostering youth entrepreneurship. By helping teens and young adults like Stacee Iravedra and Bryan Mendez start their own businesses, the program directly contributes to creating decent work, promoting entrepreneurship, and reducing youth unemployment.
• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities: The program promotes economic inclusion by being “no-cost,” making it accessible to all young people regardless of their financial background. It specifically helps individuals from “humble beginnings,” like Stacee, who “lived in a trailer house,” to gain skills and confidence to achieve economic mobility.
• SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production: The article features an entrepreneur, Stacee Iravedra, whose business is based on sustainable practices. Her model of sifting “through thrift stores, finds that diamond in the rough, and resells it” is a direct example of promoting reuse and a circular economy, which helps reduce waste.

2. Specific SDG Targets Identified

Based on the article’s content, the following specific SDG targets can be identified:

1. SDG 4: Quality Education

   • Target 4.4: By 2030, substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship.
     
     Explanation: The article states that TAGS provides a “no-cost program that allows 13 to 24-year-olds to learn business, entrepreneurial, and creative skills.” This directly aligns with the target of equipping youth with relevant vocational and entrepreneurial skills.

2. SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

   • Target 8.6: By 2020, substantially reduce the proportion of youth not in employment, education or training (NEET).
     
     Explanation: Although the target date is 2020, the principle remains relevant. The TAGS program is designed to engage youth (ages 13-24) and provide them with a clear path towards entrepreneurship and employment, directly addressing the issue of youth being outside the education or employment systems.

3. SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

   • Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age… or economic or other status.
     
     Explanation: The program empowers young people, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds (“humble beginnings”), by providing free access to skills and opportunities. This fosters their economic inclusion and helps them overcome social barriers, such as the shyness Stacee experienced.

4. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

   • Target 3.4: By 2030, reduce by one third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being.
     
     Explanation: The program directly contributes to the “promote mental health and well-being” component of this target. The founder explicitly created it to combat “stress, anxiety, depression” in young people by “empowering them” and giving them “hope for the future.”

5. SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

   • Target 12.5: By 2030, substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse.
     
     Explanation: Stacee Iravedra’s business of reselling second-hand clothing is a practical application of the “reuse” principle in this target. Her work contributes to reducing textile waste by extending the life of garments.

3. Indicators for Measuring Progress

The article mentions or implies several indicators that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets:

1. For Target 4.4 (Relevant Skills for Employment):

   • Implied Indicator: The number of young people who acquire entrepreneurial and business skills.
     
     Evidence: The success stories of Stacee Iravedra, who started as a stylist and is now a business owner with clients, and Bryan Mendez, who started his own jewelry business at 16, serve as qualitative evidence of skills acquisition leading to entrepreneurship.

2. For Target 8.6 (Youth Employment):

   • Implied Indicator: The number of youth-led businesses created or the number of young people who gain employment after participating in the program.
     
     Evidence: The article showcases Stacee and Bryan as examples of young people who are now entrepreneurs selling their products, implying a direct reduction in the NEET proportion for program participants.

3. For Target 10.2 (Inclusion):

   • Implied Indicator: The participation rate of youth from low-income or disadvantaged backgrounds in empowerment programs.
     
     Evidence: The article highlights Stacee’s story of starting from “humble beginnings” and living in a “trailer house,” demonstrating that the no-cost program successfully includes and empowers youth from diverse economic statuses.

4. For Target 3.4 (Mental Well-being):

   • Implied Indicator: Self-reported improvements in confidence, hope, and overall mental well-being among participants.
     
     Evidence: Stacee’s statement, “Tags has helped me with bringing that out and being confident and just being who I am,” is a direct qualitative indicator of improved mental well-being. The founder’s goal of giving youth “hope for the future” also points to this.

5. For Target 12.5 (Waste Reduction):

   • Implied Indicator: The volume of goods reused or repurposed through program-supported businesses.
     
     Evidence: Stacee’s business model of reselling items from thrift stores is a direct, albeit small-scale, measure of this indicator in action.

4. Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: cbsnews.com