ATTRACTING YOUTH HOME TO RURAL NEBRASKA

Many Nebraska community leaders are concerned about youth out-migration and would like to know what can be done to address it effectively. The exodus of young people has indeed had a significant impact on our rural communities for many years. However, recent research by the Center for Rural Entrepreneurship, documents that a sea change is underway, with over half of rural Nebraska youth indicating that they would prefer to live in their hometowns in the future if there are career and business opportunities available.

Unfortunately, three-quarters of rural Nebraska youth surveyed also indicate that no one has asked for their input on how to make their hometown a more attractive option to stay or come back to.

On May 24th, Craig Schroeder with the Center for Rural Entrepreneurship will broadcast a free one-hour webinar available to Nebraska libraries and community leaders seeking to involve youth in ways that will encourage them stay or return home in the future.

In this session, Craig will address three key topics that are vital to attracting youth:

Creating local career and business opportunities for young people.
Involving youth in decision-making and community service.
Making community investments in youth and their enterprises.

Craig will also announce an exciting new youth project, utilizing local library resources, to help young people develop a richer appreciation of their community's heritage, and thereby deepen their ownership and pride in their hometowns.

This webinar is being supported by the Nebraska Library Commission under the Library Broadband Builds Nebraska Communities initiative.

To register for this free webinar, please click on the registration link below

Please also promote this webinar to youth program leaders, educators and community leaders who are interested in attracting young people to live and work in your community.

For more information, please contact:

Craig Schroeder

Director of Youth Engagement

Center for Rural Entrepreneurship

421 South 9th St., Suite 245

Lincoln, NE 68508

(402) 423-8788

craig@e2mail.org