Nonprofit Coalition Seeks to Focus on Youth Issues in Mayor's Race

Twelve nonprofits to conduct survey on youth issues, seek to inform 2023 election

A group of Nashville nonprofit organizations operating under the banner of the Nashville Children and Youth Collaborative is seeking to collect data on issues important to young people in Nashville and use the results to inform political action in the upcoming Mayor's race.

The survey can be accessed now at this LINK or via the Collaborative’s website at ForNashvillesFuture.org and will also be deployed by Collaborative nonprofit partners among their constituents. 

Key partners are explaining the importance of the survey and its potential impact on local political outcomes.

“The Nashville Child and Youth Collaborative believes a great city is measured by how it supports its children and youth. We want to refocus community conversations on the needs of our next generation and how city institutions can support healthy child and youth development,” said Collaborative member Mark Dunkerley, President & CEO, Oasis Center. “We’re advancing this work because we see the 2023 municipal election as critical in determining the opportunities and experiences for Nashville’s youngest residents. Insights from the youth survey will inform our collective agenda and ultimately what we want our city’s next mayor to prioritize.”

The survey is aimed at young people - ages 13-24 - some of them not yet voters. The coalition says understanding issues relevant to this audience is the first step toward elevating those issues in political discourse.

“Our young people have the insights and inspiration to help lead us into the future and we need to hear their voices loud and clear this campaign season,” said Marsha Edwards, President and CEO, Martha O’Bryan Center and member of the Collaborative. “After decades of prioritizing and investing in the growth of the city, it is time that city leaders intentionally center children and youth in decision making so we can live in a Nashville that works for all.”

Photo byTanner BoriackonUnsplash